WB6YRW/6 TX beacon service for FST4W listeners


Stuart Ogawa
 

I will begin providing a nonstop tx FST4W beacon service to this community to crack the chicken / egg dilemma.

Rob can let me know which frequency he wants me to tx beacon on this thread, and then I will change accordingly.

WSJT X does not have band hopping for FST4W unlike WSJT X for WSPR = I can only beacon tx on one band at a time.

I am ruminating over different methods to cost effectively acquire and operationalize more low cost transmitters to transmit beacon over the other FST4W frequencies.

-----

Question...does anyone have direct experience using the QRP Guys 3 band transceivers, here:

https://qrpguys.com/qrpguys-digital-fsk-transceiver-iii

and successfully used this with WSJT X?

My thinking is as follows:

Begin acquiring, building, and operationalizing these transceivers over time; one transceiver for each band from 160 to 10m. 

Rob or the community tell me which bands you want the beacon...I will be your remote hands to make it happen and make sure the nonstop beacon tx occurs.

------------

Tangential note....20m fst4w to ZL2OO SWL occurred this morning. Silicon Valley to NZ; furthest distance to date on my end via fstw4.  I was wondering when this would occur; i typically compare my fstw4 (wb6yrw/6) to wspr (wb6yrw) beacon; 20m to NZ and Aus was nonstop occurring my location via WSPR....I think it is only a matter of time when the wb6yrw/6 reaches Japan/Taiwan and parts of EU based on the wb6yrw wspr results.





Jim Lill
 

FWIW there are a bunch of us that are FST4W ready and receive your WSPR already here on the East Coast on both 20 and 30M

On 7/2/22 15:11, Stuart Ogawa wrote:

I will begin providing a nonstop tx FST4W beacon service to this community to crack the chicken / egg dilemma.

Rob can let me know which frequency he wants me to tx beacon on this thread, and then I will change accordingly.

WSJT X does not have band hopping for FST4W unlike WSJT X for WSPR = I can only beacon tx on one band at a time.

I am ruminating over different methods to cost effectively acquire and operationalize more low cost transmitters to transmit beacon over the other FST4W frequencies.

-----

Question...does anyone have direct experience using the QRP Guys 3 band transceivers, here:

https://qrpguys.com/qrpguys-digital-fsk-transceiver-iii

and successfully used this with WSJT X?

My thinking is as follows:

Begin acquiring, building, and operationalizing these transceivers over time; one transceiver for each band from 160 to 10m. 

Rob or the community tell me which bands you want the beacon...I will be your remote hands to make it happen and make sure the nonstop beacon tx occurs.

------------

Tangential note....20m fst4w to ZL2OO SWL occurred this morning. Silicon Valley to NZ; furthest distance to date on my end via fstw4.  I was wondering when this would occur; i typically compare my fstw4 (wb6yrw/6) to wspr (wb6yrw) beacon; 20m to NZ and Aus was nonstop occurring my location via WSPR....I think it is only a matter of time when the wb6yrw/6 reaches Japan/Taiwan and parts of EU based on the wb6yrw wspr results.





Stuart Ogawa
 

thanks jim.

i will update this thread with project build and operational status updates.

--------

north star goal: operationalize 3 fst4w tx beacon systems transmitting nonstop and concurrently (i will setup gear to transmit 80, 40, 30, and 20; 3 out of 4 bands concurrently ) before September 2022.

fst4w beacon system configuration:

system 1 antenna: 160 to 10m sky loop (522 foot) service 80m fst4w; transmitter: QRP QDX; computer: Mac Mini WSJT X

system 2  antenna: 80 to 10m zero five vertical service 40 or 30m fst4w; transmitter: QRP QDX; computer: need to find used computer to drive WSJT X

system 3 antenna: need to purchase and install another vertical (maybe i will get lucky and find a used zero five or dx engineering trap less 80 to 10 vertical to service 20m fst4w;  transmitter: QRP QDX; computer: need to find used computer to drive WSJT X

-------

if someone knows of a used vertical for sale, please ping me. Ideally a trap less vertical would be great.  


