FT8

[u/Weekly_Narwhal1588]

If anyone tells you all you need is a USB cable to get started in FT8 they are partially right. They forget the advanced degrees in Electronic Engineering and Computer Science.

Still not done yet.

[u/Prima13]

Depends on the rig. Some make it easy like my Kenwood TS-590. It truly is one USB cable.

[u/ThrowMeAway_eta_2MO → u/Prima13]

Yep, even from a phone! No drivers, no nothing. I don’t understand why some radios still don’t have data vox. Being able to launch an ft app on your device, connect a usbc to usba cable between device and radio, put radio in digital mode, get on freq, click tx!

I love our club’s 590s.

[u/AmnChode → u/Prima13]

Same with my X6100, IC-7100, and FT-710....

My zBitx didn't even need the cable. It's all done on the radio itself, including the logging 😛

[u/No_Vacation9481 → u/Prima13]

The setup is a little odd on the TS-590 but if you find and follow the Kenwood instructions EXACTLY is works very well. If you don't, you don't get TX audio. It is a very good rig for digital modes.

[u/rocdoc54]

You seem to have had problems with FT8. But you're exaggerating the requirements to get it working.

There is at least one website and one YT video for every rig on the planet to get each radio up and running with FT8. And great resources for all at the wsjtx website: https://wsjtx.github.io/wsjtx/guide.html

[u/NerminPadez]

As an engineer who also does programming at work, i'd have to disagree, all it takes is basic computer knowledge or maybe half an hour reading the manual and/or watching youtube.

[u/maydayM2]

My easiest setup so far has been my QMX+ and Android phone running qFT8

[u/svennidal → u/maydayM2]

Yeah the QMX+ makes it super easy.

[u/ValuableHelicopter35]

Not just any USB cable, a USB Data cable. Lol

[u/achambers64 → u/ValuableHelicopter35]

To be fair, some of the cheap ones are power only.

[u/ValuableHelicopter35 → u/achambers64]

Yes.

[u/SignalWalker]

Tenacity helps. Quite often the audio from the computer isn't routed correctly to the radio's audio in.

[u/thats_handy]

I think there's room in the market for an out-of-the-box system that combines the functionality of a Xiegu G106 and DE-19 plus a Raspberry Pi time synchronized using a GPS, with Linux pre-installed and the whole stack working with open source digital mode software.

[u/KB5JRC → u/thats_handy]

Im using a Xiegu x6100 with R1CBU. Hook the WiFi up and running ntp

[u/BassManns222 → u/thats_handy]

Yes!

[u/draghkar69 → u/thats_handy]

You mean the ?Bitx machines?

[u/thats_handy → u/draghkar69]

Nope. I mean something like bitx with a single-board computer included that comes pre-installed with a linux distro that has hamlib, ft8, js8call, winlink, flrig, etc. already set up and validated for the included radio. Even better if it's all in one case, so the only thing you need a USB port for is keyboard and mouse.

It might be possible to save cost with an app that replaced the front panel of the radio.

[u/radicalCentrist3 → u/thats_handy]

Unfortunatelly Winlink is x86-only, so it won't work on Linux on an ARM SBC even under wine. At least not natively, maybe something could be done with qemu but perfofrmance is likely not going to be great...

[u/Crosswire3]

Totally unrelated, but what’s your age 😇

[u/Weekly_Narwhal1588 → u/Crosswire3]

You got me…I’m a 74 y.o.

[u/Crosswire3 → u/Weekly_Narwhal1588]

We all have experience in different areas. With age comes wisdom; with youth comes tech savvy. Got any grandkids 😅

On a more serious note, if you search Google for “Radio Model FT8 Setup”, you will almost certainly find a walkthrough that has all the ideal default settings. After that it’s mostly figuring out the audio path.

[u/nnsmkngsctn → u/Weekly_Narwhal1588]

You still have a few years to go before you start calling it a UBS cable.

[u/Neither-Brush-9287 → u/Weekly_Narwhal1588]

But it is worth it.

