Date
1 - 18 of 18
Locked Icom 7300 and no contacts #FT8
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Roger Evans
I cannot figure out what is going on and why I am not getting answers to CQ and trying to answer a CQ in FT-8. I have downloaded instructions and have tried everything but no joy. Either my signal is way overdriven, or non-existent. I have the newest Firmware installed on my Icom IC-7300 which has the pre-set for FT-8 and I can just switch to USB-D with a push of a button. However, I cannot make a QSO. So, what else should I look at in my setup, or in the WSJT software? When I start WSJT the CAT test and Push to Talk buttons work, and I see the signals on the screen and they are being decoded, but no joy when transmitting.
Everyone says Ft-8 is supposed to be easy, but obviously I am not finding it so. HELP!!! Roger N6RGR |
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Tom V. Segalstad
Hi Roger,
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The most common error is that the PC is not time calibrated within +/- one second. A good time calibration app is strongly recommended. How do you keep your PC time calibrated? 73 from Tom (LA4LN)
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Tom (LA4LN) |
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Roger,
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I have my 7300 working fine. Have you tried a local FT8 station to see if you are getting out? If I was home I'd volunteer since my weenie antenna rocks into CA. Oh yeah....initially I had an issue with rf getting into my cheap USB cable. That caused me to have garbled audio. GL es 73 Gary
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de Gary K7FR |
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Robert Rose <robert.rose@...>
Roger,
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You are on a Mac, right? So am I. I have two points to drive home here. 1) I think you need to look at the time server that you have specified in System Preferences. This is critical. With the utmost respect to all my colleges who are running Windows on a PC, DO NOT use any time server other than: time.apple.com <http://time.apple.com/> Check in System Preferences>Date & Time>Date & Time In my case, I saw traffic on this group that touted an undoubtedly superior time server, so I switched the time server accordingly and rebooted. The Band Activity on all bands was almost non-existent, and the few messages that got through were not properly decoded. A friend noticed that I was about 2 seconds off other traffic. I then noticed that the time server that I had chosen was on the other side of the Earth. Not wanting to calculate whether the 2 second offset could be due to signal delay, I changed my Mac back to time.apple.com <http://time.apple.com/>, rebooted, and like magic the offset dropped to 0.1 seconds and Band Activity shot up. Worth a try; doesn’t cost a dime, no need to install any program. Not saying that a Mac is better, just different. 2) I just can’t believe that any of this is dependent upon installing drivers. To all our non-Mac friends, I note that Apple has been working overtime to close their OS to third party meddling, and their corporate motto seems to be "if you need a driver we will put it in the OS." If, as you say, the CAT check button shows everything is okay, then more reason to check the time server. One more thing. Since my fight with FT8 was very similar to yours I recommend that you examine your antenna. If you want, install a watt/swr meter (I have an MFJ double needle. Doesn’t break the bank and the double needle is cool). Use USB, not USB Data mode. If your SWR is under control (2:1 or lower), crank up your power. Not sure why, but turn off split mode (use "none"). Check that the iCom BAUD and your sound card BAUD are identical, and that your Mac USB port BAUD is equal or greater than the radio rate. Put some RF chokes on the USB cables (I used snap ons that I got cheap from Amazon). FT8 is not hard, it is just that it has a thousand settings. Keep at it, and I look forward to getting a signal from you in the near future. 72 Bob KN6UXD DM13 On Sep 28, 2022, at 1:21 PM, Roger Evans via groups.io <rdevans1957@...> wrote:
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Roger,
since you receive you can check your time lapse by reading the difference in the receiving window. I got signal with 0.6-0.7 time error if S / N is robust. If time is ok and you have power output you have two chance: - use a SDR dongle or a sdr receiver that show you the signal quality (are there also many servers you car read with SDR#) - ask to a friend with sdr receiver to look at your signal: waterfall is useful to check is signal is clean btw, I don't know your rig: pay attention to avoid any audio filtering, both in the rig and in the PC audio system Pietro I2OIM Il giorno mer 28 set 2022 alle ore 23:51 Roger Evans via groups.io <rdevans1957@...> ha scritto: I cannot figure out what is going on and why I am not getting answers to |
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Gary Rogers
Have you looked at PSK reporter?…It looks like you are being heard:
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On Sep 28, 2022, at 4:21 PM, Roger Evans via groups.io <rdevans1957@...> wrote: |
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K7RA Tad Cook
Lots of great advice here. I set my time on my Windows laptop twice a day
by right clicking on the time in the lower right corner of the UI, then selecting Adjust Date and Time, then Sync Now. One thing that baffles me though, and always has since I began using FT8 a few years ago is the number of times (frequently) I hear a strong signal but cannot decode it. I seem to have no problem decoding weak signals, and have wondered if there is some way to loosen up the decoding to accept more errors but decode more signals. On Wed, Sep 28, 2022 at 11:16 PM Pietro Molina <pietro@...> wrote: Roger,-- *Listen for K7RA/B CW beacon on 28.2833 MHz.* *Tad Cook - K7RA* *Seattle, WA* *k7ra@... <k7ra@...>* |
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Jim Brown
On 9/29/2022 12:33 AM, K7RA Tad Cook wrote:
One thing that baffles me though, and always has since I began using FT8 aHi Tad, I'm only guessing, but perhaps the receive signal is set too high in the digital part of the signal chain (that is, the strong signals are running out of boxes at the top -- see my previous post). Or the signals you can't decode have too much DT? 73, Jim K9YC |
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Ron
Hey Roger, what application are you using for time syncronization?
