Ham Radio - FSQ a new digital chat mode

Overview and demo of this new mode.
FSQ website links:
www.qsl.net/zl1bpu/MFSK/FSQweb...
www.sigidwiki.com/wiki/FSQ
If you like my videos, please subscribe here: kzbin.info?s...
If you want me to keep making more videos like this, consider becoming my patron at Patreon: / kb9rlw
Discuss this and other videos on Facebook: / kb9rlw
Hit me up on the echolink repeater down by my house:
W9TE (Node: 519521)

[@danl2825]

Thanks Kevin for taking the time to explain this.

[@frankcortez4614]

Found this video through the Amateur Digital QRP group on facebook. Thanks for making it, and sharing it. 73

[@OH8STN]

Outstanding video!!! I'm sharing this to the world.

[@spldrong]

Would be very interesting for someone to make a FSQCall vs. JS8Call video

[@Random4x5]

I found the Acknowledgment on file mode very useful and unique.

[@rvnmedic1968]

Decent! And thanks for a clear, well spoken vid. Liked and subbed. Cheers, Bob / KD2BOB

[@jack002tuber]

There is about one mode per person out there. Kevin, I friended you on FB just now. Love your channel.

[@timb4655]

Thanks for doing this video Kevin & to Julian OH8STN for telling the world about it ! As a new HAM i find it mind blowing how many different areas of the hobby there are now to experience. Not sure if it's a "Rabbit in the headlights" or "Kid in a Candy store" type of feeling ! There's a lot of clever people out there, just wish i was one of them :) For me as far as Digital modes are concerned, I'm starting with WSPR on WSJT-X and working my way out into the world from there. Thanks for all your posts & content. 73 de M6IEH Tim

[@paulthompson1988]

Great video and you are a top instructor! Thank you. Cheers

[@SwellFamily]

Very cool. I'm going to try this.

[@normk7nwf323]

Jim, interesting video. Enjoy all types of digital modes, would like to try if there are users on these frequencies. With that, what are the bands and frequencies for this mode.

[@PaulStam]

hi Kevin, thanks for this tutorial about FSQ. Very informative. 73 Paul PC4T

[@JamesP6084]

Interesting Kevin. thank you

[@TimothyK4TEP]

I Enjoy Watching Your Videos Keep up the great work 73 From K4TEP

[@briand9513]

I see this is a few years old.. I used to use FSQ... anyone still using it? I plan to monitor 40m all day to see if anyone sounds off. 73, W3ATT

[@DoRC]

this concept is fairly new to me but I an IT Tech so i get the idea. i did some researxh but couldnt find an answer to this: How does the program know when it is its turn to transmit? as in what prevents 2 computers from waiting for a tranmit to complete but the starting up at the exact same time and messingn uo the info?

[@loughkb]

That, is an excellent question. I should have tested to see if it was smart enough to avoid collisions. I *think* it doesn't check and just starts transmitting as soon as you hit enter, so you need to be the traffic cop yourself. The next time I'm in that mode, I'll try to TX while it's actively receiving and see what it does.

[@johnhiggins4698]

Great Video Kevin! Hope you’re doing great on the road! In this video you mention that the text file sent by your buddy was “saved” in FSQ? We’ve played with it and for the life of us we cannot find the file except raw data in the audit file. If we send an ICS-213.txt, for example, the only way we see to recover it is to edit it after capturing from the transmit pane or audit file. Any suggestions? 73, John/N6VTS

[@herrwabbaloo937]

Thanks for making this video, Kevin. I’ve had it in the back of my head for awhile that I should have the capability to send/receive images of some sort in an emergency or otherwise prickly situation. Would like to be "proficient" in a few of the various images modes. Jeff, KF5KWO

[@roykilo9642]

perfect, just what I wanted to know

[@davidlean2879]

Thsnk you

[@cuban9splat]

Very interesting video. I have never used FLdigi before but am curious about it. Running a windows box here. You have peaked my interest. Good video. Thank you.73 DE K7RMJ Frank

[@loughkb]

fldigi is available on all three platforms, linux, windows, and mac. Check it out. I love open source free software.