Stuart Ogawa
 


Chris Mackerell
 

It looks like I did edit my wsprdaemon.conf file correctly 😁

My location at Marahau has always been good for Trans-Pacific signals.
I cut my teeth mediumwave DXing North American stations back
in the 70s & 80s from here.

73 Chris (ZL2005SWL)

On 2022-07-03 17:13, Stuart Ogawa wrote:


Stuart Ogawa
 

nice work chris!


----------

same band, same time frame, 20m using wspr:



Screen Shot 2022-07-02 at 10.22.55 PM.png

zachtech 200 milliwatts, zero five 80 to 10m trapless vertical


On Sat, Jul 2, 2022 at 10:18 PM Chris Mackerell <chris@...> wrote:
It looks like I did edit my wsprdaemon.conf file correctly 😁

My location at Marahau has always been good for Trans-Pacific signals.
I cut my teeth mediumwave DXing North American stations back
in the 70s & 80s from here.

73 Chris (ZL2005SWL)

On 2022-07-03 17:13, Stuart Ogawa wrote:


Stuart Ogawa
 

Status Update: 3PM PST

* began txing on 15m fst4w a couple of hours ago as a test (using 160 to 10m sky loop) per rob

* outcome: wa2, n6, and ka7 rec'd signal

* switched antennas from sky loop to zero five 80 to 10 vert as of 2:57PM PST

* revised configuration as follows:

zero five vertical ---> ldg at 1000 matcher --> icom 7300 --> mac mini m1 --> wsjt x. --> 15m wsjt x;  t/r = 300

swr 1:1; 4 watts 

-----------

5:30PM PST will switch to 40m tx using aforementioned config


Stuart Ogawa
 

one more update / mention if you monitor 6m on wspr

* wb6yrw tx wspr beacon non stop transmitting on 6 meters

* furthest north in U.S. Portland

* furthest east in U.S. Fort Collins

* furthest south in U.S. Los Angeles

----------

configuration:

* cushcraft ringo 6m vertical ---> ultra low loss DX Engineering coax (equivalent LMR 400) ---> Zachtech WSPR (no antenna matcher required); SWR 1:17 to 1; 200 milliwatts

* i sometimes swap 6m antennas and alternatively use a 6m sky loop; currently the ringo performs better given the recent propagation


Stuart Ogawa
 

5:55PM PST / 00:55 gmt

begin fst4w 40m tx beacon


KD2OM
 

I am beaconing MF using FST4W-900. 10dBm into a very bad antenna, but you never know.

Steve KD2OM

.
 

On Jul 3, 2022, at 20:58, Stuart Ogawa <stuartogawa@...> wrote:

5:55PM PST / 00:55 gmt

begin fst4w 40m tx beacon


Rob Robinett
 

you are not even hearing yourself ;=(

On Sun, Jul 3, 2022 at 6:56 PM KD2OM <steve@...> wrote:
I am beaconing MF using FST4W-900. 10dBm into a very bad antenna, but you never know.

Steve KD2OM

.
 

On Jul 3, 2022, at 20:58, Stuart Ogawa <stuartogawa@...> wrote:

5:55PM PST / 00:55 gmt

begin fst4w 40m tx beacon



--
Rob Robinett
AI6VN
mobile: +1 650 218 8896


Glenn Elmore
 

Funny thing is, I don't hear myself (listening on the remote at 13 miles distant) much of the time.  On top of that with this strong signal, often +29 on WSPR2, I often report 10-20 dB lower than this on FST4W. 

It seems like the decoder isn't working well for strong signals or else I have something set up wrong here that I haven't yet recognized.

Glenn n6gn



On 7/3/22 21:31, Rob Robinett wrote:

you are not even hearing yourself ;=(

On Sun, Jul 3, 2022 at 6:56 PM KD2OM <steve@...> wrote:
I am beaconing MF using FST4W-900. 10dBm into a very bad antenna, but you never know.

Steve KD2OM

.
 

