The KH1/KH7Z Team is taking significant steps to enable operation on the 80 through 6 meter bands using the emerging FT8 DXpedition submode. Members of the KH1 DXpedition have been working directly with the WSJT Development Team for the past 6 months to develop capabilities to greatly increase the number of stations that can be worked on FT8 while also reducing the stress on DXpedition operators. It is the intent of the team to work everyone on the mode on every corner of the globe. The discussion below will describe how we intend to operate as the “Fox” and how we recommend all the “Hounds” operate in order to put a new one in the log for as many as possible.
The following is a list of Required Steps to work KH1/KH7Z on FT8:
First Install the latest version of the WSJT-X software. The latest version of WSJT-X software can always be found here:
https://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/wsjtx.html
1.Use only the latest General Release version of WSJT-X software when trying to work KH1/KH7Z. You will not work us with previous versions of WSJT-X.
2.Your computer clock needs to be ACCURATE. Do not assume that it is. An accurate time synch is mandatory for proper decoding. There is some tolerance to PC Clock error but do not run the risk of missing a QSO. Find the right tool to keep your PC’s clock within 1 second of GPS time. We will be locked to GPS time on the island.
3.Read the FT8 Help files. There are differences in the DXpedition submode that you need to understand. However, radio control and all other program settings are the same as the basic FT8 mode.
4.Select the Hound role: Under File>Settings>Advanced check the “Hound” box. If you operate in the Fox role, you will lose many friends.
5.Look for KH1/KH7Z on our selected operating frequencies. We will NOT be using the normal FT8 band segments…ever. See the KH1/KH7Z operating frequency plan elsewhere on this website. We will broadcast any changes in the operating frequency plan, if necessary, during the DXpedition as best we can. You might consider adding the KH1/KH7Z FT8 frequency list to the Working Frequency list in WSJT-X. Go here: File>Settings>Frequencies and right-click in the frequency table. Add the KH1 frequencies for FT8 operation on this table so that you might easily navigate to a band where there might be propagation to your location.
6.Set your TX frequency somewhere above 1000 Hz on the frequency of your choice. If you select a TX frequency less than 1000 Hz, the software will randomly place you on a frequency above 1000 Hz before your station starts transmitting. The frequencies below 1000 Hz are reserved. You can monitor the “Hound” frequency range (1000 to 4000 Hz) for a few sequences to get a sense of where there might be a clear spot but remember that you may not always “see” the band like we will out on the island.
7.Call KH1/KH7Z only after you decode one of our CQ messages. Simply double-click on our callsign in the “Band Activity” window and the software will create the correct message with which to call us and start transmitting. You will need to periodically press “Enable TX” from time to time to keep transmitting in the pileup. The DXpedition station will send a CQ message from time to time so that you should not have to wait long to select the callsign.
8.Call as long as you need to work KH1/KH7Z. We will be operating often with “multiple streams”, a new DXpedition submode capability, and we may be conducting QSOs with as many as 5 stations simultaneously. While we are completing QSOs with stations, we are also selecting new stations to work from those who have been calling. For your call to be selected, you need to call whenever you are able to decode us.
9.Once you decode the message “<Your Call> KH7Z RR73” (also called the TX4 message) from us, you should log the QSO. Keep calling until you complete this step. Duplicate QSOs on a band are not recommended. If your callsign does not appear in the twice-daily log updates to ClubLog, feel free to repeat a QSO.
The following are some general practices that the KH1 team will follow in order to achieve our objectives (e.g. work everyone…everywhere) •We will use directional CQs. Follow our instructions. We have tools to filter calls and we will use the filtering tool needed to find and work only those we are looking for.
•We will emphasize our operating procedure to work stations with challenging propagation paths. We may reduce the value of NStream (# of simultaneous QSO streams) to 2 or even 1 when working distant stations (EU, Western Asia and Africa). We acknowledge that it will be necessary for us to use NStream values of 2 or less for us to be copied on challenging paths.
•We may need to “knock down” the size of the pile at the start of the operation so that we can devote more time to working distant stations on the middle and late parts of the operation. This is a common method of managing pileups on TopTen DXpeditions and we will practice it as well. Do not give up hope. We have as many as four stations that can run FT8 and plenty of trained operators. We will be there for everyone, everywhere. However, in most cases we will make directional calls when propagation is known to exist to EU/West Asia and AF. Our pilots will be letting us know when there are openings that deserve our attention.
