FT8 DXpedition Mode

User Guide
Joe Taylor, K1JT — March 28, 2018

WSJT-X Version 1.9 introduces special operating features that enable DXpeditions to
make FT8 QSOs at very high rates. The following instructions explain how to use these
new features. The instructions are intended for users already familiar with program
WSJT-X and the FT8 protocol. If necessary, refer also to the WSJT-X User Guide,
accessible from the WSJT-X Help menu.
Please note: DXpedition Mode is not yet ready for “production” use. Until WSJT-X
v1.9.0 is fully released, this mode should be used only in controlled test situations.
Please remember to send us your test results.
Basic Operation and Frequency Conventions

In FT8 DXpedition mode, QSOs between the DXpedition (“Fox”) and calling stations
(“Hounds”) can be completed with as little as one Fox transmission per QSO. Moreover,
authorized Foxes can transmit up to five signals simultaneously, thereby allowing QSO
rates up to about 500 per hour in ideal conditions.
Please note these restrictions and prerequisites:
• FT8 DXpedition mode is suitable for use only by legitimate DXpedition stations
and those attempting to work them. Do not try to use DXpedition mode for
normal FT8 operation. Do not use it in the conventional FT8 subbands. And
especially, do not use the multi-signal capability unless you are a DXpedition.
• Everyone, including Fox and all Hounds trying to work Fox, must use WSJT-X
v1.9.0 or later.
• Everyone must set their USB dial frequency to a publicly announced frequency
for each band. Subject to future revision, we are temporarily suggesting the
following dial frequencies for testing DXpedition mode: 3.567, 7.066, 10.1405,
14.105, 18.095, 21.067, 24.911, 28.067 MHz. Actual signal frequencies may be
higher by up to 4 kHz.
• Everyone should use CAT control with Split Operation, either Rig or Fake It on
the WSJT-X Settings | Radio tab:

Fox transmits at audio frequencies between 300 and 900 Hz. When transmitting
multiple simultaneous signals, the signals are spaced at 60 Hz intervals.

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Hounds make initial calls anywhere in the range 1000 – 4000 Hz. The Fox operator will
not respond to Hounds initially calling below 1000 Hz. Hounds acknowledge having
been called and send their “R+rpt” messages at randomly selected frequencies between
300 and 900 Hz. These frequency conventions are enforced and orchestrated semi-
automatically by WSJT-X.
When Fox is running a pileup the standard messages look something like the following,
where Fox is signing KH1/KH7Z:
Fox Hounds________________________________

1. CQ KH1/KH7Z
2. KH7Z K1ABC FN42, KH7Z W9XYZ EN37, ...
3. K1ABC KH7Z -13
4. KH7Z K1ABC R-11
5. K1ABC RR73; W9XYZ <KH1/KH7Z> -17
6. KH7Z W9XYZ R-16
7. W9XYZ RR73; G4AAA <KH1/KH7Z> -09
8. ...

Note that Hounds use Fox’s base call, not his full compound callsign. Hounds that must
use a compound callsign should call Fox by omitting the locator and sending DE
followed by the compound call: for example DE W2/G4XYZ or DE K1ABC/7.
Detailed Instructions for Hounds
1. Start WSJT-X in FT8 mode and select the desired band and pre-arranged dial
frequency. If this frequency is not already present in the Working Frequencies
table on the Settings | Frequencies tab, you should add it there. Right click on
the Working Frequencies table, choose Insert, then select Mode = FT8 and
enter the frequency in MHz. You can do this for any number of bands and
frequencies.

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2. Select Hound under FT8 DXpedition mode on the Settings | Advanced tab.

3. Select Tab 1 on the main window for transmitted messages, and set Tx nnnn Hz
to a Tx frequency between 1000 and 4000 Hz. You can also select a Tx
frequency by using Shift+Click on the waterfall display.

4. On the Settings | General tab, check Double-click on call sets Tx enable.

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5. Enter Fox’s callsign as DX Call. If Fox is using a compound callsign, be sure to
enter all of it. The grid locator is optional but provides the advantage of
displaying the short-path azimuth and distance from your location.

6. Configure Wide Graph (the waterfall window) suitably for your system. It should
look something like the screen shot below. Signals from Fox are expected at
audio frequencies between 300 and 900 Hz, so be sure that the low-frequency
end of your displayed spectrum goes down to 200 Hz or lower. You may want to
set the high frequency end of the waterfall to 4000 Hz, to make it easy to set your
Tx frequency with Shift+Click on the waterfall. Doing so also makes it easy to
see the frequencies of other Hound signals as you monitor the band.

