HF FT8

There is no doubt that FT8 is changing our bands.

Many are saddened that there are fewer casual chats these days, so our bands sound quieter. This has been especially noticeable on 6m, where many have deserted SSB and CW for FT8.

FT8 is a weak signal mode that does not lend itself to chats. An advantage of FT8 is that it works with weak signals (not as good as WSPR, but better than SSB and CW), occupies only 50Hz, all activity is concentrated within a few kilohertz and lots of people are monitoring.

So, if a band opens only briefly, it is more likely to be spotted. Using PSKreporter maps it is possible to see where your signal is reaching. Unlike WSPR, transmissions are only 15 seconds long. It is useful for quick QSOs. I think we has still to fully exploit this mode on HF.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/hf-ft8