During the FT8 contest last weekend, there were a good mix of stations
calling "CQ RU callsign loc" and stations calling "CQ TEST callsign
loc". From where the "CQ TEST" came from I can only speculate, perhaps
people where using the "free msg" (tx5) to create such CQs, or using the
"EU VHF" mode, or might be some wsjt-x clone at work...?
From my own personal experience, on the 11th April, there were the
regional test NAC 50 (Nordic Activity Contest) on 6m band, and there
were a few stations calling "CQ TEST", probably using the EU VHF format.
I was not aware of the NAC contest myself at the time, but called back a
station who were calling "CQ TEST". When he replied to me with his
contest exchange, my wsjt-x automatically changed to the EU VHF contest
mode, without any action from myself. There was only an informational
line in the "RX freq" textbox, that the mode change had occured.
Here are the few lines of exchange from my all.txt during that
"incident"...
/190411_180545 50.313 Rx FT8 -8 0.2 1480 CQ TEST OU7M JO47/
/190411_180600 50.313 Tx FT8 0 0.0 1902 OU7M LA9NKA JP20 /
/190411_180645 50.313 Rx FT8 -11 0.2 1479 LA9NKA 520003 JO47HC/
/190411_180700 50.313 Tx FT8 0 0.0 1918 OU7M R 540001 JP20QD /
/190411_180715 50.313 Rx FT8 -14 0.2 1479 LA9NKA OU7M RRR/
/190411_180730 50.313 Tx FT8 0 0.0 1918 OU7M LA9NKA 73 /
/190411_180745 50.313 Rx FT8 -18 0.2 1478 LA9NKA OU7M 73/
Perhaps the fact that wsjt-x seems to do this auto switch to the EU VHF
contest mode when receiving a EU VHF contest exchange (or perhaps it's
the "CQ TEST" that triggers it...?), might help to explain why someone
ended up in EU VHF contest mode during the FT8 contest last weekend.
However, I only experienced this auto switch myself when not already in
a contest mode (on April 11). I did not experience this during the FT8
contest last weekend, most likely since I was already in "ARRL RU" mode,
or there were no "EU VHF" exchanges received.
At least there seem to something not quite right with the response to
the EU VHF exchanges... As Saku said, either automatically change both
ways, or none at all, rather giving an infobox like the one when
receiving a "RU" exhange, or "F/H" message when not in any of the
"special" modes.
Just a few of my own observations regarding this subject..
*73... Anders, LA9NKA*
Den 16.04.2019 00:13, skrev Palle Preben-Hansen, OZ1RH:
Hi,
People are using EU VHF if they are in a contest requiring either a
serial number and/or the full 6-digit locator. This is required in the
major VHF contests in Europe. Many contests on HF also requires a
serial number, so this feature applies to more than just EU VHF.
I suggest the labeling on the Settings page is split into two saying:
"I need an exchange with serial number"
"I need an exchange with a 6-digit locator"
When a station calls CQ with one or both of these options set, FT8 of
the answering station should just transmit the requested exchange. No
need for flashing a anything about a particular contest mode.
If you have one or both of these options set and you call a station
his FT8 should send you the requested exchange.
The logic should be that you request the exchange you need and you get
it without intervention from the other station. This should keep all
happy and you only transmit the exchanges needed by the other station.
This logic should be used for all kind of supported exchanges, e.g.
also the one for NA fieldday. It could also work the other way around:
if a station does not need your locator - transmit only what the other
station requests (though at present the abbreviated 4-digit locator is
inherited in the protocol).
If a serial number is requested from you and you did not set a
starting serial number in your settings, your FT8 should just send
0001. To make sure everyone is able to send the full 6-digit locator
this should always be set in Settings.
73, Palle, OZ1RH.
- written on a Hawaiian Airlines plane on route to KH8, see
kh8.oz0j.dk <http://kh8.oz0j.dk>
-----------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2019 12:56:50 +0100
From: Tom Melvin <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>>
To: WSJT software development <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>>
Subject: Re: [wsjt-devel] FT8 DX Contest notices
Message-ID: <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252
What I can?t workout is why people are using EU VHF in the 1st place.
It is not specifically in the rules page as Saku pointed out, but
top of the contest page has a link to FT8 settings, that clearly
shows should be RTTY, the links to MSHV has a big page on contest
setup, again says rtty - wsjt points to manual at contest settings.
So why are so many people using EU VHF? - Hopefully as you all
point out if it is specified on the same page as the rules it
_may_ help.
Tom
--
73?s
Tom
GM8MJV (IO85)
On 14 Apr 2019, at 09:45, Saku <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
> Neil Zampella kirjoitti 14.4.2019 klo 6.49:
>> That is something they will need to change if they decide to do
another
>> one, declare what contest mode will be used.
>>
>> Neil, KN3ILZ
>
>
> Yes!
>
> I agree!
>
>
> But it is bad thing that wsjt-x switches from RTTY RU to EU VHF
automatic if it detects that kind of answer.
> Backwards it does not do it. It just reminds that mode should be
switched to RTTY RU. But that needs user action via settings/advanced.
>
>
> And EU VHF is, I think, a little tested mode. It is so unstabile.
> I did some UDP message testings a while ago with ft8sim and
small mistakes made wsjt-x crash with EU VHF. Mistakes means
pressing wrong button at wrong time. Sometimes crash kills also
whole xwindow (LXDE) at same go.
> All other modes allow all kind of operations, but EU VHF is very
sensible. Everything must go in right order.
>
>
> --
> Saku
> OH1KH
_______________________________________________
wsjt-devel mailing list
[email protected]
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wsjt-devel
_______________________________________________
wsjt-devel mailing list
[email protected]
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wsjt-devel