On Jul 3, 2022, at 20:58, Stuart Ogawa <stuartogawa@...> wrote:

5:55PM PST / 00:55 gmt

begin fst4w 40m tx beacon


--
Rob Robinett
AI6VN
mobile: +1 650 218 8896


Rob Robinett
 

To compare 4W decodes by WD versus WSJT-x, I have set up on my desktop Mac a browser session on the KFS SE antenna with audio fed to WSJT-x running on my Mac.  That instance of WSJT-x is logging at KFS/T.
WD recorded a -300 spot from you at 04:00, but neither WD nor my JT-x has decoded you since then

On Sun, Jul 3, 2022 at 8:47 PM Glenn Elmore <n6gn@...> wrote:

Funny thing is, I don't hear myself (listening on the remote at 13 miles distant) much of the time.  On top of that with this strong signal, often +29 on WSPR2, I often report 10-20 dB lower than this on FST4W. 

It seems like the decoder isn't working well for strong signals or else I have something set up wrong here that I haven't yet recognized.

Glenn n6gn



On 7/3/22 21:31, Rob Robinett wrote:
you are not even hearing yourself ;=(

On Sun, Jul 3, 2022 at 6:56 PM KD2OM <steve@...> wrote:
I am beaconing MF using FST4W-900. 10dBm into a very bad antenna, but you never know.

Steve KD2OM

.
 

On Jul 3, 2022, at 20:58, Stuart Ogawa <stuartogawa@...> wrote:

5:55PM PST / 00:55 gmt

begin fst4w 40m tx beacon


--
Rob Robinett
AI6VN
mobile: +1 650 218 8896



--
Rob Robinett
AI6VN
mobile: +1 650 218 8896


Jim Lill
 

wsprnet filters out TX call = Reporter Call

On 7/3/22 23:31, Rob Robinett wrote:

you are not even hearing yourself ;=(

On Sun, Jul 3, 2022 at 6:56 PM KD2OM <steve@...> wrote:
I am beaconing MF using FST4W-900. 10dBm into a very bad antenna, but you never know.

Steve KD2OM

.
 

On Jul 3, 2022, at 20:58, Stuart Ogawa <stuartogawa@...> wrote:

5:55PM PST / 00:55 gmt

begin fst4w 40m tx beacon


--
Rob Robinett
AI6VN
mobile: +1 650 218 8896


Glenn Elmore
 

I had 12 unique and 356 total mode 5 spots in 12 hours last night and yet for many of the transmissions my system didn't spot report a spot even though signals were very strong and the path line-of-sight with no ionosphere involved. Thanks to all of you who are scheduled to copy and are spotting 20m FST4W.  I intend to move to mode 15 in a day or less to see what happens:

UTC   (y-m-d) TX txGrid RX rxGrid MHz W SNR drift km Az° mode km/W spotQ version
2022-07-04 11:55:00 N6GN DN70ll ON5KQ JO10os 14.097007 5 -32 0 7714 40 5 1543 171 WD_3.0.3.1
2022-07-04 03:25:00 N6GN DN70ll EA8BFK IL38bo 14.097017 5 -22 0 8085 67 5 1617 629 WD_3.0.3.1
2022-07-04 03:20:00 N6GN DN70ll WW6D CM88pk 14.097005 5 -13 0 1531 267 5 306 195 2.5.4
2022-07-04 03:10:00 N6GN DN70ll EA8/DF4UE IL38bp 14.097005 5 -20 0 8082 67 5 1616 718 WD_3.0.3.1
2022-07-04 02:00:00 N6GN DN70ll WA2ZKD FN13ed 14.097003 5 -28 0 2281 73 5 456 101 WD_3.0.3.1
2022-07-04 01:55:00 N6GN DN70ll W3ENR FM28jh 14.097005 5 -17 0 2563 86 5 513 271 WD_3.0.3.1
2022-07-04 01:55:00 N6GN DN70ll AI6VN/KH6 BL10rx 14.097007 5 -2 0 5291 262 5 1058 999 WD_3.0.3.1
2022-07-04 01:45:00 N6GN DN70ll KPH CM88mc 14.097003 5 -7 0 1561 266 5 312 251 WD_3.0.3.1
2022-07-04 01:45:00 N6GN DN70ll KA7OEI-1 DN31uo 14.097 5 -11 0 621 284 5 124 86 WD_3.0.3.1
2022-07-04 01:35:00 N6GN DN70ll WA2TP FN30lu 14.097004 5 -16 0 2684 79 5 537 298 WD_3.0.3.1
2022-07-04 01:35:00 N6GN DN70ll N6GN/K DN70jo 14.097005 5 15 0 20 315 5 4 6 WD_3.0.3.1
2022-07-04 01:35:00 N6GN DN70ll KFS CM87tj 14.097005 5 -12 0 1535 263 5 307 205 WD_3.0.3.1

