If you look at the status card on this site, you will often see FT8 next to the frequency. FT8 is one of the most popular modes on HF today, and for good reason: it decodes signals far below the noise, so even a modest station with a wire antenna can work the world. Here is a practical checklist for getting started.
What FT8 is
FT8 was created by Joe Taylor, K1JT, and Steve Franke, K9AN, and comes with the free WSJT-X program. Every transmission lasts about 13 seconds within a strict 15-second cycle, and each one uses only about 50 Hz of bandwidth, so dozens of QSOs fit side by side in a 3 kHz slot. A contact is very short – callsigns, locator, a signal report and 73 – and the software does most of the typing for you.
What you need
- An HF transceiver – my FT-450D works fine; any modern rig will do.
- An audio connection between radio and computer. Newer rigs have a built-in USB sound card; older ones such as the FT-450D need an external interface connected to the data port.
- CAT control (optional but very handy) so the software can change frequency and key the transmitter.
- WSJT-X (free) or a similar program.
- An accurate PC clock – this is the one that catches everybody out.
Setting up – the checklist
- Sync your clock. FT8 needs your PC to be within about a second of real time. Use a time-sync utility and check it every session.
- Pick the right mode on the rig. Use USB, or the rig’s data mode (on many Yaesu radios this shows as DATA-U or USER-U), so the audio passes cleanly.
- Turn off the processing. No speech processor, no noise reduction, no narrow filters on transmit.
- Set the audio level carefully. Raise the transmit audio until you reach the power you want, then back it off so the ALC meter does not move. A clean signal gets far more replies than a loud, distorted one.
- Go to a standard frequency – for example 7.074 or 14.074 MHz (USB dial frequency).
- Watch and listen first. Let the waterfall run for a few cycles and see who is decoding.
Good habits on the band
- Transmit on a clear spot in the waterfall, not on top of the station you are calling.
- Keep the power sensible. You do not need 100 W for FT8 – 20 to 40 W into a decent antenna works the world in good conditions.
- If a station does not answer after a few calls, move on and try again later.
- Upload your log to QRZ and LoTW so others get their confirmations – mine syncs to this site automatically.
Common problems
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Nothing decodes | Clock out of sync, wrong audio input, or rig not in USB/data mode |
| You decode others but nobody replies | Distorted audio (ALC), wrong output device, or too little power |
| Rig keeps transmitting / RF in the shack | Missing choke on the coax, or a ground loop in the audio interface |
Once you have your first few contacts in the log, try FT4 for contests, or switch to SSB or CW with the stations you have spotted. FT8 is a great way to see which bands are open right now. See you on the waterfall – 73!