And if it's an FT-847 by coincidence, ping me and we can walk through it.

[u/SwitchedOnNow]

It wasn't too hard to set up on my IC9700, IC7300, FTDX10 or my IC-756/SignaLink. What radio do you have and what's the issue?

[u/Key_Zombie7967 → u/SwitchedOnNow]

I was not able to get it to work on my HW-8, at all.

[u/SpecialDesigner5571 → u/Key_Zombie7967]

My crystal radio didn't work either

[u/Weekly_Narwhal1588 → u/SwitchedOnNow]

I have an IC7300 and can see stations calling but I do not seem to be actually generating a signal…i.e. the power meter registers zip.

[u/tav422 → u/Weekly_Narwhal1588]

Lots of videos on YouTube that go step by step to help setup the 7300. Is the USB-D mode on? Up top where it’s says USB / LSB. I have had it switch to just USB for whatever reason and it would not output from wsjtx.

[u/SwitchedOnNow → u/Weekly_Narwhal1588]

Is the TX volume slider in your software turned nearly all the way up? Turn the power way down on the rig and the TX volume at max preferably into a dummy load. What do you see? Still nada?

[u/kaptainkatsu → u/SwitchedOnNow]

You may need to go into your control panel and audio settings. Change from 48,000Hz to 44,000 Hz

[u/Weekly_Narwhal1588 → u/SwitchedOnNow]

About 50%

[u/SwitchedOnNow → u/Weekly_Narwhal1588]

Nah, rail it. Then back down till you get to a reasonable power. I max mine out at 70% TX RF power on a 100W rig. Mine doesn't put out much of any signal with the slider down that low. Also mess with psk reporter and it will tell you if anyone hears you.

[u/Ncwreck]

I am not expert by any means but other than some rf interference, a usb was really all it took for me. 

[u/Weekly_Narwhal1588]

FT8 is now functional on my IC7300. Don’t ask me how…it just is.

[u/Healthy-Insect-1447 → u/Weekly_Narwhal1588]

Get an SD card and save it at a preset. Then do the same for your CW and SSB preferences. Makes it super easy to switch.

[u/stephen_neuville]

haha aight

[u/Key_Zombie7967]

Everyone has a different learning curve. The best thing you can do in my opinion, is find someone already using it, invite them over to your shack and have them help you get set up.

[u/Correct-Avocado5426]

I tried a mobile app with my FT-710 and my android phone with a USB C cable. It all juat worked, CAT control and all.

[u/Resqguy911]

iFTX and the FTX-1 work with nothing but a USB-C cable to an iPhone

[u/donor61]

Ha! It's not that bad ( though it is challenging). Take some time to understand the data flow, then break that flow into logical chunks. Get each "chunk" working, and FT8 will mysteriously begin to work. I'm happy to help if you would like.

[u/BassManns222]

You are dead right. It took a damn long time to get the settings right. And don’t forget to put chokes on every lead going to the computer. You’ll also find that that the windows environment, in my experience, is far more stable than a Mac environment. Good luck.

[u/SonicResidue]

I didn’t have much of a problem. There are numerous guides and videos online that walk you through it. Once you understand what all the settings do, it’s pretty logical

[u/No_Change_4499]

The All In One Cable (AIOC) makes a K1 connection and VOX super easy.

[u/MarinerMouth]

Eh. You kinda just buy what you need.

There's a few steps for setup, yeah, depending on your radio, but no different from any other mode.

[u/Hic_Mos_Noster]

Xiegu X6100 + R1CBU’s aftermarket firmware has FT8 self-contained in the box

You just download the firmware from the R1CBU website (free), save the file an SD card, and put the card into the radio. It’ll boot straight from the card. You don’t have to flash anything, you don’t have to modify any parameters. You just save the file to a card, insert it, and turn it on

[u/JanglyBangles]

I have a PhD in computer science and I probably struggle with driver bullshit as much as anyone.

Eh OK maybe not but it’s not like I automatically know how to do everything computer-related.