I think there is a mystery here WRT wsprd decoding though.  Both the transmitter, n6gn, and the remote at 20 km distance are GPS referenced and have extremely good accuracy and stability, probably milli-Hz or better. The noise floor at the remote does change but SNR is always very high and WSPR2 has no problems.

I'm wondering now how many spots we are all missing and why.





On 7/3/22 21:47, Glenn Elmore wrote:

Funny thing is, I don't hear myself (listening on the remote at 13 miles distant) much of the time.  On top of that with this strong signal, often +29 on WSPR2, I often report 10-20 dB lower than this on FST4W. 

It seems like the decoder isn't working well for strong signals or else I have something set up wrong here that I haven't yet recognized.

Glenn n6gn



On 7/3/22 21:31, Rob Robinett wrote:
you are not even hearing yourself ;=(

On Sun, Jul 3, 2022 at 6:56 PM KD2OM <steve@...> wrote:
I am beaconing MF using FST4W-900. 10dBm into a very bad antenna, but you never know.

Steve KD2OM

.
 

On Jul 3, 2022, at 20:58, Stuart Ogawa <stuartogawa@...> wrote:

5:55PM PST / 00:55 gmt

begin fst4w 40m tx beacon


--
Rob Robinett
AI6VN
mobile: +1 650 218 8896


KD2OM
 

I receive myself at +28 but since wsprnet filters own calls is doesn't get reported. If I use /2 then it will show up but with the FST4W it would use 2 transmissions to send the whole call. The transmitter is an RFZero which puts out +13. I have added a 3 dB pad to the output, so +10dB to the hardline. Probably +3 actually at the 9:1 transformer and antenna. WA2ZKD has heard it at -41. He is about 13 miles away. 

Now to try to make the antenna 1/4 wave and try to match it the 75 ohm hardline. Going forward, a small amplifier at the feedpoint with power sent down the coax might make it a bit better.


Steve KD2OM

On 7/4/22 03:47, Glenn Elmore wrote:

Funny thing is, I don't hear myself (listening on the remote at 13 miles distant) much of the time.  On top of that with this strong signal, often +29 on WSPR2, I often report 10-20 dB lower than this on FST4W. 

It seems like the decoder isn't working well for strong signals or else I have something set up wrong here that I haven't yet recognized.

Glenn n6gn



On 7/3/22 21:31, Rob Robinett wrote:
you are not even hearing yourself ;=(

On Sun, Jul 3, 2022 at 6:56 PM KD2OM <steve@...> wrote:
I am beaconing MF using FST4W-900. 10dBm into a very bad antenna, but you never know.

Steve KD2OM

.
 

On Jul 3, 2022, at 20:58, Stuart Ogawa <stuartogawa@...> wrote:

5:55PM PST / 00:55 gmt

begin fst4w 40m tx beacon


--
Rob Robinett
AI6VN
mobile: +1 650 218 8896


Stuart Ogawa
 

15:20gmt begin 20m beacon


On Mon, Jul 4, 2022 at 6:48 AM KD2OM <steve@...> wrote:

I receive myself at +28 but since wsprnet filters own calls is doesn't get reported. If I use /2 then it will show up but with the FST4W it would use 2 transmissions to send the whole call. The transmitter is an RFZero which puts out +13. I have added a 3 dB pad to the output, so +10dB to the hardline. Probably +3 actually at the 9:1 transformer and antenna. WA2ZKD has heard it at -41. He is about 13 miles away. 

Now to try to make the antenna 1/4 wave and try to match it the 75 ohm hardline. Going forward, a small amplifier at the feedpoint with power sent down the coax might make it a bit better.


