wouldn’t it be easier to use a call like “CQ SOTA M1EYP”?
It does not matter on which frequency you are sending as WSJT is handling this for you.
You just have to pick up the station in the WSJT Window, and double click.
As a QRP station it is better find a clear spot, so that QRO stations won’t disturb your transmition… Your listening on the frequency of the transmitting station, but you are staying on your clear spot. You might have to set the option not to move your transmitting frequency. Works very well.
Checking regularely that your transmitting frequency is clear will help to increase the number of QSOs. You can move around … even in the middle of the QSO. WSJT handles this for you.
It is worth stating the exact frequency or offset nonetheless, as the band may be busier at the RX of the chaser station than it appears on the summit. Many times, in various modes, I have been convinced I am on a clear spot, but chasers tell me “Difficult copy with much QRM” on air - or by email later (if activating with FT8).
I’m very much a beginner with digital modes. Other than trying to select a clear spot for my Tx frequency on the waterfall window in WSJT-X I just let it do its own thing as I believe the program monitors all the channels.
It does have limitations which the current trip have thrown up. If I used the correct callsign for my QTH of F/M0WIV even without a /P at the end it will not send my grid. The only way to get it to include the grid is to revert to M0WIV without the F/. Without the grid the pskreporter website does not display anything.
I raised this on the FB group for WSJT-X and the advice was to try a Tx macro of F/M0WIV followed by my grid, JN60 or whatever it is. I tried this and it only sent F/M0WIV JN without the last two digits.
There are ways (via both the software and your rig) to adjust this, but generally speaking with “normal” settings, you are monitoring around 2kHz. This probably covers around 50-70% of the activity on each band, but certainly not all.
I can’t understand why you need to use FT-8 or FT-4 when there is JS8Call, you can use free text plus spot yourself as well, admittedly it is more of a 40M thing at the moment
JS8call is a great mode check it every day but for SOTA or WWFF not a lot of JS8 ops are that keen to give a QSO exchange I have found. You can badger a SNR report from them in the software [callsign>snr?] and the Rpi bot will answer with the report. Signal report exchange as I see it. But I make sure the summit is qualified by other modes first before relying on JS8.
Regards
Ian vk5cz …
Gents,
If I use a digital mode in the field I concentrate on FT8 - I don’t like many of the other modes. It is efficient and there is enough to do in the field without pecking away at a tiny keyboard for the whole of the QSO. If you use scripts and macros then why not the FT8 format?
There are occasions when I do call on the same frequency as the target station. This is usually when I have failed to make a contact using another frequency and his string of chasers has diminished.
FT8 is not my preferred activation mode as the pool of contacts seems no larger than the CW pool here in VK.
I use FT4 on 6 m sometimes as signals are often strong but don’t last for long.
If it’s radio, it’s radio. If I’m licensed to use the mode and it’s valid for SOTA, it’s definitely “real”.
I enjoy activating with a wide variety of modes. I activate regularly with CW, SSB, FT8, FT4 and FM. Occasionally I also activate with SSTV, MSK144, PSK31, PSK63, RTTY, JT65. It’s all good, and they all facilitate my information being passed through the ether. So they’re all real radio!
Anyway, a while back, the Moderator banned “Mode-snobbery” - so be careful
Yes let’s not start a mode snobbery contest. It’s never turned out well for the opponents of newer modes.
I remember reading in old magazines the outrage over AM signals in the 1920s. Just not real radio. Then in the 1950s SSB was given the derogatory title of duck talk.
Now the commercial services and the military have all gone to digital modes so why not Amateurs?
Like you I use whatever mode I think is appropriate.
The only reason for that is that is most people who use JS8Call will leave their stations set to auto-respond whilst they are at work, JS8Call was derived from FT-8 but it is a QSO mode, so you can swap reports easily, if only more people bothered to use it! Doesn’t help that Colin whatshisname ‘Whats Next’ in Practical Wireless basically told people not to bother with the mode! For no other reason than lack of activity. No wonder I stopped buying PW!
I know the score with js8call I been on it since it first started. I am sure the Rpi ops don’t mind me >snr? a quick snr report to count as a contact when they are not by their keyboards. After 42 years on air I think its great to have these new methods to communicate and if scoring a QSO for SOTA or what ever other portable activity you do is legitimate in accordance with the LCD. The last time I purposely set up js8call on a SOTA activation I got 12 QSO’s on the mode, all with a proper keyboard exchange so you can be lucky sometimes. Probably my main personal thing against digital modes on summits I do is carrying all the extra kit in my back pack to the top of the hill not what digital mode I use once there.
vk5cz …
I’m old fashioned. If the operator isn’t actually present and at the least clicking on reply then I don’t want to claim the contact.
My mobile phone imp recently interrupted my listening to a football broadcast and asked what it could do. I told it. “That’s not very nice it said”. Damn self important pesky bit of software.
Please stop feeding me if I resort to just communication with software instead of humans.
I don’t understand this view that FT8 /4 are in some way automatic and that no one is there operating. Sure some good ill leave things running as I do popping in and out the shack bit its not going to be making call or answering any if I am not present to choose who and what I want to work!
JS8Call doe beacon /Heartbeat and that does incite a auto response if you allow it bit its not a contact to log.
Setting up and operating an ft8 station on a summit is probably the most complicated way to work portable. That’s the challenge. Also, it’s not like shooting fish in a barrel, especially when QRP.
I actually like how the chasers have to work a little harder to find you, and you find them too!