[@KB2OXR]

I'm so happy to see more and more hams using GNU/Linux . I have read so many complaiints about how hams had dumped Linux because they could not run HRD Ham Radio Deluxe ,and just like always I hear the all to common complaints about linux being to hard and so on ... I dumped Windows many years ago and I have had great successs with the digital modes under linux . I havent been active for the last few years as I have moved to DV3 land and I have been so busy I have nt had a chance to set up the shack yet .

[@dangermandave67]

Thanks for making this video. Can you explain how this mode works if you have multiple QSOs going on at the same time? Is there a way for people to QSY off the calling frequency in an orderly way?

[@loughkb]

Sorry, I have not played with it much since I made this video. I can't answer your question.

[@thenewscaster1]

FB Kevin on the new mode, I am trying it out. You mentioned building a wooden key. I'd like to see the plans on that if you have a link to them. 73, K8YPH, Tom.

[@loughkb]

Hi Tom, Sorry, I don't have plans on the key, I just kind of made it up as I built it. I did do a short video showing it though. kzbin.info/www/bejne/sIvXnn6vi8ufhK8

[@charlesscherger5541]

Does FSQ require FLIDIGI to run or can you just load FSQ and it will operate radio / computer by itself

[@loughkb]

I'm not sure what you're asking. FSQcall is a windows program that uses your radio interface to do only the FSQ mode. FLdigi is a program for any of the three major OS's that does many digital modes, including FSQ. In either case, you need an interface that will pass audio to/from the radio and control the PTT line.

[@dan-jones-bassist-wb8jay]

Is this a gray area of FCC regs to send pics in the digital sub bands?

[@loughkb]

Nope. Slow Scan TV has been around since the 1940's or so and several of the modern modes will do images.

[@freezerfreezer9097]

I Heard this mode and was trying to decode it last night. Was wondering why it would switch to what sounded like sstv ... now I know...

[@RamLaska]

If any of you are in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, we have an FSQ frequency we use on 2m! 145.670 I know that the purists will say that it was never meant for VHF, but it works extremely well. I've been able to receive data when I could scarcely hear the tone.

[@RamLaska]

I've gotten as far as 10 miles away on 2m (with a 20' high antenna on their end, and an indoor slim jim on my end) with full copy (CRC passed)

[@BuddChurchward]

We have over 30 hams actively running FSQ on 145.580 north of Seattle ... many run 24/7 we have three nets during the week. FSQ works great on 2 M. It is a lot of fun when you get 5 or 6 people all on chatting together. We call it our Digital Watering Hole.

[@yamez69]

Dis you use a CAT/controller cable for TX or VOX?

[@loughkb]

I had to look at the video again to see which radio I was using. And I think I was using my FT-817. So I would have been using my duino vox home built rig interface, similar to a signal link except that it has a built-in vox circuit that keys the radio. Search KZbin for DuinoVOX and you'll find my video on the interface. It's pretty easy to build it works really well.

[@mahendrakannavar]

How about sending a QSL card through a image transmission. I like it.

[@loughkb]

It would be itty bitty, but you could do it, just like with SSTV

[@JosephDZaks]

Is anyone still using this mode? Thank you.

[@chrissparks9677]

I am Linux using Wine. I cannot find a com port to let me connect CAT. Any advice? FSQcall.

[@loughkb]

superuser.com/questions/619528/converting-the-dev-ttyusb-to-com-port-to-use-it-with-wine-in-linux

[@TheRangerDale]

Well Hello Kevin got some info never heard of but do work Digital modes offen soooooo I new one in the slection for me to try out.Got all the makings of doing it, on the QRP side but think we should make out okay.So I do want to thank you for the Good understanding here of it and the Efforts made will be peeking up on 7104 and about listening soon, when I finish the new Loop, I did hit the Little RED button get these interesting info's lol lol 73 Kevin Dale WB8WOJ

[@datajam6009]

Does this work over a repeater?

[@loughkb]

While technically, it might. you'd probably time it out. It is probably forbidden to do such digital modes over repeaters anyway. I know several groups out there have used this and other digital modes simplex on VHF FM just fine.

[@edmaphis9805]

Hah, I already don't know what half the digital signals are on the bands. This mode reminds me of Olivia, which (I believe) also can send files and images.

[@loughkb]

I think you're right on Olivia. MFSK can also do images.

