Re: [Elecraft] An FT8 Radio- just dreaming

[Bill Frantz]

One of my favorite radios was a Small Wonders Labs PSK20. This 
was a radio designed to only send and receive on the 20M PSK 
subband (14.070-14.074). Coupled with a computer to run PSK 
software it made a very effective travel radio, and I made many 
QSOs with it.


In the modern age, a KX2 is about the same size, but covers 
80M-10M and is basically a HF HT. Many of the JS8Call people are 
using modern Raspberry Pis to run the software, and JS8Call uses 
the same encode/decode/modulation as FT8. (It allows rag chewing.)


For myself, I could probably change the frequency on my PSK20 to 
work on the 20M FT8 band, but it's not a high personal priority.


73 Bill AE6JV

On 2/22/21 at 10:36 PM, elecraft@mailman.qth.net (Doug Millar 
via Elecraft) wrote:


I have been wondering for some time- How will FT8 change ham 
radio equipment?  Right off I imagine a radio and computer in 
one box maybe with the display. (FT8 should vastly simplify the 
first interface with the radio, with menus reaching deeper into 
its control. Most of today's designs are not well enough 
integrated and I think are hampered by preconceptions. Nor do 
they take advantage of graphic user interfaces that are common 
in say cell phones.  I think it could be one box with voice 
and touch control with keyboard and mouse optional. How about 
an internal projector so that the screen can be projected onto 
another surface making monitors optional? If it is going to be 
worth it, It has to be not different but do things differently. 
    Has anyone else had any thoughts?    Doug K6JEY


---
Bill Frantz| Can't fix stupid, but   | Periwinkle
(408)348-7900  | duct tape can muffle the| 150 Rivermead 
Road #235

www.pwpconsult.com | sound... - Bill Liebman | Peterborough, NY 03458

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Re: [Elecraft] An FT8 Radio- just dreaming

[Ed Pflueger]

I have built the 80 meter Phaser II which is a QRP FT8 Transceiver and as
the QRP-Labs Kits was fun to build.  I also have the 20 meter Phaser II
version coming and another QCX Mini and QCX+ kit to build.  The kits have
kept me off the streets during this Pandemic.

Ed.. AB4IQ

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of SteveL
Sent: Monday, February 22, 2021 8:44 AM
To: Elecraft Reflector 
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] An FT8 Radio- just dreaming

This purpose-designed digital transceiver for FT8 (and other digital modes)
has received some attention recently:
https://midnightdesignsolutions.com/phaser/
<https://midnightdesignsolutions.com/phaser/>
Not exactly revolutionary, but compact QRP design needing only a laptop - or
even something like a Raspberry Pi - to use with digital modes.

And a number of years ago a fully self contained ultra portable PSK31
transceiver was shown at Hamvention:
https://www.silentsystem.jp/handypsk.htm
<https://www.silentsystem.jp/handypsk.htm>
http://forum.radioamateur.ca/index.php?topic=8379.0
<http://forum.radioamateur.ca/index.php?topic=8379.0>

Steve
aa8af

> On Feb 21, 2021, at 10:36 PM, Doug Millar via Elecraft
 wrote:
> 
> I have been wondering for some time- How will FT8 change ham radio
equipment?  Right off I imagine a radio and computer in one box maybe with
the display. (FT8 should vastly simplify the first interface with the radio,
with menus reaching deeper into its control. Most of today's designs are not
well enough integrated and I think are hampered by preconceptions. Nor do
they take advantage of graphic user interfaces that are common in say cell
phones.  I think it could be one box with voice and touch control with
keyboard and mouse optional. How about an internal projector so that the
screen can be projected onto another surface making monitors optional? If it
is going to be worth it, It has to be not different but do things
differently. 
> Has anyone else had any thoughts?  

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Re: [Elecraft] An FT8 Radio- just dreaming

[PAUL GACEK via Elecraft]

Steve Benson, the designer of the Midnight Design rig you linked to is quite 
anaccomplished designer. I built one of his ~3 watt PSK31 mono banders back in 
the late 90s.

