Demonstration of WSJT-X, JT-Alert, and Ham Radio Deluxe Running FT8

The world of shortwave radio (from 3 MHz to 30 MHz) is still alive, active with a wealth of newer technology. Amateur radio is at the cutting edge of engineering and experimentation.



This demonstration video illustrates one marriage between a modern HF (shortwave) transceiver that is controlled by a computer running control software. And, the computer also has the job of coding and decoding the protocol of the mode being used in this video (known as FT8 digital mode). It does this encoding and decoding by way of a sound card.

The software is listed, in the video. Ham Radio Deluxe logs WSJT-X's FT8, JT65A, and JT9 digital communications, via the JT-Alert software. This demonstration is a slice of time on the 1st of April, 2018, during which I have my Icom IC-7000 transceiver tuned to the typical 20-Meter FT8 working segment.

As some of you know, I have had some differences of opinion regarding the selection of frequencies chosen by the FT8 creators and advocates. Regardless, I do use the mode. Here is proof:



Go ahead and share, if you would. And, please subscribe to my YouTube channel, as I will be creating many how-to videos in the near future.

Thanks and 73 de NW7US

 

Playing devil's advocate here...

As a new ham, thus new to digital modes as well, this video showed me nothing more than you have a few different programs running on your pc at the same time, and somehow they interface with each other. Over the course of the last week in which I have been playing with FT8 myself I've heard of the programs you are using, although I only use wsjt-x myself; your video doesn't do anything to explain what the other programs do, nor how to get them to talk to each other.

Not really sure what your goal with this video was, but as a new guy to the digital action, it didn't help me at all.

 

I am sure if you ask Mr. Hood to demonstrate what you would like to learn . He would make A u-tube short to explain.
best regards AE7XG

 

Here's the deal. WSJT-X can be run through Ham Radio Deluxe. That is, instead of choosing your rig in WSJT-X, you select "Ham Radio Deluxe." It then uses HRD to communicate with your transceiver. This can also be done with several other programs.

What's the advantage? There are several:

• If you've already got HRD/DM780 up and running, you won't have to reinvent the wheel. You don't have to get WSJT-X set up to work with your rig.
• Doing this allows WSJT-X to log directly to the HRD logbook--you don't have to import WSJT-X's adif file later.
• Finally, why not? You're probably going to have HRD running anyway. The rig control facilities of WSJT-X are very limited compared to those in HRD, and you will want the HRD logbook running as a matter of course.

 

Also don't forget how valuable the JT-Alert program is. I cannot remember all the call signs I have worked in the past month,week or day. That program remembers calls DXCC, WAS and others!

 

I would also like the "how to......" videos as an educational tool.
Questions is : Do you install HRD first ? and how do you connect all the other programs in HRD to talk to each other? Does one need to open each program separatly or does the HRD open all at once? Tricky setup I suppose.

 

The different HRD components; rig control, logging software, and DM780; are all activated with a setting of a check box during HRD initiation. You can select all of the components to start all at the same time (which is what I do.)

 

Does JT-Alert work with HRD (current version) again? I know it did for a while after FT8 roared onto the scene but I do not know the current status of JT-Alert.

 

I have HRD as well as WSJT-X. I have WSJT-X controlling my radio for FT-8 and I also have a small app that runs in the background and sync's my contacts on WSJT-X with HRD. One thing I have noticed is HRD will randomly lose connectivity to my radio and none of the other programs I use either through CI/V or USB/SignaLink lose connectivity. I'll look up at the frequency display of HRD and it doesn't match my radio. In my experience, HRD just has too many glitches to be reliable. WSJT-X works every time.

 

I've never been able to get WSJT to work reliably with HRD. HRD by itself runs just fine and is very stable. So does WSJT. Trying to use HRD for rig control via WSJT? Nope. It looks like it's working at first. Changing frequency results in WSJT losing the connection to HRD for several seconds at a time. The transceiver no longer will shift into "split" mode as it should. Attempts to transmit result in WSJT losing the connection completely. I frankly don't have the patience to fiddle around with it to try to get it to work, either. Merging the WSJT log file into the HRD log only takes a few moments and I've been losing interest in FT8 anyway.

 

It should. HRD put out a press release a month or three ago announcing that changes were made to the most recent versions of HRD and JT-Alert that allowed them to work together once again

 

It does. I have been through several upgrades of both products since it was re-introduced and it works great.

 

Well, to use HRD it must, naturally be installed. Do you mean do you start HRD first? Yes. Start HRD and then WSJT-X.

How do you get them talking? Go into the WSJT-X setup and choose "Ham Radio Deluxe" as your rig. That's all. Not tricky in the least.

 

Yes.

 

I've been using this setup from the beginning never a single problem. HOWEVER...I'm using HRD 6, not the free v5...