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⇱ FT8 Frequencies


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FT8 “Franke-Taylor design, 8-FSK modulation” is an Amateur Radio Digital Mode that belongs to the family of weak-signals communication protocols, developed and promoted by K1JT Joe Taylor.

The FT8 protocol is implemented in several application programs including the popular weak signals software WSJT-X , JTDX and the Chat FT8-based software JS8Call that implement a different modulation and can be found in different ft8 frequencies

FT8 should be used in the following amateur radio frequencies:

BandFrequency MHzNotes
160m1.840
160m1.842JS8Call
80m3.573
60m5.357
40m7.056Region 1
40m7.071
40m7.074
40m7.078JS8Call
30m10.130JS8Call
30m10.132Region 1
30m10.133
30m10.136
20m14.071
20m14.074
20m14.078JS8Call
20m14.090Region 1
17m18.100
17m18.104JS8Call
15m21.074
15m21.078JS8Call
15m21.091
12m24.915
10m28.074
10m28.078JS8Call
6m50.310
6m50.313
6m50.328JS8Call
6m50.323Intercontinental DX
4m70.100
2m144.174
1.25m222.065
70cm432.065

Sources:

If you want to contribute to this article, make corrections or just need to discuss about FT8 Frequencies, just leave a comment here below.

FT8 Software

Igor Chernikov
JTDX is an open-source software application for amateur radio weak-signal digital communication. It supports digital modes including FT8 and JT9. The software operates on _Windows_, _Linux_, and _macOS_ platforms. JTDX is designed for improved decoding of weak signals, a function also performed by WSJT-X and MSHV. The software facilitates weak signal decoding and transmission. It integrates with logging systems for QSO management and can automate tasks such as call management and remote RTX control. JTDX is utilized in contexts such as DXing and contests. DXZone Focus: FT8 | JT9 | Weak Signal | Multi-platform
K1JT
WSJT-X implements communication protocols including FST4, FST4W, FT4, FT8, JT4, JT9, JT65, Q65, MSK144, WSPR, and Echo. These modes facilitate reliable, confirmed QSOs under extreme weak-signal conditions. JT4, JT9, and JT65 utilize a nearly identical message structure and source encoding, employing timed **60-second** transmit/receive sequences synchronized with UTC. JT4 and JT65 are designed for EME on VHF/UHF/microwave bands, while JT9 is optimized for MF and HF, offering **2 dB** greater sensitivity than JT65 with less than 10% of its bandwidth. Q65 provides submodes with varying T/R sequence lengths and tone spacings, suitable for EME, ionospheric scatter, and weak signal operations on VHF, UHF, and microwave. FT4 and FT8 operate with T/R cycles of 7.5 and 15 seconds, respectively, supporting enhanced message formats for nonstandard callsigns and contest operations. MSK144 is engineered for Meteor Scatter on VHF bands. FST4 and FST4W target LF and MF bands, achieving fundamental sensitivities near theoretical limits for information throughput; FST4 is for two-way QSOs, and FST4W for quasi-beacon WSPR-style transmissions, without requiring the strict time synchronization of protocols like _EbNaut_. WSPR mode enables propagation path probing via low-power transmissions, incorporating programmable band-hopping. The **WSJT-X 2.7** General Availability release introduces the QMAP program, Q65 Pileup, SuperFox mode, a Hamlib update option, and a Message System. SuperFox mode transmits simultaneously to up to 9 Hounds with a constant envelope waveform, providing approximately +10 dB system gain compared to older Fox-and-Hound operations. _WSJT-X 2.7_ for _Windows_ platforms includes _MAP65 3.0_, a wideband polarization-matching tool for EME. The **WSJT-X 3.0.0-rc1** candidate release represents a major revision with new features, some ported from _WSJT-X Improved_. This software is available for _Windows 7_ and later (32-bit/64-bit), various Linux distributions (Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, RedHat, Raspberry Pi OS), and macOS (10.13 through 15). DXZone Focus: Weak Signal | Digital Modes | WSJT-X | Windows
JS8Call
Js8Call is communication software designed for keyboard-to-keyboard message passing. Based on the WSJT-X application and implementing the FT8 protocol techniques, it's a separate project run on Linux, Windows and MacOS

With WSJT-X 2.2.0 rc2 has been introduced also 7.071, 10.133, 14.071, and 50.310 MHz.

3 COMMENTS

  1. Starting January 1st 2023, the 70MHz Band is open to HB9-Amateurs in Switzerland. Unfortunately, the frequency range is as follows: 70.0000-70.0375, 70.1125-70.5000. Meaning the FT8-frequency is not legal in Switzerland.
    Can we eventually change this to 70.1740? (proposal)
    Who could define it?
    How could we inform the community / the software developers?

  2. Problem solved:
    FT8 on 70.154
    MSK144 on 70.174
    SSB on 70.200
    see you on 4m…

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