FT8 and the Future of DXing Ed Muns, W0YK

Clublog % QSOs by Mode: 2017-2018 FT8 CW Phone JT65/9 RTTY

LotW: March 2017 vs. March 2018

LotW Digital Mode Trends

ARRL RTTY Roundup FT8 # Logs RTTY 2019

FT8 Roundup (first FT8 contest) ARRL Roundup FT8 Roundup # Logs

RTTY & WSJT History 1901 – Murray evolved Baudot code to teleprinters (Other digital modes less significant) 1849 – Landline teleprinter operations begin 1946 – Hams start using Model 26 terminals 1874 – Emile Baudot designs 5 unit code 1953 – First RTTY Sweepstakes contest 2001 – WSJT by K1JT for VHF 2014 – JT65 & JT9 move to HF 2017 – FT8 for 6m sporadic-Es 1976 – RTTY DXCC initiated 2018/9 – First FT8 contests 2005 – JT65 1850 1875 1900 1925 1950 1975 2000 2025

WSJT & WSJT-X History 2001: FSK441 for meteor scatter 2002: JT6M for ionospheric scatter 2003: JT65 VHF/UHF EME Adopted for QRP HF DXing; 176 Hz bandwidth; 60 sec. transmission 2014: JT9 for LF, MF and HF 2 dB more sensitive than JT65; 16 Hz bandwidth Jun 2017: FT8 for 6m Es & HF 50 Hz bandwidth; 15 second transmission May 2018: Baker Is. DXpedition > 11,000 FT8 HF QSOs Dec 2018: FT8 Roundup (first WSJT-X HF contest) Jan 2019: ARRL RTTY Roundup (FT8 permitted) Apr 2019: FT8 DX Contest 30 Aug-1 Sep 2019: WW Digi DX Contest (to be announced)

WSJT-X “Cliff Notes” Weak Signal communication by Joe Taylor - eXperimental Developed for EME; enhanced for HF Several protocols (JT65, JT9, FT8, FT4, etc.) TX/RX cycles synchronous with time servers QSO phases can be reversed Multi-channel (external spotting and CQ/S&P irrelevant) Weak signal (inaudible) Longer DX Lower power Compromised antennas and/or QTH Narrow bandwidth (4-176 Hz) “Perfect” copy (SCP irrelevant)

Ground-breaking Sensitivity human hearing limit

Narrow Bandwidth -60 dB: 2000 180

FT8 Multi-Channel Reception 02:34:45 02:35:15 My Tx 02:34:45 02:36:15 His Tx

FT8 Standard QSO (90 sec.) CQ K1ABC FN42 K1ABC W9XYZ EN37 W9XYZ K1ABC -11 W9XYZ K1ABC RRR K1ABC W9XYZ EN37 K1ABC W9XYZ R-09 K1ABC W9XYZ 73

FT8 Short-Cycle QSO (75 sec.) CQ K1ABC FN42 W9XYZ K1ABC R-11 W9XYZ K1ABC 73 <CQ K1ABC> K1ABC W9XYZ -09 K1ABC W9XYZ RR73 60 sec. rolling QSOs

FT8 DXpedition QSO 75 sec. for single QSO 60 sec./5 QSOs (rolling) QSO period 1 QSO period 2 QSO period 3 CQ KH1/KH7Z K1ABC KH7Z -12 <“CQ” for others> K1ABC RR73 W9XYZ KH7Z -08 W0YK KH7Z -13 <“CQ” for others> W9XYZ KH7Z RR73 W0YK KH7Z RR73 KH7Z K1ABC FN42 KH7Z K1ABC R-14 KH7Z W9XYZ EN37 KH7Z W0YK CM97 etc. KH7Z W9XYZ R-11 KH7Z W0YK R-15 KH7Z K9YC CM87 KH7Z W6OAT CN87 etc.

WSJT-X Downside Multi-channel (external spotting and CQ/S&P irrelevant) Weak signal (inaudible) Longer DX Lower power Compromised antennas and/or QTH Narrow bandwidth (4-176 Hz) “Perfect” copy (SCP irrelevant) Slow 1-6 minutes/QSO Limited, fixed messages Minimal reaction time

WSJT-X Downside? Multi-channel (external spotting and CQ/S&P irrelevant) Weak signal (inaudible) Longer DX Lower power Compromised antennas and/or QTH Narrow bandwidth (4-176 Hz) “Perfect” copy (SCP irrelevant) Slow 1-6 minutes/QSO  30 sec. (FT4); 6-10 sec. (multi-streaming) Limited, fixed messages  fine for contesting Minimal reaction time  auto-sequencing

Multi-Streaming (hypothetical) 5 contest QSOs in 42 seconds = 429 QSOs/hour Assuming up to three parallel QSO phases per TX cycle Assuming means to queue up multiple partners (automation?) Peak rate of 3 QSOs in 18 seconds = 600 QSOs/hour

Multi-Streaming (hypothetical) WSJT-X dev’t team has not implemented Conflicts with current contest convention 1.2 second reaction period between TX cycles  too robotic? Will digital contest rules allow multi-streaming? (FT8 Roundup did) Are there enough potential QSO partners to justify?

Automation Robotics allowed in VHF FCC HF regulations: Specific narrow band segments for automation Elsewhere, how much human control or interaction? Each transmission? Contesting convention: should the human operator … Select QSO partner(s)? Initiate each QSO? each transmission? each minute?

Questions Participation (potential QSO partners) Is multi-streaming appropriate? How much automation should be allowed? How much operating skill should be required? what is “operating skill”? Multi-mode/protocol digital contests? FT4/FT8 only might balance rate with weak signal Participation (potential QSO partners) will greatly influence the answers.