FT modes - operating hints and tips

I've made a set of notes that may help anyone who has started using FT8 and FT4 but who would like to know more about the operational side of things.

For the most part, this information is all available on the Web; but I have included details of little techniques and shortcuts that I have found work well for me:

●  FT8 - An operational perspective  ●

or use this link for mobile phones and tablets:

●  FT8 - An operational perspective - mobile version  ●

 

Click on the images to see them full size! 😉

 

Enjoy! 😄

Excellent conditions into Japan

Another excellent lift to Japan over the 26th and 27th April 2022. A nice spread of contacts over the islands. Of the stations worked, 3 actually called me and at one point, I was working a station in Japan with another one calling me and a Kuwaiti station calling me too! 😁

Communcation was digital mode - FT4 and FT8 - on 15m and all with 5 Watts only into indoor dipoles!

Please click the image to see it full size.

Magic Band QSOs

1st MULTIHOP QSO WITH USA - UPDATE!

Almost to the day, one month later, and I make my first multihop contact with the USA! 😊

The band had started well into Europe and I had made a good number of QSOs into Europe. I then noticed that some of the W and K stations being worked form Europe were themselves appearing in WSJT-X and on Gridtracker.

I sorted Gridtracker on the strongest signals and watched as a number of US stations started to climb nearer the top of the window.

I called several, but with no success; but then one did respond and it was all over in the wink of an eye!

I found out subsequently that I had worked a well known 'super station', but - even so - I did it with my 5W and in room dipole.

He didn't acknowledge my electronic QSL, but no matter; I know it happened and it made me Whoop!! 😆

Click images for full size!

Here - as at 5th June 2022 - is a map showing the total number of 'Magic Band' 6m stations worked using my FT817ND and FT8 digital mode.

My dipole antenna faces ENE-WSW but as it is inside my flat - concrete and metal construction, like being inside a Faraday cage 😀 - signals can appear to come from anywhere, and I guess radiate in a similarly random manner.

Still; it all makes for some good fun and hasn't stopped me from getting some good DX on the Magic Band.

I even had a multihop 'spot' in North America. Pity I wasn't able to convert it to a QSO!