7. Toggle the Monitor button on the main window to green, to start receiving.
8. Note that in Hound mode, WSJT-X is normally configured to ignore signals above
1000 Hz. If you wish to decode signals over the full range of the waterfall, to keep
closer track of the pileup, check the box Rx All Freqs.
9. Please do not call Fox if you are not receiving his transmissions. Do not
call Fox if he issues a directed CQ (“CQ EU”, “CQ 7”, …) and your continent or
numerical call area does not match the requested one. Calling out of turn only
creates QRM, and will certainly not get you a QSO.
10. Remember that FT8 is a weak-signal mode. Contacts can be made reliably with
signals well below the audible threshold. The Fox operator may explicitly decide
to answer only calls with signal strength below some limit, for example S/N = –10
dB. In many cases you will not need and should not use an amplifier. It’s more
important to find a calling frequency free of QRM.
11. After you have copied Fox calling CQ or working someone else, double-click on
his decoded message to call him. You may keep calling until he answers,
perhaps changing your Tx frequency in the hope of finding a frequency clear of
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 interference. Use Shift+Click on the waterfall to change your Tx frequency —
the red “goal posts” marker on the waterfall scale. You will need to re-activate
Enable Tx (or hit Enter on the keyboard) at least once every two minutes. (This
restriction is to ensure that an operator is present and paying attention.)
12. After you receive a signal report from Fox, WSJT-X will automatically send your
next transmission as message Tx 3 (“R+rpt”) at a randomly chosen frequency
between 300 and 900 Hz. Note that WSJT-X will send this message even if
Enable Tx is disabled, and even if you have not called Fox for several Tx
sequences. If you have stopped calling Fox because you will be leaving the rig
unattended, you should quit WSJT-X or disable Hound mode in order to avoid
the possibility of unwanted transmissions.
13. When Fox receives your “R+rpt” message he responds with “RR73”. At this point
he considers your QSO complete and logs it. When you receive “RR73” you
should log it, too !
14. If for some reason a Hound fails to copy an RR73 sent by Fox, that Hound will
repeat his transmission of Tx 3 (“R+rpt”). Fox will respond to such “R+rpt”
messages by sending “RR73” up to three times.
Detailed Instructions for Fox
1. Start WSJT-X in FT8 mode and select the desired band and pre-arranged dial
frequency. If this frequency is not already present in the Working Frequencies
table on the Settings | Frequencies tab, you should add it. Right click on the
Working Frequencies table, choose Insert, select Mode = FT8, and enter the
frequency in MHz.
2. Select Fox on the Settings | Advanced tab. This choice will enforce that Tx
even/1st and Auto Seq (on the main window, see next page) are checked.

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3. Configure the Wide Graph (waterfall window) as shown for Hounds on page 4.
Hounds make their initial calls at audio frequencies 1000 – 4000 Hz; after being
called they acknowledge and send their report at a frequency between 300 and
900 Hz. Be sure to configure the Wide Graph so that your waterfall extends at
least from 200 to 4000 Hz.

4. Select Tab 3 for Tx messages. Set Tx 300 Hz, and check Hold Tx Freq.

5. To evade QRM you can choose another Tx frequency in the range 300 – 600 Hz.
Alternatively, you can uncheck Hold Tx Freq and WSJT-X will randomly choose
a starting frequency in this range for each transmission.
6. In Fox mode the left text panel on the main window is labeled “Stations calling
DXpedition …”. When Hounds are calling Fox, this window will be filled with a
sorted list of callsigns and associated information, as shown below. By using the
drop-down list at the top right of Tab 3 you can choose to sort the list by Call,
Grid, S/N, Distance, or Random order. The Age parameter tells how many Rx
sequences ago each Hound was most recently decoded. Hound callsigns are
dropped from the list if their Age exceeds 4 sequences. If your most recent CQ
was directed to a particular continent, only calls from that continent will be
displayed.

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7. N List on Tab 3 sets the maximum number of sorted callsigns that will be
displayed in the left text panel.
8. You can limit displayed callsigns to those no stronger than Max dB. As Fox you
can use this feature to work weaker stations, thereby discouraging Hounds from
engaging in a high-power “arms race”. Remember that FT8 is designed as a
weak-signal mode. It provides reliable decoding at signal-to-noise ratios down to
about –20 dB.
9. N Slots sets the maximum number of Fox signals transmitted simultaneously.
Fox can conduct as many as N Slots QSOs in parallel. (To prevent possible
misuse, multiple signals are currently permitted only for specific Fox callsigns.)
10. The CQ drop-down list offers a selection of CQ messages directed to a particular
continent or numerical call area. If you have selected one of these options, non-
matching calls from Hounds will be ignored. You should probably call CQ for
several sequences after changing this selection, to make sure everybody gets
the message.

11. Click on Fox Log on the View menu to display an optional window showing
QSOs logged in the current WSJT-X session. This window also displays the
number of decodable Hounds found to be calling, the number of QSOs in
progress, the number logged in the current session, and the hourly QSO rate.

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 12. To send logged QSOs directly to N1MM Logger+, go to Settings | Reporting,
check Enable logged contact ADIF broadcast, and enter the IP address and
port number used by N1MM.

