The MAJOR Problem With FT8 (And The Simple Solution)

FT8 has changed ham radio - there is no doubt about that. But has it changed it for the better... and if not, what can we do about it?
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[@godarklight]

Something I did that made the power slider make more sense: Set the power slider to -3db and hit tune, set either the USB modulation level or the volume of wsjtx in windows until you get exactly 50 watts. That way -3db is 50W, -10db is 10W, -20db is 1W etc. You will not have any ALC because you're only driving the radio in the linear region.

[@HamRadioDX]

Awesome tip!

[@ekbanjosworld4926]

On setting up the ICOM 7300 on WSJT-X, niether of you two bothered mentioning that with Firmware Version 1.4 or later, that the 7300 comes with the feature of having FT8 preprogrammed!!! Made all the difference in getting on and failure,,,

[@timsmith1426]

I listened to SSB, and rarely spoke. FT8 has been amazing for me with also being an IT admin. So this mode didn't pull me away from SSB as much as it actually got me to be active in another mode.

[@off-trailseeking3965]

Totally agree with the dislike for Windows. As a professional photographer, having Windows crash, and crash and crash, trash operating systems like Vista and Millennium I gave up on Bill after fighting with the never ending virus upgrades that killed the memory and hard rives. Over a couple years I upgraded to MAC to the tune of $$$$ and never turned back baby! My first MacBook Pro I had for 11 years before I upgraded. Not like PCs where after 2 years the hard drive was full of crap and the memory was outdated.

[@BTCYaLater.]

As someone who has a somewhat compromised attic antenna for HF, and is very mic shy, FT8 is a godsend. I love seeing the hobby develop and change over the years. That is a necessity to attract younger folks into the hobby that don't necessarily want to sit and ragchew on 80 for hours on end.

[@keithfrost1268]

I started with FT8 because when i first got my general no one ever answered my CQ's. I started looking for ways to test where my signal was going so i could trouble shoot my antennas. With FT8 and PSKReporterI could see where i was going and how strong. Now I like FT8 because it doesn't matter what language I ( or they) speak. Just my 0.01999 USD.

[@jamesseaman2950]

That is also part of the beauty of CW. You don't need to speak the same language as the other operator as long as you both know the Q-signals and how to conduct a proper CW QSO. PSK31 was like that too because it more or less followed CW operating procedures.

[@VK4VO]

For those of us who are at the pointy end of dxcc,,,, (i'm 321 worked) FT8 is a fun way to keep the dream going and fill in slots. New ones don't come by often for me these days so I find filling in the gaps over the bands is a great way to boost my digital count. It's probably a mode geared towards DX hunters and not ragchewers. Maybe the negative is coming from the ragchew crowd?

[@GordonHudson]

I put off getting into FT8 and only tried it after seeing a demo at a club and then your videos got me over the technical hurdles. It lets me operate when conditions are poor. I worked Scotland to USA on 30m using a 20m dipole in my loft through an ATU and 10w. It has enlivened "working from home". I can also operate from the living room via my laptop. I have been licensed for 41 years and all the other old timers are into it. We still do other modes, but it lets us operate at times conditions are too poor for CW or SSB. My 23 year old son is a radio amateur and not into it, so it's not a young vs old thing. GM4SVM

[@HamRadioDX]

Thanks for your comment Gordon! Glad to hear my videos were helpful for you.

[@matthew.tamasco]

FTDX-10 keep the ALC in the white. If you have "no ALC" on the FTDX-10 you may notice on your power meter that you are not putting out much power. E.G. if you are running 50 watts, adjust ALC via the Pwr slider and compouter output audio level until you are registering 50 watts output. You may be in the lower 1/3 or more ALC to get the full output. If you go above the white line on the ALC meter, you are probably splattering and overdriving. Hope this helps.

[@HamRadioDX]

Thanks for the tips!

[@gfodale]

I'm a 'new again' ham operator. ( I let my license drop for close to 40 years or so. ) I don't have FT 8 set up as yet, and I'm busting tail to earn my General ticket. I plan to focus on NVIS in the spring to make antennas that will work in an EmComm situation. FT 8 will let me know fairly quickly how my antenna build is working, and I'll be able to compare antenna designs before actually needing it. I don't know why so many complain about tools that are available that are very helpful when used correctly.

[@HamRadioDX]

That's awesome! Welcome back to the hobby too, no doubt you'll get that General ticket soon! What bands are you interested in the most?

[@gfodale]

@@HamRadioDX All HF though it will be some time before I have antennas for all. Also 2m and 70cm for local, though that is pretty much dead around here. Currently capable of the VHF/UHF, 10m 15m 20m and 40m with a fan dipole I made. 20 still needs tuned, and it's rather cold or raining of late. Glad for the NanoVNA that didn't exist in the 80's. Morse code is coming back slowly. Ham Radio Prep has been Very helpful moving me along to get the General ticket.