Ron - KJ5XX |
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Robert Bower
Roger,
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I just checked https://pskreporter.info/pskmap.html for the last 24 hours and you were being heard mostly on 15 meters. So the good news it works maybe just not great. I don't have a 7300 so I will keep my tips general. With FT8 you don't need lots of power 20-30 watts is enough. Use the Tune button and the slider in WSJTX to adjust you transmit volume. Click the Hold TX Freq selection and adjust your TX frequency to something that is open. Check PSK Reporter to see how you are getting out. Hope it helps. On 2022-09-28 13:21, Roger Evans via groups.io wrote:
I cannot figure out what is going on and why I am not getting answers --
Thanks, Robert Bower W9RWB WRPH745 |
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Martin G0HDB <marting0hdb@...>
On Thu, Sep 29, 2022 at 08:33 AM, K7RA Tad Cook wrote:
One thing that baffles me though, and always has since I began using FT8 aTad: If you're operating your rig with AGC off (as suggested in the WSJT-X user guide) then it's possible, or even probable, that the audio output from the rig is becoming distorted when receiving a strong signal. Such distortion will have a decidedly adverse effect on WSJT-X's ability to decode the signal. To give you some specific numbers, when AGC is off the audio output from my IC-7610 (and its predecessor my IC-7600) begins to become distorted when the received signal is at a level of around -85dBm, which equates to approximately S4-5 on the S-meter - if the received signal is stronger than this then there's considerable distortion on the audio output with consequential effects on WSJT-X's decoding ability. Conversely, the audio output from an IC-7300 doesn't begin to distort until the received signal reaches a level of S9+. I'd suggest you try operating with the rig's AGC on and then setting the audio level to give a reading of around 65-70dB on the WSJT-X audio level 'thermometer' when receiving only band noise. The AGC should ensure that the level on the WSJT-X 'thermometer' is always kept below the overload (clipping) threshold of the ADC so the vertical bar should never turn red, and you'll be making the maximum use of the dynamic range of the ADC and the software decoder. -- Martin G0HDB |
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Co Co <slowfox1970@...>
Hi.
Perhaps you can ioen http://time.is an see difference between your time and official time. It may also result from time delta with different time zones, so the shown time seem to be correct, but Delta to UTC is 1hr, 2hrs or so. Do you hear typical FT8 whistle and frequency, USB (not LSB) and no additional filters are set? Then zou HAVE to read a few signs, even from QSO other stations (uncheck CQ only). Cheers Cornel DO5CR Am Donnerstag, 29. September 2022 schrieb Robert Bower < frrobert@...>: Roger,and you were being heard mostly on 15 meters. will keep my tips general. something that is open.
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Robert Rose <robert.rose@...>
I know that will sound crazy, but if Roger is using a Mac he isn’t using any app for time sync.
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Bob KB6UXD On Sep 29, 2022, at 6:25 AM, Ron <KJ5XX@...> wrote: |
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Gary Rogers
Not necessarily. My MacBook won’t keep time sync so I use ChronyControl:
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https://www.whatroute.net/chronycontrol.html On Sep 29, 2022, at 3:27 PM, Robert Rose via groups.io <robert.rose@...> wrote: |
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Robert Rose <robert.rose@...>
Good Lord, Robert. I was unaware of this pskreporter service. I can’t thank you enough!
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Robert KN6UXD DM13ld On Sep 29, 2022, at 6:24 AM, Robert Bower <frrobert@...> wrote: |
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Roger Evans
I am using Windows 10 Home. When running FT-8 and decoding it shows a time lag of 0.2 or less most of the times, so I think time synchronization is okay. But I can load Dimension 4. My issue is I am not sure my signal is being heard by anyone, or why I do not get any responses. I will also start checking PSKreporter to see who is hearing me and where.
Roger N6RGR |
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Reino Talarmo
I will also start checking PSKreporter to see who is hearing me and where.Hi Roger, You are heard quite wide on 15 m band including Finland and Japan during last 24 hours. If you reception dT is below, say 0.5s, then that is fine. You may have strong local noise or do you have a narrow filter in use in your rig? 73, Reino OH3mA |
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Bruce N7XGR
Roger, Tis a simple task to increase the RX bandwidth.
Be in USB-D mode Press and hold the FILTER button Tap the desired filter button, FIL1 or FIL2 or FIL3 Tap the BW button Rotate the VFO knob clockwise to increase the bandwidth Tap the BW button again Save these settings to the SD card when done--IMPORTANT The DATA mode has 3 totally adjustable filter bandwidths which is the same as in regular USB mode. 3 DATA filter settings and 3 regular USB filter settings. What filter is indicated in the display when using WSJT-X??? Bruce N7XGR On Fri, Sep 30, 2022 at 3:13 AM Roger Evans via groups.io <rdevans1957= yahoo.com@groups.io> wrote: I am using Windows 10 Home. When running FT-8 and decoding it shows a |
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