Move Over JT-65 For The New Kid On The Block

The digital mode FT8 has caught on, luring many using the popular JT65 weak signal mode.

The WSJT-X 1.8.0 beta software has the FT8 mode described as fast with an entire QSO taking about a minute, which is four times faster than JT65. Developed by Steven K9AN and Joe K1JT – the name FT8 stands for its creators Franke and Taylor and 8-Frequency Shift Keying modulation.

Using a 15-second transmit and receive sequences it provides 50 per cent or better decoding probability down to minus-20 dB. An auto-sequencing option can also respond automatically to a CQ call decoded reply.An excellent HF DXing mode and multi-hop sporadic-E propagation on 6 metres where deep fading may make fast and reliable QSO completion desirable. Some are comparing FT8 use to that of JT65, and believe more are on air trying the new one. The free software, available for Windows, Mac and Linux, is available at https://wsjtx.net/home/ft8-mode.html. Besides the software it requires a transceiver and a soundcard interface. Full documentation is available via the link http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wsjtx.html

Jim Linton VK3PC

Tiny “Sprite” Satellites Deployed

Transmitting on 70 Centimeters

According to Scientific American, six tiny “Sprite” satellites, each consisting of a 4-gram circuit board but packed with electronics, were deployed in late June. The Sprites are the brainchild of Zac Manchester, KD2BHC, whom Scientific American interviewed for the article.
The Sprites went into low-Earth orbit as secondary payloads on the Latvian Venta and Italian Max Valier satellites, launched from India. Signals on 437.325 MHz from at least one of the exterior-mounted Sprites have been received in California and New York.
Manchester launched 104 Sprites into orbit in 2014 aboard KickSat-1, but they failed to deploy.

Field Day 2015 Revisited

A Look Back

Field Day 2017 is in the log and we have some time to catch up with email, Twitter and FaceBook requests and comments. One of these referred to the absence of a Field Day video for the 2015 event. At SARC we generally celebrate Field Days past with photos and video. Field Day 2015 was no exception but the video never made it to our YouTube channel. 

Wait no more... Here it is:

SARC Field Day 2017

Our Field Day Drone

Amateur Radio Field Day is an annual emergency communications exercise. We use an air cannon firing tennis balls on a string to launch our wire antennas. This year we had a drone to give us a bird's eye view.

https://youtu.be/h0RlLvE6q4o