You must also configure N1MM to accept logging data from WSJT-X. Go to
Config | Configure Ports, … | Broadcast Data … and check the box near the
bottom that enables WSJT and JTAlert connections
13. The Fox operator’s main task is to select Hounds to be called and worked. The
rectangular text box on Tab 3 holds the QSO queue: a list of Hound calls to be
worked and the signal reports they will be sent. Hit Enter to select the top
callsign from the sorted list and enter it in the QSO queue. Alternatively, you
may double-click on any call in the list to move it to the QSO queue.
14. Double-click on a callsign in the QSO queue to delete it from this queue.
15. The Reset button clears all queues, thereby ensuring that Fox will call CQ at the
next opportunity.
16. The right text window (labeled “Rx Frequency”) displays decodes of signals
below 1000 Hz (by default these are highlighted in red) and Fox’s own
transmissions (highlighted in yellow). The red messages will be those containing
“R+rpt”, signifying that a Hound is awaiting the concluding “RR73” from Fox.
17. To start a run, activate the Enable Tx button. If a Hound call is available in the
QSO queue, that station will be called in Fox’s next transmission. If the QSO
queue is empty, Fox will call CQ. If N Slots is greater than 1 and Hounds are
available in the queue, Fox will call more than one Hound.
18. After receiving “R+rpt” from a Hound previously called, Fox will send “RR73” to
that Hound and log the QSO.
19. You can transmit short messages to instruct the pileup by using one of the Tx
message boxes (say Tx 6) on Tab 1. Examples might be “NOW 15 M” or
“QSY 21.067”.

Important Note for Fox Operators: When using N slots > 1, your transmitted signal
will not have a constant envelope. To avoid producing unwanted sidebands you must
ensure good linearity throughout your Tx system. One way to get things about right is
to use the WSJT-X Tune button to generate an unmodulated carrier. Configure your
transmitter and PA as required for the desired peak output power, say P0. Then pull the
Pwr slider (bottom right of the WSJT-X main window) down until your output power

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decreases by about 10%. Use this audio level setting for all your Fox transmissions. If
you are using N slots signals, your average transmitted power will be P0/(N slots) and
the power in each signal will be P0/(N slots)2. Thus, for N slots = 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 the
average power per signal will be down from P0 by about 0, 6, 9.5, 12, and 14 dB,
respectively.

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why should FT8 DXpedition Mode be used only by DXpedition stations and
those trying to work them?
a. In FT8 DXpedition mode, Tx frequencies of Fox and Hound stations are
sometimes controlled by the program rather than by the operator. This
behavior is undesirable for general use, and would be extremely anti-social if
used in the conventional FT8 subbands.
b. Stations other than legitimate DXpeditions should not “hog the spectrum” by
generating multiple simultaneous signals.
2. Can FT8 DXpedition Mode be used for Field Day, QSO parties, and other
contests? No. This new mode is explicitly designed for the many-to-one situation
of a pileup trying to work a rare DX station, exchanging reports. It is not suitable for
events where everybody works everybody, exchanging other specified information.
3. Can the new program version be used for normal FT8 operation? Yes, and also
for operation in all the other modes supported by WSJT-X v1.8.0.
4. The Tx filter in my rig cuts off at 2700 Hz. How can I make use of the full
frequency range 1000 – 4000 Hz allocated for Hounds? You should be using
Split Operation, so that your Tx audio always stays in the range 1500 to 2000 Hz. See
Section 4.2 in the WSJT-X User Guide.
5. I can’t use CAT control; can I still work the Fox? With some extra effort and
inonvenience, yes. Select your initial Tx frequency somewhere in the range 1000 –
4000 Hz where you know you can transmit. When Fox sends you a signal report,
immediately change your audio Tx frequency to something below in the range 300 –
900 Hz, and send your Tx3 message there.
6. My big antennas and legal limit amplifier make me loud, and I'm used to
working DX before everyone else. Why can't I make a contact with Fox? The
DXpedition operator may have the Max dB filter set, and you're being ignored
because your signal is too strong. FT8 is a weak-signal mode. Try reducing your
power output.
7. How does the new message format work? Standard JT-style structured
messages include two callsigns and a locator or report. Normally the two callsigns

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 are those of the addressed and transmitting stations. The new message format
used by Fox (e.g., lines 5 and 7 near the top of page 2) is flagged by setting one of
the three extra bits in the 75-bit FT8 payload. Upon reception, the two callsigns are
then interpreted as those of two different Hounds: one whose QSO is acknowledged
as complete, and one now invited to send a report. The 16-bit field normally used
for a locator or report is instead used for a 10-bit hash of Fox’s callsign and a signal
report.
8. Are you trying to kill CW as a mode? No. CW is a highly flexible general-purpose
mode with good weak signal performance and good spectral efficiency. FT8 has
even better weak signal performance and spectral efficiency, but it is a special-
purpose mode designed specifically to optimize reliable, minimal QSO exchanges.

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