1. FT8 and the Future of DXing
Ed Muns, W0YK

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

3. LotW: March 2017 vs. March 2018

4. LotW Digital Mode Trends

5. ARRL RTTY Roundup
FT8
# Logs
RTTY
2019

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

7. 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

8. 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)

9. 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)

10. Ground-breaking Sensitivity
human
hearing limit

11. Narrow Bandwidth
-60 dB:

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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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.

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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?

20. 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?

21. 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.