Paul Gacek
W6PNG/M0SNA
www.nomadic.blog

> On Feb 22, 2021, at 6:45 AM, SteveL  wrote:
> 
> This purpose-designed digital transceiver for FT8 (and other digital modes) 
> has received some attention recently:
> https://midnightdesignsolutions.com/phaser/ 
> 
> Not exactly revolutionary, but compact QRP design needing only a laptop - or 
> even something like a Raspberry Pi - to use with digital modes.
> 
> And a number of years ago a fully self contained ultra portable PSK31 
> transceiver was shown at Hamvention:
> https://www.silentsystem.jp/handypsk.htm 
> 
> http://forum.radioamateur.ca/index.php?topic=8379.0 
> 
> 
> Steve
> aa8af
> 
>> On Feb 21, 2021, at 10:36 PM, Doug Millar via Elecraft 
>>  wrote:
>> 
>> I have been wondering for some time- How will FT8 change ham radio 
>> equipment?  Right off I imagine a radio and computer in one box maybe with 
>> the display. (FT8 should vastly simplify the first interface with the radio, 
>> with menus reaching deeper into its control. Most of today's designs are not 
>> well enough integrated and I think are hampered by preconceptions. Nor do 
>> they take advantage of graphic user interfaces that are common in say cell 
>> phones.  I think it could be one box with voice and touch control with 
>> keyboard and mouse optional. How about an internal projector so that the 
>> screen can be projected onto another surface making monitors optional? If it 
>> is going to be worth it, It has to be not different but do things 
>> differently. 
>>Has anyone else had any thoughts?  
> 
> __
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[Elecraft] An FT8 Radio- just dreaming

[John Harper]

The latest firmware for several Icom rigs has a dedicated FT8 button. And
my new IC-705 is seen by the PC as a sound device so no need for any
external equipment or excess cabling - one USB cable does CAT and audio.
https://www.icomjapan.com/support/firmware_driver/3220/

The mcHF and a few other rigs have been doing it this way for years.
I'm still - and always will be - mostly a CW op but I appreciate FT8 from
time to time to run in the background on a "dead" band. It can be an
eye-opener.

John AE5X
https://ae5x.blogspot.com
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Re: [Elecraft] An FT8 Radio- just dreaming

[SteveL]

This purpose-designed digital transceiver for FT8 (and other digital modes) has 
received some attention recently:
https://midnightdesignsolutions.com/phaser/ 

Not exactly revolutionary, but compact QRP design needing only a laptop - or 
even something like a Raspberry Pi - to use with digital modes.

And a number of years ago a fully self contained ultra portable PSK31 
transceiver was shown at Hamvention:
https://www.silentsystem.jp/handypsk.htm 

http://forum.radioamateur.ca/index.php?topic=8379.0 


Steve
aa8af

> On Feb 21, 2021, at 10:36 PM, Doug Millar via Elecraft 
>  wrote:
> 
> I have been wondering for some time- How will FT8 change ham radio equipment? 
>  Right off I imagine a radio and computer in one box maybe with the display. 
> (FT8 should vastly simplify the first interface with the radio, with menus 
> reaching deeper into its control. Most of today's designs are not well enough 
> integrated and I think are hampered by preconceptions. Nor do they take 
> advantage of graphic user interfaces that are common in say cell phones.  I 
> think it could be one box with voice and touch control with keyboard and 
> mouse optional. How about an internal projector so that the screen can be 
> projected onto another surface making monitors optional? If it is going to be 
> worth it, It has to be not different but do things differently. 
> Has anyone else had any thoughts?  

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Re: [Elecraft] An FT8 Radio- just dreaming

[Barry Baines via Elecraft]

Doug:

> On Feb 21, 2021, at 9:36 PM, Doug Millar via Elecraft 
>  wrote:
> 
> I have been wondering for some time- How will FT8 change ham radio equipment? 
>  Right off I imagine a radio and computer in one box maybe with the display. 
> (FT8 should vastly simplify the first interface with the radio, with menus 
> reaching deeper into its control. Most of today's designs are not well enough 
> integrated and I think are hampered by preconceptions. Nor do they take 
> advantage of graphic user interfaces that are common in say cell phones.  I 
> think it could be one box with voice and touch control with keyboard and 
> mouse optional. How about an internal projector so that the screen can be 
> projected onto another surface making monitors optional? If it is going to be 
> worth it, It has to be not different but do things differently. 
> Has anyone else had any thoughts?  

