Joe et al, A word if I may about frequency choices. Some of those proposed for FT4 probably leave a bit to be desired. Here are some thoughts to consider:
80m 3.595 - PROPOSE 3562kHz - 3595 is completely out of band for JA completely and into the phone part of the band outside of Region 2. My suggestion based on occupancy and proximity to existing digital sub-bands is something around 3562kHz (at least keeping away from 3560 which is sometimes a CW QRP frequency). While the IARU band plans currently have digital as 3570-3590kHz a case can be made for expanding that - and given other restrictions in some countries on 80m, expanding digital down at least 8kHz to 3562kHz makes some sense. A case to be made for the IARU - but you can "help" their decision by starting to use it anyway. BTW 3600kHz is the centre frequency for IARU R3 80m disaster comms - LSB - so FT4 on 3595 USB will badly clash with that - another reason not to use 3595. 40m 7.090 - PROPOSE 7052kHz (inside the digital sub-band) or 7062kHz (just above the digital sub-band noting it is heavily used for SSB at least in region 3) - 7090 only makes sense in the USA! Many other countries have this as SSB voice use. The IARU digital segment is (depending on region) 7040-7060 or 7040-7060. With 7056 already being used for FT8 F/H mode on a fairly regular basis it would make sense to use say 7050 or 7052kHz instead. Note that 7090 is the designated SSB QRP frequency. I would promote 7050 for FT4. The only reason not to is that the RTTY guys if FT4 and RTTY are in the same contest might object - but during the contests the RTTY guys spread out and use anything from 7030 to 7120 anyway in complete disregard of the band plans. If they are going to be that unruly then putting FT4 down there doesn't seem all that bad. ********* 30m / 17m / 12m - should NOT have FT4 allocations at all. FT4 is a CONTESTING mode and CONTESTING is by global agreement excluded from those WRC79 bands!!! ********* 20m 14.140 - PROPOSE 14062kHz - the original proposed use of 14140KHz again is well outside the digital segments where FT4 belongs. If anything, creeping down into 14060-14070 might be considered acceptable despite not being in the band plan if the aim was to separate RTTY and FT4 users in the same contest. Going high above 14.112 (the acknowledged edge of the global 20m digital band plan segment) will be frowned upon. Take a leaf from 80m and use 14062kHz - again at least that keeps it away from the CW QRP Centre of activity and meets the objective of separating it from RTTY. 15m 21.140 - PROPOSE 21062kHz - follow 20m and choose 21062kHz - although 21140kHz is the first proposed FT4 frequency that fell inside a digital subband... 10m 28.180 - POROPOSE 28062kHz - again follow 20m 6m 50.318 - PROPOSE somewhere below 50.313 not above. Moving above is just moving further into several countries beacon segments. Not likely to get a lot of airplay as a international contesting band for FT8 so not as critical - but my suggestion would be look below 50.313 not above. For discussion folks..... Regards, Grant VK5GR WIA Appointee to the IARU Region 3 Band Plan committee -----Original Message----- From: Joe Taylor [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, 23 April 2019 1:04 AM To: WSJT software development Subject: [wsjt-devel] The FT4 Protocol for Digital Contesting To: WSJT-X users interested in testing FT4 From: K1JT, K9AN, and G4WJS Soon after the "FT8 Roundup" held on December 1-2, 2018, we started serious work on a faster, more contest-friendly digital mode that can compete with RTTY-contesting QSO rates while preserving many of the benefits of FT8. The result is FT4 -- a new digital mode specifically designed for radio contesting. Over the past month a small group of volunteers have been conducting on-the-air tests of FT4. The early tests were very successful and helped us to make a number of important design decisions. We believe FT4 has considerable promise for its intended purpose. We'll soon be ready for testing by a larger group. If you might be interested in participating and offering your considered feedback, please read the descriptive document "The FT4 Protocol for Digital Contesting", posted here: http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/FT4_Protocol.pdf We plan to post downloadable installation packages for WSJT-X 2.1.0-rc5 on April 29, one week from today. The document linked above includes - Instructions for installing WSJT-X 2.1.0-rc5 and FT4 configuration - Operating instructions for FT4 - Basic description of the FT4 protocol, modulation, and waveform - Detailed sensitivity measurements for FT4 under a wide variety of simulated propagation conditions - Schedule for upcoming test sessions Please consider helping us to make FT4 a successful mode for digital contesting With best wishes and 73, -- Joe (K1JT), Steve (K9AN), and Bill (G4WJS) _______________________________________________ wsjt-devel mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wsjt-devel _______________________________________________ wsjt-devel mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wsjt-devel
