USING THE YAESU FT-950 ON FT8 DIGITAL MODE, MY SETUP PROCEDURE
FT8 is a very sophisticated program, and it took me parts of two days to actually make a contact.
HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO GET YOUR FT-950 ON FT8 MODE. HOW THESE SETTINGS WORK ON FTDX1200 IS UNKNOWN.
I cannot answer questions beyond this. This page is just the basics, meant to set the controls for "level flight".
Any fancy stuff you want to get into, read the manuals and try it out. I found nothing when I searched
on FT-950 setup for FT8. This is meant to help people get on the air. Good luck with it, and enjoy.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: DO NOT EXCEED 20 WATTS IN FT8 MODE, DUE TO DUTY CYCLE LIMITS ON TRANSMIT.
BE SURE SWR IS LOW. Use the internal tuner or an external transmatch to get it 1.1:1, to avoid heating.
If you need more power, use an amplifier, but this is discouraged by FT8 users.
ALSO, YOU WILL NEED TO SET YOUR COMPUTER'S CLOCK TO SYNC WITH WWV OR "time.nist.gov".
FT8 depends heavily on timed transmissions.
If your computer clock is correct, it will show up on most of the received station's
line in the "DT" column as very close to 0.0 if it is accurate.
You may have to manually set this from time to time, once a month is not often enough.
HARDWARE ITEMS
- ACER COMPUTER RUNNING WINDOWS 7 FULLY PATCHED.
- TIGERTRONICS BOX, WITH SPECIAL CABLE FOR RTTY/PKT CONNECTOR ON FT-950, AND MATCHING JUMPER HEADER.
- YAESU FT-950
Very important: Do NOT use the mike input. The EQ and COMPRESSOR are in line, and the
input is a BALANCED LINE. This makes for overload and ground loop problems. Use only
the rear panel RTTY/PKT input.
This article assumes the Tigertronics box is already set up, with the Tigertronics CODEC selected as the
default sound card, and working on all other modes. Also that you have configured N1MM logger
correctly. WARNING:TURN WINDOWS SOUNDS OFF, or you will get embarassing noises on your signal at inconvenient times.
To review:
N1MM LOGGER SETTINGS FOR COMMUNICATION VIA CAT CABLE FROM RT SYSTEMS
Using the CONFIG TAB, and the HARDWARE TAB, select:
- Port= COM3
- Radio = FT-950 SO1V
Which results in: 4800, N, 8, 2, RTS= ALWAYS ON, TX=1
These settings should match to avoid confusing when switching programs.
Note that N1MM logger will not work simultaneously with FT8 because they cannot share COM3 or the same RT electronics cable.
I think you can export files to N1MM and save them there. I have not gotten that far yet.
The FT8 program has an internal logger, which generates a .csv style file, and another type file, which may be compatible
with common contest or other logs. I have not tried to upload this to LOTW yet either.
YAESU FT-950 MENU SETTINGS FOR FT8 OPERATION, USING TIGERTRONICS AND RTTY/PACKET CABLE and Pre fab HEADER
FIRST, SET THE PKT TO USB BY PRESSING AND HOLDING THE FRONT PANEL MODE SELECT BUTTON.
The default was LSB, which is not correct for FT8.
FT8 is a sound card mode, with audio tones generated in the Tigertronics box.
COMMUNICATION VIA SERIAL PORT (TO MATCH N1MM LOGGER)
This is required to communicate via the RT systems USB to Serial port cable to the radio.
This allows frequency read out and control in the FT8 and N1MM logger.
A generic USB to serial cable may work, but I did not try it.
The RT systems cable has worked perfectly with ANY software I have tried.
- 026 GENE CAT BPS = 4800 bps
- 027 GENE CAT TOT = 3000 MS
- 028 GENE CAT RTS = ON
- NOTE THAT THERE IS NO DTR, which may appear as a selection in some programs.
GENERAL CONFIGURATION
- SET RECEIVE WIDTH FROM FRONT PANEL TO MAX in PKT/USB mode, 2400.
- Noise Blanker and any receive DSP OFF, to avoid distortion.
- SET AGC TO OFF BY PUSHING AND HOLDING THE AGC BUTTON. You didn't know you had anything
but AUTO, SLOW, MED, FAST, did you? Use RF gain to prevent overload on the waterfall.
Keep the lower left hand bar graph below 70 dB and in the GREEN.
- 111 TGEN TX PWR = 35. This is nominal power for my Ameritron linear. It also avoids any
ALC action at up to 20 watt power levels controlled by the PWR slider on the FT8 window,
and the TX level knob on the Tigertronics box. It also covers you if something goes
nuts to prevent overdrive to 100 watt level. It also protects the amplifier from overdrive, if you are
using one. My Ameritron ALS-1300 works correct for most of the bands at this level, but beware
that 12 and 10 meters should never be driven higher than the level stated in the manual.
- 064 J3E TX BPF = 4 - 26 or 400 to 2600 for minimum distortion when using an audio derived mode.
- 114 TGEN VOX = dAtA (only necessary when using VOX, NOT the hardware PTT on RTS in the RT systems CAT cable.)
