Forgive me for asking, but why would you need to highlight Fox messages in addition to the easily observable characteristics of Fox/Hound mode? As this is the WSJT-X dev forum, I assume that you are talking about the WSJT-X software and "real" Fox/Hound, not any multi-stream operation. When you are looking for a Fox, you hopefully know the call sign of the Fox (otherwise you have no idea who to call or who to look for, in which case the Fox will be of no interest). A Fox never operates on the standard FT8 frequencies, and will normally be alone calling on Even periods.i.e 00/30 seconds (with the exception of the most regrettable practices of those using the clones, allowing TX in any period), and in the 300-600 Hz audio frequency range. So by these few characteristics you already know who the Fox is and you cannot miss any Fox transmission that you decode. In the rare case where two Foxes may be operating on the same (non-standard) frequency, they will again be easily identified by being the only ones transmitting on 00/30 seconds.
The 3Y0J expedition's unfortunate time offset of 14 seconds without synchronization was most unfortunate, but this is very rare. With 14 seconds off, they were inside the margin for the following odd period, and sending Fox transmission to be decoded in the wrong period, causing substantial confusion. If it had been 5 or 10 seconds, the lack of sync would have been discovered much earlier, as the waterfall would have revealed the non-synced signal and no-one with synced computers would have been able to make contact. Most DX-peditions knowing that they are going off internet coverage will carry a dongle or some other receiver of GPS time to secure good synchronization for FT8 and the other WSJT-X modes. I don't know if 3Y0J brought a GPS dongle or used other measures to sync, but they eventually got it right and were reasonably easy to work, save for all the DQRM-ers in need of heavy psychiatry. A comment to cluster information: Almost since the first clone started to offer multi-stream capability, the clusters have been full of incorrect messages, based on the flawed assumption by the spotters who never read, or failed to understand, the Fox/Hound manual that any multi-stream signal is a Fox/Hound operation. Cluster information about F/H operation in standard FT8 frequencies or at Fox audio frequencies above 1000 Hz or transmitting in odd (15/45 seconds) periods can and should be ignored. By all means work the multi-streaming stations, but then use standard mode, as Fox/Hound mode will not bring a contact. For DX-peditions it is way more important to read their plan for operations, modes and frequencies, than to trust cluster information from spotters who don't understand the characteristics of the Fox/Hound mode. 73, Frode LA6VQ fre. 17. feb. 2023 kl. 15:23 skrev Erik Icket via wsjt-devel < wsjt-devel@lists.sourceforge.net>: > Hi dear developers, > > I believe the 3Y0J expedition learned us a lot about correct F/H practices > and at the same time, pushed the protocol to its limits. > > There is however one situation which occurred in the early hours of the > expedition where unsolvable confusion reigned : "Was the expedition using > the true WSJTX F/H protocol or was is multi-stream from a WSJTX clone" ? > This was compounded with contradicting messages on the DX cluster, which > did > not contribute either. Unfortunately, it is not the first expedition where > this occurred .. > > Can I therefore resuscitate (or discuss) an earlier request for an option > to > highlight Fox messages (i.e. Type 0.1 protocol messages) ? > I think the color highlighting of Fox messages will not compete with other > highlighting criteria, because it is the most important thing we are after. > > My apologies if I missed something out or there are better ways to find out > ! > > 73's Erik > ON4PB > > > > > _______________________________________________ > wsjt-devel mailing list > wsjt-devel@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wsjt-devel >
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