Hello CVARC,
I wanted to make you aware of an FT8 mode that I discovered last night.
It is called DXpedition mode. It is to allow DXepeditions to make 100's
of contacts an hour and take some stress off of the operator. There is
a DXpedition using it from now June 27 to July 6. There are also doing
CW, SSB, & RTTY of course. It is KH1/KH7Z Baker Island.
This is their web site: http://baker2018.net/
The FT8 instructions for this mode are very detailed. Here is the link
to that: https://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/FT8_DXpedition_Mode.pdf
Follow them very carefully. You should already be familiar with FT8
operating before attempting this.
From their home page, I recommend clicking on "Operating Plan." Here
you will find the frequencies that they will be using for all the modes
from 160 thru 6 Meters. You will actually have to enter their
frequencies into the FT8 Set Up (Settings/Frequencies Tab). You will
also have to click that you are a Hound. See the instructions for this.
I also recommend clicking on DX Spots from their home page. Here you
will find 4 cluster choices that you should open in a new tab.
I was on their 20 meter frequency last night for a while, and I was not
decoding them. So I looked at who was calling them, and there was
nobody from the Grid Square FN calling them at all. From this, I knew
that there was no propagation to New England, so I headed off to bed.
Here is some advice I got today from the team:
*There are still a few folks who are not using the newest version of FT8
or have not checked the “Hound” box on the Advanced tab of WSJT-X
File/Settings. However, I think a reason some folks are either sending
the wrong message or are on the wrong sequence (Even, should be Odd) is
that they are not following this basic instruction from the Baker
website to begin their calling as a Hound:
•7 Call KH1/KH7Z only after you decode one of our CQ messages. Simply
double-click on our callsign in the “Band Activity” window and the
software will create the correct message with which to call us and start
transmitting. You will need to periodically press “Enable TX” from time
to time to keep transmitting in the pileup. The DXpedition station will
send a CQ message from time to time so that you should not have to wait
long to select the callsign.
I think some folks just hit their “Enable Tx” button to start
transmitting and do not wait to “double-click on our callsign” as
instructed.
Finally, be sure you set your initial transmit frequency ABOVE 1000 Hz.
The Fox will move you below 1000 Hz as soon as he pulls you into one of
the QSO streams.
73,
Lee, KY7M
Baker 2018 IT Support*
--
Paul N. Gayet AA1SU
ARRL Vermont Section Manager
Fists #4028