-
MODE-DATA GROUP:
- 050 DATA DT GAIN = 30 (Sets range of TX knob on Tigertronics)
- 051 DATA OUT LVL = 15 (Sets range of RX knob on Tigertronics)
- 052 DATA VOX DLY = 30 (Not used with CAT control)
- 053 DATA V GAIN = 50 (Not used with CAT control)
- 054 DATA PKT DISP = 0
- 055 DATA PKT SFT = 1000 (center of the spectrum in the waterfall)
When the FT8 is set to MODE = FAKE IT this also reduces distortion products
by shifting the audio AND the transmit VFO A frequency together.
Supposed to keep the audio in the center of the transmit filter range.
This avoids using a VFO B, which can get complicated for some software.
You will notice the frequency display changes from nominal in transmit mode.
FT8 SETTINGS
MAIN SCREEN BUTTONS, SETTINGS AND TIPS:
- DECODE = DEEP, FOR WEAK SIGNAL DECODE
- TX<RX BUTTON ON MAIN SCREEN, SETS TX FREQUENCY TO THE RECEIVED SIGNAL FREQUENCY
- DOUBLE CLICK ON THE CQ SIGNAL YOU WISH TO RESPOND TO, TO START AN EXCHANGE
USE THE CONFIGURATIONS TAB TO ACCESS THE FOLLOWING MENUS.
GENERAL TAB TAKES YOU TO THESE SELECTIONS:
- STATION DETAILS: YOUR information as it will be sent to the other station.
NOTE: My Grid is 4 digits only, not six. YOUR call sign and info also.
- Check the following in the DISPLAY BOX:
- Blank line between decoding periods (to show current active stations)
- TX messages to RX frequency window (to show BOTH sides of your QSO for logging)
Show DXCC entitiy and worked before status (in the band activity window)
This alerts you to signals you should respond to.
IF you already logged a particular DX station, it WILL get displayed, but it will
not show up purple any more. Nice thing to know. If you check show only CQ stations,
it WILL show up green, because that station you worked before could be calling CQ.
Check the following in the BEHAVIOR BOX:
- Monitor returns to last used frequency
- Double-click on call sets TX enable
- Disable TX after sending 73 This shuts transmit off after the FT8 QSO is finished.
- DO NOT CHECK CW ID AFTER 73! This can be used on RTTY or other modes though.
- TX watchdog = 5 minutes default, you may want to extend it for bad conditions.
- Periodic CW ID interval = 0
RADIO TAB SHOWS THESE SELECTIONS:
- RIG: YAESU FT-950
- CAT CONTROL BOX, PICK THESE SETTINGS:
- SERIAL PORT = COM3
This is VERY important. The RT systems cable converts it from USB to a FT-950 serial port.
- BAUD RATE = 4800
- DATA BITS = EIGHT
- STOP BITS = 2
- HANDSHAKE = XON/XOFF
- FORCE CONTROL LINES:
- DTR = HIGH
- RTS = HIGH
This actually is used to send power to work the Tigertronics box, not rig control.
- PTT METHOD BOX, SELECT: CAT which is a much more positive method than VOX
- TRANSMIT AUDIO SOURCE IS GREYED OUT (NO CHOICE)
- MODE = DATA/PKT
- SPLIT OPERATION = NONE
NOTE: Split Operation, see: http://www.physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wsjtx-doc/wsjtx-main-1.8.0.html#RADIO.
Significant advantages result from using Split mode (separate VFOs for Rx and Tx) if your radio supports it. If it does not, WSJT-X can emulate such behavior. Either method will result in a cleaner transmitted signal, by keeping the Tx audio always in the range 1500 to 2000 Hz so that audio harmonics cannot pass through the Tx sideband filter. Select Rig to use the radio’s Split mode, or Fake It to have WSJT-X adjust the VFO frequency as needed, when T/R switching occurs. Choose None if you do not wish to use split operation. TIP: Split operations can have advantages by getting YOU out of the pileup calling the DX; slide your transmit frequency to an empty spot in the waterfall adjacent to the DX station's transmit frequency, when replying to a DX CQ. FT8 decodes EVERYTHING in the receiver passband, and the DX station will hear you out in the clear.
- IF YOU PRESS "TEST CAT" THE BUTTON SHOULD TURN GREEN. OTHERWISE, GET AN ERROR MESSAGE.
- IF YOU PRESS "TEST PTT", IT TURNS RED AND TRANSMITS (TURN TX KNOB DOWN ON TIGERTRONICS TO PREVENT POWER OUTPUT DURING INITIAL TEST)
AUDIO TAB HAS THESE CHOICES:
- INPUT: Microphone (USB Audio CODEC) MONO
- OUTPUT: Speakers (USB Audio CODEC) MONO
ADVANCED TAB HAS THESE CHOICES:
- RECEIVER BANDWIDTH = 3000 HZ, could reduce if the passband shows no activity on the ends
- TX DELAY = 0.2 SEC (Keys PTT, waits short time, then sends sound signal)
REPORTING TAB HAS THESE CHOICES:
- CHECK Prompt me to log QSO, reminds you to do that before another contact.
- CHECK dB reports to comments (in logbook)
- CHECK Convert Mode to RTTY if logger or contest does not support digi modes as a unique class
- CHECK ENABLE PSK reporter Spotting, if you want to call CQ and see if you are getting out.
Good websites for MORE FT8 information:
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