js8call/lib/Fast_Modes.txt

			Fast Modes in WSJT-X
			--------------------

#######################################################################

IMPORTANT - IMPORTANT - IMPORTANT - IMPORTANT - IMPORTANT - IMPORTANT 

Third-party individuals (i.e., others not part of the WSJT development
team) have been compiling WSJT-X from the open source code and making
unauthorized "releases" of their builds.  I do NOT reccommend use of
unauthorized builds on the air.  If a program revision has been released
in an official way, you will see it listed here.

If you operate with an unauthorized "rXXXX" code revisions in our
experimental code branch you have no idea what you've got.  Quite
possibly, the program was built from an intermediate temporary "save"
of various files, and was not even supposed to produce a usable
program.  Your observetions about what works or does not work are then
worse than useless -- they waste your time and ours.

So please, PLEASE, *PLEASE*: use *authorized*, "released* revisions
of this still-in-development software, like the revisions described here.

*ALSO:* If you choose to try an experimental release of JTMSK, please
accept the responsibility of reporting on your results.  You can send
reports to the "wsjtgroup" reflector, wsjtgroup@yahoogroups.com, or
email them directly to me.  All suggestions for improvements are
welcome!

Bug reports should include details on how to reproduce the undesirable
program behavior.  Reports on decoding performance are especially
useful when accompanied by example *.wav files with signals that
you think should have decoded, but did not.

#######################################################################

September 18, 2015
-----------------

New alpha release of experimental WSJT-X v1.6.1, r5910
------------------------------------------------------
Changes since revision 5889 include the following:

1. Improved behavior for auto-QSY with "CQ nnn ..." feature.  (May not
be exactly correct, yet, for all radios.  Please report if you find
problems with your rig.)

2. Allow optional use of Wide Graph in fast modes.

3. Add UTC labels to Fast Graph spectrograms.

4. Display correct DXCC entiry for "CQ nnn ..." messages.

5. Implement "Save Decoded" for fast modes.

6. Select Tx6 when "CQ Rx nnn" is enabled.

7. Fix bug in setting of TRperiod after switch to ISCAT mode.

8. Display proper symbol '&' in Tx messages in JTMSK mode.


To download this alpha release for Windows, paste the following link
into your browser:
http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wsjtx-1.6.1-r5910-win32.exe

    -- 73, Joe, K1JT

#######################################################################

September 12, 2015
-----------------

New alpha release of experimental WSJT-X v1.6.1, r5889
------------------------------------------------------

A principal new feature in this release is designed to promote the use
of an agreed "calling frequency" for transmissions of the form

  CQ 265 K1ABC FN42

signifying that K1ABC will listen for replies on 50.265 (or 144.265,
or whatever) and will complete the QSO there.  The feature uses the
rig-control features of WSJT-X to handle the necessary frequency
switching.

##########################################################################
Changes since revision 5865 include the following:

1. New features that allow automatic rig control when you transmit or
respond to messages of the form "CQ 265 K1ABC FN42" on an agreed
calling frequency.  This feature should be especially useful for
meteor scatter.

2. Yellow-highlighted "Tx" messages in the right text window are now
properly labeled with 6-digit UTC (hhmmss) in all fast modes.

3. Fixed a bug (introduced in r5865) that inhibited transmitting in
JT4 mode.

4. Fixed a bug that caused Wide Graph to continue issuing green
separator lines at short (e.g. 15 s) intervals after you have switched
to a slow mode.

5. Fixed several more GUI appearance bugs associated with changing
modes or submodes.

6. Fixed a bug in which double-clicking on the Fast Graph could cause
program crashes.

7. Fixed a bug that sometimes caused "high tones" to be emitted in
JTMSK mode.

#######################################################################
Here's a brief description of how to use the "CQ nnn ..." features.

1. On program startup, go to the Settings | General tab and tick the
box labeled 'Rx frequency offset with "CQ nnn ..."'

2. Select JTMSK mode and 50.280 (or your some other agreed calling
frequency) from the drop-down band menu.  Remember that this menu is
not pre-populated with preferred frequencies for all modes on all
bands. Use Settings | Frequencies to add your desired modes and
frequencies to the list.

3. Tick the unlabeled checkbox just under the "Report: spinner to
activate the "CQ Rx nnn" spinner.  Set this control to your desired
QSO frequency in kHz above the nominal band edge.  On 6 meters, for
example, "265" means "50.265".

4. Your transceiver dial frequency should now show 50.265.  Changes to
the "CQ Rx nnn" spinner value should be reflected immediately in the
transceiver dial frequency, the displayed value on the WSJT-X main
screen, and in Tx message #6, the "CQ nnn... " message.

5. When you transmit the Tx6 message, the Tx frequency will be set at
the calling frequency.  Otherwise (when receiving, or when
transmitting any of the messages Tx1 through Tx5) the offset frequency
(50.265 in my example) will be used.