•We are not promoting band/slot bingo on this DXpedition. Our intent is to work as many stations as possible and we will use several bands to reach our audience. Please consider working us on other modes on a band where you have not worked us on FT8. We will certainly work all callers, but hopefully you will share in our quest to reach as many stations as possible.
The following is a list of Required Steps to work KH1/KH7Z on FT8:
First Install the latest version of the WSJT-X software. The latest version of WSJT-X software can always be found here:
https://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/wsjtx.html
1.Use only the latest General Release version of WSJT-X software when trying to work KH1/KH7Z. You will not work us with previous versions of WSJT-X.
2.Your computer clock needs to be ACCURATE. Do not assume that it is. An accurate time synch is mandatory for proper decoding. There is some tolerance to PC Clock error but do not run the risk of missing a QSO. Find the right tool to keep your PC’s clock within 1 second of GPS time. We will be locked to GPS time on the island.
3.Read the FT8 Help files. There are differences in the DXpedition submode that you need to understand. However, radio control and all other program settings are the same as the basic FT8 mode.
4.Select the Hound role: Under File>Settings>Advanced check the “Hound” box. If you operate in the Fox role, you will lose many friends.
5.Look for KH1/KH7Z on our selected operating frequencies. We will NOT be using the normal FT8 band segments…ever. See the KH1/KH7Z operating frequency plan elsewhere on this website. We will broadcast any changes in the operating frequency plan, if necessary, during the DXpedition as best we can. You might consider adding the KH1/KH7Z FT8 frequency list to the Working Frequency list in WSJT-X. Go here: File>Settings>Frequencies and right-click in the frequency table. Add the KH1 frequencies for FT8 operation on this table so that you might easily navigate to a band where there might be propagation to your location.
6.Set your TX frequency somewhere above 1000 Hz on the frequency of your choice. If you select a TX frequency less than 1000 Hz, the software will randomly place you on a frequency above 1000 Hz before your station starts transmitting. The frequencies below 1000 Hz are reserved. You can monitor the “Hound” frequency range (1000 to 4000 Hz) for a few sequences to get a sense of where there might be a clear spot but remember that you may not always “see” the band like we will out on the island.
7.Call KH1/KH7Z only after you decode one of our CQ messages. Simply double-click on our callsign in the “Band Activity” window and the software will create the correct message with which to call us and start transmitting. You will need to periodically press “Enable TX” from time to time to keep transmitting in the pileup. The DXpedition station will send a CQ message from time to time so that you should not have to wait long to select the callsign.
8.Call as long as you need to work KH1/KH7Z. We will be operating often with “multiple streams”, a new DXpedition submode capability, and we may be conducting QSOs with as many as 5 stations simultaneously. While we are completing QSOs with stations, we are also selecting new stations to work from those who have been calling. For your call to be selected, you need to call whenever you are able to decode us.
9.Once you decode the message “<Your Call> KH7Z RR73” (also called the TX4 message) from us, you should log the QSO. Keep calling until you complete this step. Duplicate QSOs on a band are not recommended. If your callsign does not appear in the twice-daily log updates to ClubLog, feel free to repeat a QSO.
The following are some general practices that the KH1 team will follow in order to achieve our objectives (e.g. work everyone…everywhere) •We will use directional CQs. Follow our instructions. We have tools to filter calls and we will use the filtering tool needed to find and work only those we are looking for.
•We will emphasize our operating procedure to work stations with challenging propagation paths. We may reduce the value of NStream (# of simultaneous QSO streams) to 2 or even 1 when working distant stations (EU, Western Asia and Africa). We acknowledge that it will be necessary for us to use NStream values of 2 or less for us to be copied on challenging paths.
•We may need to “knock down” the size of the pile at the start of the operation so that we can devote more time to working distant stations on the middle and late parts of the operation. This is a common method of managing pileups on TopTen DXpeditions and we will practice it as well. Do not give up hope. We have as many as four stations that can run FT8 and plenty of trained operators. We will be there for everyone, everywhere. However, in most cases we will make directional calls when propagation is known to exist to EU/West Asia and AF. Our pilots will be letting us know when there are openings that deserve our attention.
•We are not promoting band/slot bingo on this DXpedition. Our intent is to work as many stations as possible and we will use several bands to reach our audience. Please consider working us on other modes on a band where you have not worked us on FT8. We will certainly work all callers, but hopefully you will share in our quest to reach as many stations as possible.
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