FWIW, we’re already seeing the integration of FT8 into amateur radio equipment. 
 However, it isn’t hardware but software that does this as exemplified by 
SmartSDR for iOS and SmartSDR for Mac developed by Marcus, DL8MRE and is 
available through the appropriate Apple App Store (iOS and MacOS).  Within the 
software configured to manage Flex-6000 series transceivers, FT8 is a ‘mode’ 
that allows the operator to use their Flex-6000 product locally or remotely 
with FT8 integrated into SmartSDR on their device.  This capability is not 
available through SmartSDR for Windows (developed by FlexRadio), but as an 
Apple user I’m thrilled with the integration that is now possible with an 
iPhone, iPad, or Apple Mac/Macbook using MacOS.  It can’t get any simpler to 
integrate FT8 into an amateur radio station.

I have to presume that as Elecraft evolves the K4 ‘ecosystem’ to include remote 
operation that similar integration is feasible.  Whether Elecraft will do this 
or by third party developers remains to be seen.  

73,

Barry Baines, WD4ASW/5
Keller, TX

>   Doug K6JEY
> 
> 
> 
> 
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Re: [Elecraft] An FT8 Radio- just dreaming

[Julia Tuttle]

Are you talking barebones FT8, or one of the extensions that allows
freeform conversation?

Are you planning on relegating CW/SSB/etc. to a "nice-to-have"
usability-wise, or are you trying to keep those usable while making digital
modes more intuitive and straightforward?

I would want both the latters in a product I'd buy.

I'd love to see a hybrid UI like the KX3 + PX3, but with a drastically more
sophisticated UI on the panadapter side. I don't want my radio and computer
in the same box, but I'd *love* a compact, purpose-built computer for
digital modes, logging, and so on. (I'd generally caution you against
buying or making all-in-one devices, since if one part breaks, you've gotta
send the entire thing in for service.)

Really, if you're okay with a KX2 or KX3 hanging off the side, you could do
most of this with a RPi (or your favorite single-board computer) and a 7"
or 10" display and a few adapters for audio and radio control and a bunch
of software work.

I don't think it's realistic for Elecraft to cram every new digital mode
into the firmware for every rig they've ever made (although I would be more
than happy to provide a wishlist!), but something like this could be a good
compromise between "your choice of RTTY, PSK31, or PSK63" and "schlep an
entire laptop and a bunch of wires.

Cheers,

Julie

On Sun, Feb 21, 2021, 22:37 Doug Millar via Elecraft <
elecraft@mailman.qth.net> wrote:

> I have been wondering for some time- How will FT8 change ham radio
> equipment?  Right off I imagine a radio and computer in one box maybe with
> the display. (FT8 should vastly simplify the first interface with the
> radio, with menus reaching deeper into its control. Most of today's designs
> are not well enough integrated and I think are hampered by preconceptions.
> Nor do they take advantage of graphic user interfaces that are common in
> say cell phones.  I think it could be one box with voice and touch control
> with keyboard and mouse optional. How about an internal projector so that
> the screen can be projected onto another surface making monitors optional?
> If it is going to be worth it, It has to be not different but do things
> differently.
> Has anyone else had any thoughts?
>   Doug K6JEY
>
>
>
>
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[Elecraft] An FT8 Radio- just dreaming

[Doug Millar via Elecraft]

I have been wondering for some time- How will FT8 change ham radio equipment?  
Right off I imagine a radio and computer in one box maybe with the display. 
(FT8 should vastly simplify the first interface with the radio, with menus 
reaching deeper into its control. Most of today's designs are not well enough 
integrated and I think are hampered by preconceptions. Nor do they take 
advantage of graphic user interfaces that are common in say cell phones.  I 
think it could be one box with voice and touch control with keyboard and mouse 
optional. How about an internal projector so that the screen can be projected 
onto another surface making monitors optional? If it is going to be worth it, 
It has to be not different but do things differently. 
    Has anyone else had any thoughts?  
  Doug K6JEY



 
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