Steve KD2OM

On 7/4/22 03:47, Glenn Elmore wrote:

Funny thing is, I don't hear myself (listening on the remote at 13 miles distant) much of the time.  On top of that with this strong signal, often +29 on WSPR2, I often report 10-20 dB lower than this on FST4W. 

It seems like the decoder isn't working well for strong signals or else I have something set up wrong here that I haven't yet recognized.

Glenn n6gn



On 7/3/22 21:31, Rob Robinett wrote:
you are not even hearing yourself ;=(

On Sun, Jul 3, 2022 at 6:56 PM KD2OM <steve@...> wrote:
I am beaconing MF using FST4W-900. 10dBm into a very bad antenna, but you never know.

Steve KD2OM

.
 

On Jul 3, 2022, at 20:58, Stuart Ogawa <stuartogawa@...> wrote:

5:55PM PST / 00:55 gmt

begin fst4w 40m tx beacon


--
Rob Robinett
AI6VN
mobile: +1 650 218 8896


KD2OM
 

Hearing Glen now on 20 at -26. Not hearing WB6YRW/6 yet but I see others have. It is reporting mode 2 on wsprnet.


Steve KD2OM

On 7/4/22 15:27, Stuart Ogawa wrote:

15:20gmt begin 20m beacon

On Mon, Jul 4, 2022 at 6:48 AM KD2OM <steve@...> wrote:

I receive myself at +28 but since wsprnet filters own calls is doesn't get reported. If I use /2 then it will show up but with the FST4W it would use 2 transmissions to send the whole call. The transmitter is an RFZero which puts out +13. I have added a 3 dB pad to the output, so +10dB to the hardline. Probably +3 actually at the 9:1 transformer and antenna. WA2ZKD has heard it at -41. He is about 13 miles away. 

Now to try to make the antenna 1/4 wave and try to match it the 75 ohm hardline. Going forward, a small amplifier at the feedpoint with power sent down the coax might make it a bit better.


Steve KD2OM

On 7/4/22 03:47, Glenn Elmore wrote:

Funny thing is, I don't hear myself (listening on the remote at 13 miles distant) much of the time.  On top of that with this strong signal, often +29 on WSPR2, I often report 10-20 dB lower than this on FST4W. 

It seems like the decoder isn't working well for strong signals or else I have something set up wrong here that I haven't yet recognized.

Glenn n6gn



On 7/3/22 21:31, Rob Robinett wrote:
you are not even hearing yourself ;=(

On Sun, Jul 3, 2022 at 6:56 PM KD2OM <steve@...> wrote:
I am beaconing MF using FST4W-900. 10dBm into a very bad antenna, but you never know.

Steve KD2OM

.
 

On Jul 3, 2022, at 20:58, Stuart Ogawa <stuartogawa@...> wrote:

5:55PM PST / 00:55 gmt

begin fst4w 40m tx beacon


--
Rob Robinett
AI6VN
mobile: +1 650 218 8896


Glenn Elmore
 

I'll transmit 100% mode 5 FST4W  for a few hours today so that we can perhaps get an idea of spots missed by others, assuming propagation isn't marginal. 

I'm thinking of trying simultaneous WSPR/FST4W transmissions by inserting two audio tones - if I can do it with low enough IMD to be 'legal'.    If that can be made to work so that we can directly and simultaneously compare modes I'll drop back to 25 or 50% transmit duty cycle.    At 100% there won't be any question about interleave of modes from two instances of WSJT-X. 

If all that can be made to work OK ...



On 7/4/22 09:44, KD2OM wrote:

Hearing Glen now on 20 at -26. Not hearing WB6YRW/6 yet but I see others have. It is reporting mode 2 on wsprnet.


Steve KD2OM

On 7/4/22 15:27, Stuart Ogawa wrote:
15:20gmt begin 20m beacon

On Mon, Jul 4, 2022 at 6:48 AM KD2OM <steve@...> wrote:

I receive myself at +28 but since wsprnet filters own calls is doesn't get reported. If I use /2 then it will show up but with the FST4W it would use 2 transmissions to send the whole call. The transmitter is an RFZero which puts out +13. I have added a 3 dB pad to the output, so +10dB to the hardline. Probably +3 actually at the 9:1 transformer and antenna. WA2ZKD has heard it at -41. He is about 13 miles away. 