[@dadaya5792]

Thank you! Very interesting. I'll try it with my 7300.

[@ifeelverydead9180]

You are using talkbot

[@katushechnik]

@@ifeelverydead9180 what is it?

[@ifeelverydead9180]

@@katushechnik you aren't using VHSbot

[@ifeelverydead9180]

@@katushechnik the robotic President's are not real

[@ifeelverydead9180]

@@katushechnik they are a cybernetic President's

[@WHNorthcote]

Never really seen it here in the UK. With it being a new mode I guess PSK is still the more dominant mode for users. Only saw one callsign but that was over a year ago on 30M but here it's not really used. Which is a shame as it could be useful on maybe 6M for "local chatter".

[@loughkb]

Listening around for a week here I've heard the same few stations chatting occasionally. I don't know if it will catch on or not. It is an interesting approach. I'm still not sure exactly where it fits in the best.

[@WHNorthcote]

True. Can't see it as a long distance DX mode. More of a local 80M net or VHF club use. There is that all call warning box that appears in FSQ but do not know if it appears in FLdigi version. At the moment it seems like a quasi mode of the "what can we use this for really?" use. Packet is out and RMS Express is a hit and miss mode. But they are all established like Winlink and Packet. This does not fill a gap but adds more to the band. With it being new, I guess it has it's supporters and detractors. Maybe in time it will get used more but I doubt people will be enthused as it is with PSK and RTTY. Maybe FSQ will be seen as a localised 80M chat instead of a continental/long distance DX mode. Might be good for NVIS on 80,60 and 40 but that is where it just just be. If it was allowed to send text in more than one line it could lift off as a mode worth exploring. But it being limited to one line TX could be it's failing. As much as the UK likes modes I doubt this would bring them in knowing it is a one line send message. Maybe a 4 line sending would sway it for 80M. Aside from FSQ, why not do a video on MFSK as that has picture sending capability like VOA Radiogram does on a weekend. It works in a similar way and has more modes for different speed and bandwidth.

[@robneff]

TARDIS FTW!

[@FinlayDaG33k]

I wonder tho... What would happen if there were... let's say... 4 people active at a given time?

[@tzalama]

Thank you for the very informative video. 73 de Ari (oh5kuy)

[@MoTown44240]

Your mention of typing... brought to mind a topic that was being tossed around at my club field day meeting. For many years members in the club that are not contesters have been permitted to sit at the CW station (hearsay: goes on at phone stations too) and we that type cringe when a non-typist 1. gets behind, 2. loses our frequency, and 3. wonders why we are upset as we ask the op to leave and visit a phone station. hi hi We are the solo CW station. If you can't copy CW and type to keep up with logging stay out of our station. If you show up we'll probably let you sit down for a while. How else would learn. All the phone stations use loggers but our CW station ops are typists too. No loggers. Another nice video.

[@M0LYF-AMATEUR-RADIO-TODAY]

Ive created a Facebook Group for this mode for people to join, share their experiences and arrange skeds to chat to other ops. Cant wait to try it out: Kev - 2E0LYF facebook.com/groups/136241157115825/

[@TheTravisweb]

So you discovered the slowest IRC ever, congrats!! Pretty soon Ham's will discover "The Cell Phone"

[@DeeegerD]

6 Baud?!?? ;)

[@loughkb]

That's what they say on the page. I raised an eyebrow too.

[@TheStevenhull]

there has been quite a bit of study on the baud rate. 4.5 baud had 100% copy and 6 baud had 89% copy in simulated atmospheric tests. 6 baud is plenty for a QSO.

[@RamLaska]

Remember that it's not the same as bits per second from modem days. It's symbols per second, and most letters of the alphabet are a single symbol. So, it's more like 48 bits per second... RIVETING. lol XD

[@DeeegerD]

I believe you are incorrect. According to Wiki and my past military comms experience: In telecommunication and electronics, baud (/ˈbɔːd/; symbol: Bd) is a common measure of the speed of communication over a data channel. Technically speaking, it is the unit for symbol rate or modulation rate in symbols per second or pulses per second. It is the number of distinct symbol changes (signaling events) made to the transmission medium per second in a digitally modulated signal or a line code.