A NEW FT8 with QSO and Rag Chew capabilities called FT8CALL

If you can have QSOS with the other modes, the -24db becomes academic.... especially if you use a narrow filter to decode the other modes. Then, there may not be a whole lot of difference between -24db in 2.5 KHZ and -10db in 100 Hz

 

I love Olivia actually, especially the 500/8 flavor, which works at 30 wpm, the issue is -13dB is its threshold to decode, and it seems another 11 dB advantage does the trick for DX.

Truth be told, I rather be on 10 meters SSB, when the band conditions were great, we just don't have that today...

Cheers, NN2X, Tom

 

That's what I'm saying. Center on that signal. Narrow the filters so you cut out everything but that signal. There's your 10db

 

Just to be clear, to obtain the -13dB, decoding threshold for Olivia 500/8, the Ham operator has to adjust the filters on his / her transceiver to be close at 500HZ, otherwise you will not obtain -13db threshold. For example if the filters are lets say 2.4Khz, you will loose the ability to decode at -13db below the noise floor. (For this example)

This goes for any mode to be honest, less noise (Bandwidth) the better, but it can not be smaller the modulated carrier.

 

Not saying you're wrong, but you might want to check that. That would make it WORSE than PSK31. At least the numbers I've seen show PSK31 to be at -10db with a 2.5KHz bandwidth and show Olivia to be -13

 

I use all those and have PSK31, Olivia, FSQ and Contestia QSOs...But as the bands die down FT8Call I see as a really good tool in the tool box for QSO-Messaging-Checking Bands

 

Yep!

 

I do Link budgets all day long, that is a given, less noise, works all the time for advantage. dB = 10Log (Power out / Power in) this also applies the for bandwidth. But this is not the forum to work these formulas! Cheers, NN2X, Tom

 

FT8CALL! I was looking and searching for this in the wrong forum!

An FT8 with ragchew?? I'll be telling me grandchildren!
Honestly, I didn't think it was possible.

 

Well, for those of us who are having trouble making a QSO with the available modes because of the lousy propagation and antenna issues, Yes, it is essential that a new more effective mode is available. Especially right now, I feel MUCH better knowing that FT8CALL is now available as I stare into the face of a hurricane that is going to hit us here in Hawaii in a couple days.

 

Hi Michael,

FT8 uses the Olivia frequencies, and is creeping slowly lower, with the hound-feature. What do you think of FT8 using these frequencies?

73
Kenneth LB9YH

 

Fox and hound is a very temporary thing. I took part in it during the Baker Island DXpedition. Not only is it temporary, there doesn't appear to be any frequency or range of frequencies whatsoever.

As far as FT8 and Olivia, they're no longer the Olivia frequencies. FT8 took them. It caused huge damage to another mode....which was created in 2003 itself. It wasn't old and outdated as some seem to think PSK31 and RTTY are. But, taking these frequencies happened before my time in ham radio. When I got in, I started out on FT8. It was my first mode.

 

Yes, it is. From my brain to the keyboard I got what I wanted to say turned around 180.

I meant to say why not convert FT8CALL QSOs to FT8 and not to DATA.
DATA being any digital mode like AX.25 packet, PSK31, etc.

 

Ah, yes. Well, at first I did log my FT8CALL contacts as FT8, but there have been a lot of postings in this and other forums from people saying that FT8 and FT8CALL are two distinct modes, and that it is incorrect to claim FT8CALL QSOs as FT8. So I went with the flow and logged them as data, until such time as the FT8CALL mode is included in the ADIF specs.
73,
Walt (G3NYY)

 

Yep. Preferred to log as data until we petition to be included in the ADIF tables.

Version 0.5 will have an option to log from FT8Call as DATA too so you don't have to run a conversion or configure your logging software to map from FT8CALL to DATA.