Now to try to make the antenna 1/4 wave and try to match it the 75 ohm hardline. Going forward, a small amplifier at the feedpoint with power sent down the coax might make it a bit better.


Steve KD2OM

On 7/4/22 03:47, Glenn Elmore wrote:

Funny thing is, I don't hear myself (listening on the remote at 13 miles distant) much of the time.  On top of that with this strong signal, often +29 on WSPR2, I often report 10-20 dB lower than this on FST4W. 

It seems like the decoder isn't working well for strong signals or else I have something set up wrong here that I haven't yet recognized.

Glenn n6gn



On 7/3/22 21:31, Rob Robinett wrote:
you are not even hearing yourself ;=(

On Sun, Jul 3, 2022 at 6:56 PM KD2OM <steve@...> wrote:
I am beaconing MF using FST4W-900. 10dBm into a very bad antenna, but you never know.

Steve KD2OM

.
 

On Jul 3, 2022, at 20:58, Stuart Ogawa <stuartogawa@...> wrote:

5:55PM PST / 00:55 gmt

begin fst4w 40m tx beacon


--
Rob Robinett
AI6VN
mobile: +1 650 218 8896


Stuart Ogawa
 

@ Steve,

wb6yrw/6 = fst4w

wb6yrw = wspr

transmitting on both modes, concurrently, so that listeners can compare and contrast via wspr rocks

-stu
wb6yrw

On Mon, Jul 4, 2022 at 9:15 AM Glenn Elmore <n6gn@...> wrote:

I'll transmit 100% mode 5 FST4W  for a few hours today so that we can perhaps get an idea of spots missed by others, assuming propagation isn't marginal. 

I'm thinking of trying simultaneous WSPR/FST4W transmissions by inserting two audio tones - if I can do it with low enough IMD to be 'legal'.    If that can be made to work so that we can directly and simultaneously compare modes I'll drop back to 25 or 50% transmit duty cycle.    At 100% there won't be any question about interleave of modes from two instances of WSJT-X. 

If all that can be made to work OK ...



On 7/4/22 09:44, KD2OM wrote:

Hearing Glen now on 20 at -26. Not hearing WB6YRW/6 yet but I see others have. It is reporting mode 2 on wsprnet.


Steve KD2OM

On 7/4/22 15:27, Stuart Ogawa wrote:
15:20gmt begin 20m beacon

On Mon, Jul 4, 2022 at 6:48 AM KD2OM <steve@...> wrote:

I receive myself at +28 but since wsprnet filters own calls is doesn't get reported. If I use /2 then it will show up but with the FST4W it would use 2 transmissions to send the whole call. The transmitter is an RFZero which puts out +13. I have added a 3 dB pad to the output, so +10dB to the hardline. Probably +3 actually at the 9:1 transformer and antenna. WA2ZKD has heard it at -41. He is about 13 miles away. 

Now to try to make the antenna 1/4 wave and try to match it the 75 ohm hardline. Going forward, a small amplifier at the feedpoint with power sent down the coax might make it a bit better.


Steve KD2OM

On 7/4/22 03:47, Glenn Elmore wrote:

Funny thing is, I don't hear myself (listening on the remote at 13 miles distant) much of the time.  On top of that with this strong signal, often +29 on WSPR2, I often report 10-20 dB lower than this on FST4W. 

It seems like the decoder isn't working well for strong signals or else I have something set up wrong here that I haven't yet recognized.

Glenn n6gn



On 7/3/22 21:31, Rob Robinett wrote:
you are not even hearing yourself ;=(

On Sun, Jul 3, 2022 at 6:56 PM KD2OM <steve@...> wrote:
I am beaconing MF using FST4W-900. 10dBm into a very bad antenna, but you never know.

Steve KD2OM

.
 

On Jul 3, 2022, at 20:58, Stuart Ogawa <stuartogawa@...> wrote:

5:55PM PST / 00:55 gmt

begin fst4w 40m tx beacon


--
Rob Robinett
AI6VN
mobile: +1 650 218 8896