6. If you double-click on a received "CQ nnn ..." message on the
calling frequency, your rig will QSY to specified response frequency,
e.g. 50.265, for both Rx and Tx.

7. To go back to listening on the calling frequency, uncheck the box
that activated the "CQ Rx nnn" spinner.

#######################################################################

Fair warning: I have not yet tested all possible combinations of
"Split Operation" configuration (i.e., "None", "Rig", and "Fake it").
If you normally use Split operation, that should be OK for the "CQ
nnn ..." feature.


As always, please report any bugs that you find in r5889, including
pertinent details on your settings and the exact series of steps
required to reproduce the bug.


To download this alpha release for Windows, paste the following link
into your browser:
http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wsjtx-1.6.1-r5889-win32.exe


    -- 73, Joe, K1JT

#######################################################################

New alpha release of experimental WSJT-X v1.6.1, r5865
------------------------------------------------------

This alpha release of WSJT-X includes major improvements to the JTMSK
decoder.  Changes since revision 5823 include the following:

1. On-screen controls labeled "Rx nnnn Hz" and "F Tol" (Rx frequency
and tolerance) now function as expected in JTMSK mode.  The frequency
search range can be up to 500 Hz, but note that sensitivity is
necessarily reduced for signals off frequency by more than about 250
Hz.  Normally you should leave Rx Freq set at 1500 Hz; suitable values
for F Tol are 100 to 500 Hz.

2. The JTMSK decoder now makes good use of strong, short pings (as
short as 0.1 s) as well as weak pings several times longer.

3. Improved calculation of S/N and frequency of decoded signals.

4. Unified appearance of window titles on all non-modal windows.

5. CW ID is disabled (for now, at least) when operating in any of the
WSJT fast modes.

6. In WSPR mode, display of "Receiving ... <band>" messages is
disabled when band-hopping is not in use.

7. Fixed several bugs affecting status and visibility of certain
on-screen controls after changes in operating mode.

8. Fixed a bug allowing display of duplicate decodes for the same
signal.

9. Fixed a bug preventing compilation on 64-bit systems, and cleaned
up some harmless compiler warnings.

#######################################################################
		Summary Description of JTMSK Protocol

JTMSK uses the same standard message structure as slow modes JT4, JT9,
and JT65.  User information is "source encoded" to 72 bits. A 15-bit
CRC is appended and a convolutional code with constraint length K=13
and rate r=1/2 is applied, making a total of (72+15+12)*2 = 198
information bits.  Three copies of the "Barker-11" code and three
even-parity bits are added for synchronization, making a total of
198+33+3 = 234 channel symbols.  Modulation uses a constant-envelope,
continuous-phase "minimum-shift keying" (MSK) waveform, with tone
frequencies of 1000 and 2000 Hz.

#######################################################################

To download this alpha release for Windows, paste the following link
into your browser:
http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wsjtx-1.6.1-r5865-win32.exe

	-- 73, Joe, K1JT

August 28, 2015
---------------

New release of experimental WSJT-X v1.6.1, r5823
------------------------------------------------

To download for Windows, paste the following link into your browser:
http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wsjtx-1.6.1-r5823-win32.exe

This experimental version of WSJT-X introduces a new fast mode called
JTMSK.  The letters MS, of course, imply meteor scatter; the three
letters MSK mean "Minimum Shift Keying", the modulation scheme used in
this mode.

Revision 5823 also includes a number of (mostly minor) bug fixes
relative to r5789.

IMPORTANT: If you choose to try JTMSK, please accept the
responsibility of reporting on your results.  You can send reports to
the "wsjtgroup" reflector, wsjtgroup@yahoogroups.com or email them
directly to me.  All suggestions for improvements are welcome!  Bug
reports should include details on how to reproduce the undesirable
program behavior.

The present JTMSK decoder has been optimized for short pings.  It does
not yet do a wide search for proper frequency alignment; you and your
QSO partner need to be "on frequency" to within +/- 100 Hz or better.
The decoder does not (yet) attempt to make optimal use of weak, slowly
varying signals.  These and other characteristics may be improved in
coming revisions.

KNOWN BUG: At present you should use T/R sequence lengths 15 s in
JTMSK mode.  If you have a program crash, open Windows Task Manager,
select the "Processes" tab, right-click on wsjtx.exe, and select "End
Process Tree".  Then restart the program.

I view JTMSK as a candidate for replacing both FSK441 and JTMS for all
meteor scatter work.  JTMSK has the major advantage of including
strong forward error correction (FEC), similar in usage to the schemes
used for many years in JT4, JT9, and JT65.  The structure of user
messages and the format of minimal QSOs is also identical to those
other modes.  But JTMSK is very fast, transmitting its full encoded
message content in 0.117 s, in a 2 kHz bandwidth.  JTMSK therefore
makes much better use of short pings than (for example) JT9H can do.

