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locked Working DX Stations

Irwin Darack
 

Today I attempted to work the  VP8PJ station on 14.090. I am pretty good at FT8, but totally confused on the protocol. In the Decode box I see all the stations calling, but do not see the VP8PJ responding or calling.

Any suggestions where to look would be appreciated.

Thanks, Irwin KD3TB 
--
Irwin KD3TB
George J Molnar, KF2T
 

First ensure you are in Fox/Hound mode.

The Fox (DX Station) will ALWAYS transmit first/even. If you don’t hear him, don’t call.

You must call above above 1000 Hz and have CAT control set up. When the DX responds to you, you will be shifted out of the pileup to a working frequency to complete the QSO.

Watchdog times are much shorter.

George J Molnar
Arlington, Virginia, USA
(702) 767-5420
KF2T   -   FM18lu














On Feb 26, 2020, at 9:20 PM, Irwin Darack <idarack@...> wrote:

Today I attempted to work the  VP8PJ station on 14.090. I am pretty good at FT8, but totally confused on the protocol. In the Decode box I see all the stations calling, but do not see the VP8PJ responding or calling.

Any suggestions where to look would be appreciated.

Thanks, Irwin KD3TB 
--
Irwin KD3TB
neil_zampella <neilz@...>
 

Are you using DXPedition mode (Fox & Hound) ?    You may want to review the DXpedition User Guide found here:

https://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/FT8_DXpedition_Mode.pdf

Neil, KN3ILZ

On 2/26/2020 9:20 PM, Irwin Darack wrote:

Today I attempted to work the  VP8PJ station on 14.090. I am pretty good at FT8, but totally confused on the protocol. In the Decode box I see all the stations calling, but do not see the VP8PJ responding or calling.

Any suggestions where to look would be appreciated.

Thanks, Irwin KD3TB 
--
Irwin KD3TB


    

  


          

          
        
        
        
      


      
      


      

    


  
    

      
      

        

        

        
          

            

              
              
            

          

        
        
      
      

        

          

        

      

      
    		
    
    
      
    
    
  




    
  
  
  

    
    
    

    
      


      

        

          

            
            
              
                
  
    
      
    
    
  
	
    Jim Cooper
	

  

              
            
          

          

            
              


            
              
            
            
          

        

      

      

      

        
On 26 Feb 2020 at 21:20, Irwin Darack wrote:

Today I attempted to work the  VP8PJ
station on 14.090. I am pretty good at
FT8, but totally confused on the
protocol. In the Decode box I see all
the stations calling, but do not see
the VP8PJ responding or calling. 

Any suggestions where to look would be appreciated.
The fox will always be BELOW 1000 Hz, and 
callers have to be above 1000 Hz ... 

At least at my QTH, VP8PJ is always quite week ... 
I never saw them stronger than about -11 db ... 

They can use anywhere from one to five channels, 
and their signal goes down a lot when they use 
more than one channel (notice, they always call CQ 
using one channel !!) 

If you don't copy the fox between about 250 Hz 
and 650 Hz then you are probably not receiving 
them, in which case there is no point in calling them. 

fwiw, I spent all afternoon and most of the early 
evening Wednesday getting DECENT copy on VP8PJ 
but was never able to get even a first response from  
them ...  I guess 40 watts to a hex beam just 
ain't makin' it !! 

w2jc

        
        
        
      


      
      


      

    


  
    

      
      

        

        

        
          

            

              
              
            

          

        
        
      
      

        

          

        

      

      
    		
    
    
      
    
    
  




    
  
  
  

    
    
    

    
      


      

        

          

            
            
              
                
  
    
      
    
    
  
	
    Irwin Darack
	

  

              
            
          

          

            
              


            
              
            
            
          

        

      

      

      

        
Thanks to everyone for their help.

Irwin KD3TB 


        
          
          

          

            
On Wed, Feb 26, 2020 at 11:39 PM Jim Cooper <jim.w2jc@...> wrote:
On 26 Feb 2020 at 21:20, Irwin Darack wrote:



> Today I attempted to work the  VP8PJ

> station on 14.090. I am pretty good at

> FT8, but totally confused on the

> protocol. In the Decode box I see all

> the stations calling, but do not see

> the VP8PJ responding or calling. 

> 

> Any suggestions where to look would be appreciated.



The fox will always be BELOW 1000 Hz, and 

callers have to be above 1000 Hz ... 



At least at my QTH, VP8PJ is always quite week ... 

I never saw them stronger than about -11 db ... 



They can use anywhere from one to five channels, 

and their signal goes down a lot when they use 

more than one channel (notice, they always call CQ 

using one channel !!) 



If you don't copy the fox between about 250 Hz 

and 650 Hz then you are probably not receiving 

them, in which case there is no point in calling them. 



fwiw, I spent all afternoon and most of the early 

evening Wednesday getting DECENT copy on VP8PJ 

but was never able to get even a first response from  

them ...  I guess 40 watts to a hex beam just 

ain't makin' it !! 



w2jc 







          

          
        
        
          
-- 
Irwin KD3TB

        
        
      


      
      


      

    


  
    

      
      

        

        

        
          

            

              
              
            

          

        
        
      
      

        

          

        

      

      
    		
    
    
      
    
    
  









  
  
  

  
  



  

    
    
    

    
    
  



  

    
    

    
    
  


  




  
  
  
  
  
  





  



  
    

      

        

          
						
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