184 lines
7.1 KiB
Plaintext
184 lines
7.1 KiB
Plaintext
// Status=review
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=== Standard Exchange
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By longstanding tradition, a minimally valid QSO requires the exchange
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of callsigns, a signal report or some other information, and
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acknowledgments. _WSJT-X_ is designed to facilitate making such
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minimal QSOs using short, structured messages. The process works best
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if you use these formats and follow standard operating practices. The
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recommended basic QSO goes something like this:
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CQ K1ABC FN42 #K1ABC calls CQ
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K1ABC G0XYZ IO91 #G0XYZ answers
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G0XYZ K1ABC –19 #K1ABC sends report
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K1ABC G0XYZ R-22 #G0XYZ sends R+report
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G0XYZ K1ABC RRR #K1ABC sends RRR
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K1ABC G0XYZ 73 #G0XYZ sends 73
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*Standard messages* consist of two callsigns (or CQ, QRZ, or DE and
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one callsign) followed by the transmitting station’s grid locator, a
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signal report, R plus a signal report, or the final acknowledgements
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RRR or 73. These messages are compressed and encoded in a highly
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efficient and reliable way. In uncompressed form (as displayed
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on-screen) they may contain as many as 22 characters.
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*Signal reports* are specified as signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) in dB,
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using a standard reference noise bandwidth of 2500 Hz. Thus, in the
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example message above, K1ABC is telling G0XYZ that his
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signal is 19 dB below the noise power in bandwidth 2500 Hz. In the
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message at 0004, G0XYZ acknowledges receipt of that report and
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responds with a –22 dB signal report. JT65 reports are constrained to
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lie in the range –30 to –1 dB, and values are significantly compressed
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above about -10 dB. JT9 supports the extended range –50 to +49 dB and
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assigns more reliable numbers to relatively strong signals.
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NOTE: Signals become visible on the waterfall around S/N = –26 dB and
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audible (to someone with very good hearing) around –15 dB. Thresholds
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for decodability are around -20 dB for FT8, -23 dB for JT4, –25 dB for
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JT65, –27 dB for JT9.
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=== Free-Text Messages
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Users often add some friendly chit-chat at the end of a QSO.
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Free-format messages such as "`TNX ROBERT 73`" or "`5W VERT 73 GL`"
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are supported, up to a maximum of 13 characters, including spaces. In
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general you should avoid the character / in free-text messages, as the
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program may then try to interpret your construction as part of a
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compound callsign. It should be obvious that the JT4, JT9, and JT65
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protocols are not designed or well suited for extensive conversations
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or rag-chewing.
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=== Auto-Sequencing
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The slow modes JT4, JT9, JT65, and QRA64 allow nearly 10 seconds at
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the end of each one-minute receiving sequence -- enough time for you
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to inspect decoded messages and decide how to reply. The 15-second
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T/R cycles of FT8 allow only about two seconds for this task, which is
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often not enough. For this reason a basic auto-sequencing feature is
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offered. Check *Auto Seq* on the main window to enable this feature:
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image::auto-seq.png[align="center",alt="AutoSeq"]
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When calling CQ you may also choose to check the box *Call 1st*.
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_WSJT-X_ will then respond automatically to the first decoded
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responder to your CQ.
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NOTE: When *Auto-Seq* is enabled the program de-activates *Enable
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Tx* at the end of each QSO. We do not want _WSJT-X_ to make fully
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automated QSOs.
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[[COMP-CALL]]
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=== Compound Callsigns
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Compound callsigns such as xx/K1ABC or K1ABC/x are handled in
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one of two possible ways:
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.Messages containing Type 1 compound callsigns
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A list of about 350 of the most common prefixes and suffixes can be
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displayed from the *Help* menu. A single compound callsign involving
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one item from this list can be used in place of the standard third
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word of a message (normally a locator, signal report, RRR, or 73).
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The following examples are all acceptable messages containing *Type 1*
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compound callsigns:
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CQ ZA/K1ABC
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CQ K1ABC/4
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ZA/K1ABC G0XYZ
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G0XYZ K1ABC/4
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The following messages are _not_ valid, because a third word is not
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permitted in any message containing a *Type 1* compound callsign:
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ZA/K1ABC G0XYZ -22 #These messages are invalid; each would
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G0XYZ K1ABC/4 73 # be sent without its third "word"
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A QSO between two stations using *Type 1* compound-callsign messages
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might look like this:
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CQ ZA/K1ABC
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ZA/K1ABC G0XYZ
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G0XYZ K1ABC –19
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K1ABC G0XYZ R–22
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G0XYZ K1ABC RRR
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K1ABC G0XYZ 73
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Notice that the full compound callsign is sent and received in the
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first two transmissions. After that, the operators omit the add-on
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prefix or suffix and use the standard structured messages.
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.Type 2 Compound-Callsign Messages
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Prefixes and suffixes _not_ found in the displayable short list are
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handled by using *Type 2* compound callsigns. In this case the
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compound callsign must be the second word in a two- or three-word
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message, and the first word must be CQ, DE, or QRZ. Prefixes can be 1
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to 4 characters, suffixes 1 to 3 characters. A third word conveying a
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locator, report, RRR, or 73 is permitted. The following are valid
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messages containing *Type 2* compound callsigns:
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CQ W4/G0XYZ FM07
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QRZ K1ABC/VE6 DO33
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DE W4/G0XYZ FM18
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DE W4/G0XYZ -22
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DE W4/G0XYZ R-22
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DE W4/G0XYZ RRR
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DE W4/G0XYZ 73
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In each case, the compound callsign is treated as *Type 2* because the
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add-on prefix or suffix is _not_ one of those in the fixed list. Note
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that a second callsign is never permissible in these messages.
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NOTE: During a transmission your outgoing message is displayed in the
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first label on the *Status Bar* and shown exactly as another station
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will receive it. You can check to see that you are actually
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transmitting the message you wish to send.
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QSOs involving *Type 2* compound callsigns might look like either
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of the following sequences:
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CQ K1ABC/VE1 FN75
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K1ABC G0XYZ IO91
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G0XYZ K1ABC –19
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K1ABC G0XYZ R–22
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G0XYZ K1ABC RRR
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K1ABC/VE1 73
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CQ K1ABC FN42
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DE G0XYZ/W4 FM18
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G0XYZ K1ABC –19
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K1ABC G0XYZ R–22
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G0XYZ K1ABC RRR
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DE G0XYZ/W4 73
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Operators with a compound callsign use its full form when calling CQ
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and possibly also in a 73 transmission, as may be required by
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licensing authorities. Other transmissions during a QSO may use the
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standard structured messages without callsign prefix or suffix.
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TIP: If you are using a compound callsign, you may want to
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experiment with the option *Message generation for type 2 compound
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callsign holders* on the *Settings | General* tab, so that messages
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will be generated that best suit your needs.
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=== Pre-QSO Checklist
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Before attempting your first QSO with one of the WSJT modes, be sure
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to go through the <<TUTORIAL,Basic Operating Tutorial>> above as well
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as the following checklist:
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- Your callsign and grid locator set to correct values
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- PTT and CAT control (if used) properly configured and tested
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- Computer clock properly synchronized to UTC within ±1 s
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- Radio set to *USB* (upper sideband) mode
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- Radio filters centered and set to widest available passband (up to 5 kHz).
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TIP: Remember that in many circumstances FT8, JT4, JT9, JT65, and WSPR
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do not require high power. Under most HF propagation conditions, QRP
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is usually the norm.
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