The Tx waveform of JTMSK has been carefully designed to have a number
of desirable features.  All messages are exactly the same length: 72
bits of user information are followed by a 15-bit CRC and encoded into
198 channel bits with a convolutional code (constraint length K=13,
rate r=1/2).  Three sequences of the "Barker-11" code are added, along
with three parity bits, making a total of 234 channel bits in each
message.  The MSK symbols for these bits are transmitted at 2000 baud,
and the full encoded message is repeated every 117 ms.

A summary description of modulation parameters for all WSJT(-X) modes
is shown in a table posted here:
http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wsjt_modes.txt and
illustrated graphically here:
http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wsjt_modes.pdf

	-- 73, Joe, K1jT
			 
August 15, 2015
---------------

New release of experimental WSJT-X v1.6.1, r5789

Changes since WSJT-X v1.6.1, revision 5779:

1.  Major speedup (5x) of fast-JT9 decoder.
2.  Corrected logic for Auto-Sequencing operation.
3.  Stop after sending 73 five times in auto-sequence mode.
4.  Add an "Auto-Level" control to Fast Graph window.
5.  Send fast-mode decodes to PSKreporter web site.
6.  Support automatic logging via JTAlert-X.
7.  Send fast-mode output to file ALL.TXT.
8.  Better definition of dB levels for fast-JT9 signals.
9.  Rationalize the GUI behavior when changing mode, submode, fast/slow
    status, and T/R period.
10. Correct a flaw in the display of multiple decodes in a single 
    fast-JT9 sequence.
11. Fix minor bugs reported by G3WDG, ND0B, OZ1PIF, and others.

To download for Windows, paste the following link into your browser:
http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wsjtx-1.6.1-r5789-win32.exe

Please keep in mind that this is an experimental version of WSJT-X.
Bug reports and other feedback will be much appreciated, and will help
to make the program better!  

    -- 73, Joe, K1JT


August 11, 2015
---------------

Since its origin in the dark ages (ca. 2001) WSJT has supported "fast"
modes (designed for meteor scatter, etc.) and "slow" modes (optimized
for EME and other weak-signal propagation types).  The most recent new
mode, JT9, now has *both* fast and slow submodes.  

JT9A (the "original" JT9) is like JT65 and JT4: its T/R sequences are
one minute long, and its primary goal is best possible sensitivity for
very weak, approximately steady signals.  The new experimental JT9
submodes use the same message structure, encoding, and modulation type
(9-tone FSK) as JT9A, but wider tone spacing and (optionally) faster
keying rates.

You can download an experimental version of WSJT-X (v1.6.1, r5779) here:
http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wsjtx-1.6.1-r5779-win32.exe

The fast submodes currently being tested, JT9E - JT9H, have been found
highly effective for meteors and ionoscatter propagation on 6 and 10
meters.  Sensitivity is similar to ISCAT, or slightly better.
Decoding is much more reliable, because the JT9 protocol includes
strong forward error correction.  Decoding results are like those for
all the WSJT "slow" modes: you should see messages exactly as they
were transmitted, or nothing at all.  A potential side benefit is
automatic reporting of decodes to PSKreporter.

For details on the modulation parameters of the JT9 submodes, see the
table posted at
http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wsjt_modes.txt.

WSJT-X v1.6.1 r5779 has the following changes from r5769:

1. Numerous bug fixes
2. Double-click on decoded message now behaves properly
3. Faster decoding (further optimization still to come)
4. Decoded text is highlighted as in WSJT-X slow modes
5. Optional auto-sequencing

Fair warning: auto-sequencing is basically functional, but scarcely
tested.  Please watch what it is doing, and tell us how you think it
should be improved!

If you use WSJT-X also for other modes and other purposes, you may
want to save several different sets of configuration settings.  In
that case it's convenient to use the "-r xxx" option and start the
program from a command-prompt window.  For example:

C:\Users\joe> cd \wsjt\wsjtx\bin
C:\WSJT\wsjtx\bin> wsjtx -r xxx

... where "xxx" can be anything you like, for example "ISCAT",
"FAST9", etc.

Proper configuration for the JT9 fast modes includes the following
settings:

On the Settings | General tab:

 - check "Enable VHF/UHF/Microwave features"

Main window settings:

 - Mode JT9
 - Tx 700 Hz
 - Rx 700 Hz
 - Sync 0
 - Submode G  ... or E, F, and H (H not legal in US on 10m)
 - Tick "Fast"
 - T/R 30 s     (also 5, 10, 15 s)
 - FTol 500

Please keep in mind that this is an experimental version of WSJT-X.
It still has some rough edges, and no doubt some bugs.  Your feedback
will be much appreciated, and will help to make the program better!

    -- 73, Joe, K1JT