42 lines
4.1 KiB
Plaintext
42 lines
4.1 KiB
Plaintext
# JS8Call
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FT8 has taken over the airwaves as the digital communication mode for making QSOs over HF/VHF/UHF. The mode has been widely popular as the latest offering in K1JT’s WSJT-X application. FT8 is based on the same foundation as JT65, JT9, and WSPR modes for weak signal communication, but transmits faster with only slightly reduced sensitivity.
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While FT8 is an incredibly robust weak signal mode, it is designed heavily to take advantage of short band openings on HF/VHF/UHF and only offers a minimal QSO framework. However, many operators are using these weak signal qualities to make successful QSOs on the HF bands where other modes fail.
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JS8Call is an experiment to test the feasibility of a digital mode with the robustness of FT8, combined with a messaging and network protocol layer for weak signal communication on HF, using keyboard-to-keyboard style interface. JS8Call is heavily inspired by WSJT-X, Fldigi, and FSQCall and would not exist without the hard work and dedication of the many developers in the amateur radio community.
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* Read more on the original design inspiration here: https://github.com/jsherer/js8call
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* For release announcements and discussion, join the JS8Call mailing list here: https://groups.io/g/js8call
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* Documentation is available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/159S4wqMUVdMA7qBgaSWmU-iDI4C9wd4CuWnetN68O9U/edit?pli=1#heading=h.kfnyge37yfr
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# Notice
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JS8Call is a derivative of the WSJT-X application, restructured and redesigned for message passing using FT8 modulation. It is not supported by nor endorsed by the WSJT-X development group. While the WSJT-X group maintains copyright over the original work and code, JS8Call is a derivative work licensed under and in accordance with the terms of the GPLv3 license. The source code modifications are public and can be found in this repository: https://bitbucket.org/widefido/js8call/
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# History
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* July 6, 2017 - The initial idea of using a modification to the FT8 protocol to support long-form QSOs was developed by Jordan, KN4CRD, and submitted to the WSJT-X mailing list: https://sourceforge.net/p/wsjt/mailman/message/35931540/
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* August 31, 2017 - Jordan, KN4CRD, did a little development and modified WSJT-X to support long-form QSOs using the existing FT8 protocol: https://sourceforge.net/p/wsjt/mailman/message/36020051/ He sent a video example to the WSJT-X group: https://widefido.wistia.com/medias/7bb1uq62ga
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* January 8, 2018 - Jordan, KN4CRD, started working on the design of a long-form QSO application built on top of FT8 with a redesigned interface.
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* February 9, 2018 - Jordan, KN4CRD, submitted question to the WSJT-X group to see if there was any interest in pursuing the idea: https://sourceforge.net/p/wsjt/mailman/message/36221549/
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* February 10, 2018 - Jordan KN4CRD, Julian OH8STN, John N0JDS, and the Portable Digital QRP group did an experiment using FSQ. The idea of JS8Call, combining FT8, long-form QSOs, and FSQCall like features was born.
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* February 11, 2018 - Jordan, KN4CRD, inquired about the idea of integrating long-form messages into WSJT-X: https://sourceforge.net/p/wsjt/mailman/message/36223372/
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* February 12, 2018 - Joe Taylor, K1JT, wrote back: https://sourceforge.net/p/wsjt/mailman/message/36224507/ saying that “Please don't let my comment discourage you from proceeding as you wish, toward something new.”
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* March 4, 2018 - Jordan, KN4CRD, published a design document for JS8Call: https://github.com/jsherer/js8call
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* July 6, 2018 - Version 0.0.1 of JS8Call released to the development group
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* July 15, 2018 - Version 0.1 released - a dozen testers
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* July 21, 2018 - Version 0.2 released - 75 testers
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* July 27, 2018 - Version 0.3 released - 150 testers
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* August 12, 2018 - Version 0.4 released - (“leaked” on QRZ) - 500 testers
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* September 2, 2018 - Version 0.5 released - 3000 testers
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* September 14, 2018 - Version 0.6 released - 5000 testers
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* October 8, 2018 - Version 0.7 released - 6000 testers, name changed to JS8 & JS8Call
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* October 31, 2018 - Version 0.8 released - ~7000 testers
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* November 15, 2018 - Version 0.9 released - ~7500 testers
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* November 30, 2018 - Version 0.10 released - ~7800 testers
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