[@HamRadioDX]

@@gfodale That's all awesome to hear! Good luck with it, and I hope to work you on air someday

[@peterwaine923]

I use FT8 a lot, good mode, adds activity where you wont get any on phone if the prop is not up to scratch.

[@neilhankey2514]

I preferred PSK31 and typing messages to people. FT8 is a little boring but I do use it. Everyone seems to have jumped ship and the other digital modes are neglected.

[@spaceflight1019]

You're just a victim of "the next big thing".

[@neilhankey2514]

But that's the issue, its not the "next big thing" it just a new mode for people with ADHD. FT4 = ADHD on steroids! I'm willing to invest more time to make a real human contact. @@spaceflight1019

[@StuartM0TTQAmateurRadio]

LOL if you've got room for 102' of wire for a G5RV in your garden in the UK, you haven't got a compromised garden, you've got a bloody field out the back of your house

[@ronlabe5487]

Is 1/2 an acre a 'field' in the UK?

[@StuartM0TTQAmateurRadio]

@@ronlabe5487 Yep.

[@Berretagun]

If you're an F call with only 10watts to play with, FT8 is awesome !

[@trevorstudent4625]

Ft8 is simply just fun and an interesting part of the hobby. Simple as. I also like collectible Collins gear and other vintage equipment. I am simply just an elite ham. (Chadmeme)

[@ad5mq]

According to my wife I am grumpy and at least one doctor has called me old :). I like FT-8 because I can make contacts in many countries I simply couldn't make contacts with on PSK and other modes I have used for a long time. I'd like it if more people used something like VARAC or JT-8 just because you get the benefits of working in marginal links, with the possibility of have an actual conversation. It also means EME without needing a huge array or kilowatt vhf amplifier.

[@JohnWallace74]

Sometimes I ( in the USA) answer people in USA calling CQ DX because GridTracker tells me I need their state, grid, county to fulfill my need to contact list. Though otherwise I don’t contact USA people calling CQ DX .

[@DonzLockz]

Awesome, now am FT8 youtube certified. Now i just have to remember it. :)

[@AlvinMcManus]

I'm still trying to get it to work with my G90! Waiting for my Digirig unit to try that. We'll see what when it gets going.

[@AlvinMcManus]

Got the G90 to working and then I got a Yeasu FT-710 and that was a piece of cake to set up on Flrig. FT8 is a breeze with the 710. I have the USB input set to 28 and I can leave the power slider at 100 and never overdrive the txmit cycle I am pegged at 45-50 watts with a low-zero ALC.

[@tonybarnett508]

could not watch live but watching now it got me wanting more after nearly18 months getting it right I now have approx. 3000 contacts and get a kick out of getting that place I have never heard of and with only able to use 10watts it helps

[@Lagomosa]

you mean your computer has 3000 contacts

[@hthring]

oh that dual control panel thing was/is terrible

[@KD9ZHF]

I totally agree that elitist, grumpy old farts are killing ham radio - as a new tech, I've never met a more unhelpful group of people who don't give a flying f about helping ham radio operators. Yet, I persevere. Our local clubs in Chicago have been so unhelpful to me. and.... Mic fright is real. 🙂

[@RobertMacCready]

Gentlemen, I''m on my 2nd full day trying to setup FT8 on my Yazoo 701. Got the test button to turn greet and the PTT button to light red. But now, it seems, like I'm not getting any output to the antenna. This is my second FULL DAY trying to get this mystery ship to sail. Am I having fun, not really. Am I frustrated, oh yeah. Spending most of my time watching FT8 videos, reading the "owners 701 manny, plus another authoritative book on the Yaesu FT-701. None of which can answer WHY I have spent 2 days and have not made a single conact.

[@Ratchet2]

Did you get it working?

[@RobertMacCready]

@@Ratchet2 I returned the 701 and bought a Yaesu FT-DX-10. Found a good guy on youtube and followed his setup. All is working great. But I'm getting poor signal reports. I had the Palomar End Fed Off Center dipole. The 25' one. Moved to the 55' and that works a bit better. Finally arrived at the 95' version and that works great. Got it strung between 3 Palm trees about 15' up and terminating on my flagpole and runs about 17' down towards the ground. Have a weight on the end so things can move with the wind. WSPR shows me (I'm in central FL) being heard in N and S America, Europe, Hawaii and Australia. Loads of contacts on 20m. Worked 3 Russians and 3 from Ukraine, Jordan, Argentina, Brazil, CA, Montana, the Dakoda's, and more.

[@WH6FQE]

I identify as a Grumpy Old Man, and am proud of it. I have worked for years to attain this status.

[@BrianFields]

The color settings act like filters and apply from top to bottom. You can change the end result by moving the order of them, and turn some that don't interest you by unchecking them.

[@HamRadioDX]

I didn't know they filter from top to bottom, that's good to know!

