FT8 DX S2S Event Sunday 24th March 2019

Notices Events
1

We will try again to achieve DX S2S using FT8.

I wonder if 30m might give us a better chance of success than 20m? I suspect 30m would be best, but I’ll see what people think - and indeed what they alert for!

Probable QRV times 0600-0900z. Hoping for participation from BV, BY, JA, HL, VK and ZL, and of course European SOTA activators. Legacy modes available too.

I’m not sure how many activators are QRV on FT8 yet, but I think the number is growing. Anyway, if you wish to participate, please post your Alert on SOTAwatch - whether for FT8 or non-data mode(s) - or both.

2 Likes
2

Hi Tom,
Of late there’s been very little long path 20 metres contacts between EU & VK in my experience. From an SSB point of view 40 metres is better. I’d suggest 30m and 40m are your best chances on digital/CW.

73 Ed.

3

Because you will be QRP even by FT8 standards I’d suggest that you nominate a frequency away from the general mob on the bands chosen.
Compton

4

In other words, you want to make it even easier!

5

Na, I’d just use CW if I wanted to to that. Or SSB to make it the easiest way:))

6

Now Compton, where did that come from?
Because of the narrower bandwidth CW has an effective 8-10dB gain over SSB. Of the three options SSB, CW and digital, SSB is the most difficult to make DX contacts on. Especially if you are on 30m in Australia - for some reason, although the SSB signal gets through to Europe no one ever calls back ! :wink:

Ed.

7

I was adding to 2E0YYY’s humour I thought.
And yes, I know which is easiest…

8

OOPs missed the humour - :rofl:

9

OK, so how about 10.137MHz (dial frequency) for FT8 and 10.123MHz CW then as suggested frequencies?

10

Tom,

Sorry but I won’t be available to Chase on this event. I am working all weekend.

Don GW0PLP

11

I love FT8 at home, but I’m new to SOTA. FT8 doesn’t have a place to put messages, so how do you know it is a SOTA contact and what their location is?

Mark
N4OJE@ARRL.net

12

Hi Mark

I sometimes use CQ SO M1EYP/P IO83 as my initial call. I always self-spot on SOTAwatch.

After the RR73 line, I send a freetext line of SOTA G/SP-015 (e.g.) before going back to CQ… again.

13

Since the release of version 2.0 of WSJT-X with the 77-bit payload, it has been possible to send a message such as CQ SOTA VK2IO/P QF56. The second field can have up to four characters now where it was restricted to two characters in earlier versions. Including a /P in a callsign is fully supported now too.

73,
Gerard.- VK2IO

14

That’s very interesting Gerard. I’m sure that since upgrading to 2.0, I have been able to send:

CQ SO M1EYP/P IO83

or

CQ SOTA M1EYP IO83

but not the full ‘SOTA’ and the /P.

Still a big improvement over 1.9, but not the ideal scenario you suggest. I hope you’re right and I’m wrong though!

15

Still only myself alerted for this, and Willis in BV is no longer available for a S2S sked.

Is anyone else interested in trying for some 30m FT8 at this time, especially S2S / DX?

16

Hello Tom,

QRV for FT8 S2S possible for me on Saturday 23 (so sorry but not Sunday) about 1100z from F/AB-220 (and sorry not DX for you :slight_smile: )
Mainly 10.136 but also 7.074 and 14.074.

73, Bruno, F6HHK

1 Like
17

Hi Tom,
Gerard is correct. You can send CQ SOTA KF7NP/P DM33. The /P needs to be part of your call in the setup. The unfortunate thing is you need edit in the SOTA each time. I used FT8 during my activation today. Conditions were terrible on HF only 1 QSO on FT8. I had a partial with a station in Morocco. Thanks to four contacts on 23 cm I completed the activation.

73 Burke KF7NP

18

I see we have one new alert, other than mine, for tomorrow morning, giving us a grand total of two!

I’m off to bed ahead of the early start!

19

I will chase on 40m and SWL on 30m.

20

The GM station coming on at 0830 has mentioned 40m, but other than that, no 40 mentioned in the alerts. Heading out shortly.