Is there any hardware specifically designed for FT8 mode? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / rf-microwave

author: shadow.dark
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 06, 2019, 01:27:18 am
content: I have seen many hardware designed for CW, RTTY and PSK-31 mode, based on stm32 or other powerful MCU, which can be operated separately need not a computer. But since JT65 and FT8 became popular, new hardware is less common.Have you lost interest in these things?

author: djacobow
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 06, 2019, 09:41:32 pm
content: I think a hardware doohicky that does FT8 is reasonable and feasible. You could use a uC to run the FT8 modem and it could also manage a UI of some kind of running QSOs. However, there are some reasons it's not a fantastic idea:1. FT8 is evolving, so you'd need frequentish FW updates2. Making good use of FT8 is pretty UI-intensive. You want to see all the callsigns decoded, you want to see the spectrogram, etc. So you're looking at a box with a decent sized display and sophisticated UI.For the 2nd reason, I think for the time being people want to run the "real" JT software on a "real" computer. However, the RPi can do this just fine, and that computer is only $35. Of course, add display, keyboard, mouse. But if you want to do battery powered SOTA with JT, this is certainly viable, if a bit clunky.I think if you can crack the UI nut, then self-contained non-OS battery powered uC-based device for JT becomes interesting. You should make it!

author: shadow.dark
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2019, 02:10:00 am
content: I see what you mean. When a BOX with a large LCD panel is loaded with a mouse and keyboard, the BOX itself becomes a kind of PDA or a laptop (expensive and poor performance). Dragon slaughter become dragons.

author: Lord of nothing
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2019, 06:43:21 pm
content: What is JT65, FT8?

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2019, 07:45:55 pm
content: I think the simplest pragamtic thing is a netbook running WSJT-X and this thing from CR kits:https://qrper.com/2019/05/the-cr-kits-ft8-dsb-transceiver-some-preliminary-information/Quote from: Lord of nothing on May 07, 2019, 06:43:21 pmRF protocols that work below the noise floor meaning hams can sit there and make meaningless pre-scripted strictly controlled conversations digitally without an ounce of real control. It's the leisure equivalent of the film Metropolis:

author: HB9EVI
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2019, 07:57:47 pm
content: most common hardware implementation from the K1JT-protocols are likely the WSPR-beacons; Hans Summers Ultimate beacons are already quite a while on the market.It's no big thing to implement in hardware since all the protocols are documented; the lack of products maybe tells us, that there is no market, since every ham has a computer in the shack, running for example the log on it, so it's kind of obvious to not further buy hardware what you can do on the pc.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2019, 08:00:09 pm
content: Yes they're pretty good. I have a U3S here.

author: djacobow
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2019, 08:59:46 pm
content: Yes, I have a U3S, too, and it works fine, but "JT8 in hardware", as I suggested is still a bit tricky, not because of the radio and modem bits, but because it is (barely) an interactive mode and needs a human being to poke it in real time, to decide who to respond to, etc. It's not a lot of poking and clicking, but just enough that a box with a few buttons and a 2x16 LCD is not gonna cut it.Personally, these modes don't interest me much, but based on what people are doing on HF these days, I'm in the minority.Actually, JS8Call is basically a keyboard-to-keyboard mode. I haven't tried it, but it could in fact be cool to have a little instant-on box that does it and nothing else. Plug a USB keyboard in and go.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2019, 09:14:43 pm
content: I'd be surprised if Elecraft dont do something in that space.What about this?https://kx3companion.com/

author: shadow.dark
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2019, 01:20:35 am
content: Quote from: Lord of nothing on May 07, 2019, 06:43:21 pmIn China, we call it “Happy Grandpa”. Because it's almost a fully automated amateur radio communication mode, it doesn't need much transmitting power, all you need is to wait patiently for the radio signal transmission conditions.

author: worsthorse
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2019, 07:21:46 pm
content: Quote from: bd139 on May 07, 2019, 07:45:55 pmBut if you had a purpose built, cheap FT8 specific transceiver you could program it to run all the time without intervention, including logging the contacts to LOTW, and cover your wall with award certificates in no time. And isn't that the point of ham radio?

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2019, 07:33:21 pm
content: I shall leave a suitable meme as a replyI haven't even signed up for LOTW or eQSL yet. Getting paper QSLs via the bureau is sooooooo much better.