[@jamesseaman2950]

FT8 is an amazing weak signal mode, but it's like shooting fish in a barrel because it offers little challenge. After a while FT8 just becomes boring. Also, the human-social element is missing because it's a semi-automated mode with two computers initiating and completing the contact. I, for one, miss PSK31.

[@robertmeyer4744]

with FT8 and outher modes like WSPR radio power is only part of it. can antenna handle duty cycle? watch SWR . heated up some ferrite cores. also when using a tuner that will be heating up as well. I normally run my 7300 at 50% or less power. I have a AL572 amp if I want more. I have fixed a few tube amps from running FT8 . tube flash over . mostly China tubes and to much drive for high duty cycle. 811A tubes mostly what came in. 1-8877 China tube flash over. took out power supply diodes. bias Zenner and outher parts. a lot of them tube amps were made before digital and don't list rated power digital. would like to see some one time sync a laptop from WWV over HF when no internet or GPS. I have a MFJ atomic clock that does this. I did get the program to set ICOM 7300 clock from laptop that has internet of GPS clock. when portable some times no internet to sync time. too cheap to buy GPS dongle . My icom gets WWV time just fine. would be nice to de code that to laptop . 73's

[@multilecful]

OMG the internet killed the radio star. I listen to Ozz stations 6khz wide. You know who i speak of. I think its a balanced activity. Same with pota sota, i think its probably increase activity. Most people haven't got great antennas and 2kw

[@SIGINT007]

Will there be sad hams here? News at 11!

[@ronlabe5487]

I cq for long periods sometimes because I'm trying to get a response and no one cones back.

[@brettemurphy]

Can anyone with an Icom IC-7000 please confirm that "no ALC" is up to half way into the ALC bar before it turns red? At first i thought it was "no reading at all" but I was not putting any signal out. Now I just adjust "pwr" in WSJT-X so that the ALC level on the radio fills half the bar without turning red, (ie., only the top half of the bar is red not the bottom half).

[@HamRadioDX]

I used to have an IC-7000. I'm trying to recall what I did there, but I do remember something similar to what you describe... Turn up the power slider until the ALC meter is about 1/4 or half (but not into the red)... I think you're right I had low TX power until I did that.

[@G6YWC]

I have ts2000 and blew my finals never run more than 30watts

[@stephen1711]

Did this nerd really just say SSB is killing FT8... OMG! the ultimate nerdfest is happening right here.

[@HamRadioDX]

I didn't say it... but others have.

[@jamesseaman2950]

This business of people supposedly damaging their radios with high-power FT8 hints of other problems not involving FT8. Either a poorly matched load, or something restricting airflow through the radio. If your transceiver is rated 100 W FM or RTTY then it will do 100 W FT8 just fine. FM and RTTY are the true 100% duty cycle modes in our hobby. For some reason, a mystique surrounds FT8 which is only AFSK modulating an SSB signal with a high average level of modulation. It's much like highly compressed audio but transmits in 12.64 second bursts during a 30-second period. The FT8 "duty cycle" is only 42% because FT8 receives 58% of the time. I'm rounding off numbers for clarity.

[@HamRadioDX]

You're probably right. Excessive ALC drive may also cause problems too.

[@rodneyprice1673]

Yes

[@LarryAllenTonar]

Folk who are accessing you live on e.g. Firefox for Androdd won't be seeing the live chat or polls.

[@JohnWallace74]

I guess if you have a cheap radio running 50% transmit will ruin your radio. I don’t have a cheap radio.

[@erikpohl6450]

Hello fra oz6ep Erik

[@LarryAllenTonar]

Why would anyone subscribe to a channel that's always "temporarily offline"?

[@HamRadioDX]

Because it’s a great channel with a lot of useful content

[@Lagomosa]

ft8 is bs, wanna do digital?, psk31 and low power

[@kenyates7960]

Vista was the worst version of Windows, followed ni a close second by 8.x.

[@jolebole-yt]

Windows 11 is on the same path…

[@hthring]

STILL ON 7😊

[@g4joe]

Its cute but boring.

[@stevie3011]

Good video, Hayden. Do you need to invite Steve ? Is it only me who doesn't think he's funny ?

[@43PR50]

FT8 is a good mode for 6 meters and above, but should only be used on 10m and below in low sunspot activity. i don't hate the FT8 mode, but i do think it's grossly over used, and all other modes are suffering because it. how do i know? because i use all the other modes! i do ROS, psk31, Olivia, VARAC, to name just some, but getting one, or no contacts, i am forced to go back to FT8, where in just minutes, you have worked 20+ countries! FT8 is not killing Ham Radio, but it is killing diversity within the hobby. maybe the ACMA is right, lets make ham radio class license, since they want to be CBers and brainlessly use whatever mode is cool on the day!

[@jeffreypetchharrison4363]

ft8 i use it mostly with other digimodes as i am a bit deaf ..jeff.. m0prf