From 1be194efdd1fa8aa3c56ae355cb79e3b4087a2a7 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Bill Somerville Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2015 00:00:51 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] Update docs git-svn-id: svn+ssh://svn.code.sf.net/p/wsjt/wsjt/branches/wsjtx@6118 ab8295b8-cf94-4d9e-aec4-7959e3be5d79 --- NEWS | 33 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ README | 74 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++---------------- 2 files changed, 87 insertions(+), 20 deletions(-) diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS index 4c4048fa1..d1b187ebb 100644 --- a/NEWS +++ b/NEWS @@ -13,6 +13,39 @@ Copyright 2001 - 2015 by Joe Taylor, K1JT. +WSJT-X v1.6.0 Release Notice +============================ + +New Features +------------ + +WSPR mode, including coordinated automatic band-hopping and a new +two-pass decoder that can decode overlapping signals. + +EME-motivated features including JT4 (submodes A-G), Echo mode, and +automatic Doppler tracking. The JT4 decoder is more sensitive than +that in the latest WSJT, and message averaging is fully automated. +(Note that submodes JT65B and JT65C are also present in Version 1.6, +but the high-sensitivity decoder required for EME with JT65 is not yet +included.) + +Tools for accurate frequency calibration of your radio, so you can be +always on-frequency to within about 1 Hz. + +Mode-specific standard working frequencies accessible from the +drop-down band selector. + + +Maintenance +----------- + +A number of corrections to the Hamlib library, fixing balky +rig-control features. A few unreliable features peculiar to +particular radios have been removed. + + + + WSJT-X v1.5.0 Release Notice ============================ diff --git a/README b/README index 0ecbae483..a55e56d30 100644 --- a/README +++ b/README @@ -13,27 +13,61 @@ Copyright (C) 2001 - 2015 by Joe Taylor, K1JT. -WSJT-X implements JT9, a new mode designed especially for the LF, MF, -and HF bands, as well as the popular mode JT65. Both modes were -designed for making reliable, confirmed QSOs under extreme weak-signal -conditions. They use nearly identical message structure and source -encoding. JT65 was designed for EME (“moonbounce”) on the VHF/UHF -bands and has also proved very effective for worldwide QRP -communication at HF; in contrast, JT9 is optimized for HF and lower -frequencies. JT9 is about 2 dB more sensitive than JT65A while using -less than 10% of the bandwidth. World-wide QSOs are possible with -power levels of a few watts and compromise antennas. A 2 kHz slice of -spectrum is essentially full when occupied by ten JT65 signals. As -many as 100 JT9 signals can fit into the same space, without overlap. +WSJT-X is a computer program designed to facilitate basic amateur +radio communication using very weak signals. The first four letters in +the program name stand for “Weak Signal communication by K1JT,” while +the suffix “-X” indicates that WSJT-X started as an extended (and +experimental) branch of the program WSJT. + +WSJT-X Version 1.6 offers five protocols or “modes”: JT4, JT9, JT65 +WSPR, and Echo. The first three are designed for making reliable QSOs +under extreme weak-signal conditions. They use nearly identical +message structure and source encoding. JT65 was designed for EME +(“moonbounce”) on the VHF/UHF bands and has also proven very effective +for worldwide QRP communication on the HF bands. JT9 is optimized for +the LF, MF, and lower HF bands. It is 2 dB more sensitive than JT65 +while using less than 10% of the bandwidth. JT4 offers a wide variety +of tone spacings and has proved very effective for EME on microwave +bands up to 24 GHz. All three of these modes use one-minute timed +sequences of alternating transmission and reception, so a minimal QSO +takes four to six minutes — two or three transmissions by each +station, one sending in odd UTC minutes and the other even. On the HF +bands, world-wide QSOs are possible using power levels of a few watts +and compromise antennas. On VHF bands and higher, QSOs are possible +(by EME and other propagation types) at signal levels 10 to 15 dB +below those required for CW. + +WSPR (pronounced “whisper”) stands for Weak Signal Propagation +Reporter. The WSPR protocol was designed for probing potential +propagation paths using low-power transmissions. WSPR messages +normally carry the transmitting station’s callsign, grid locator, and +transmitter power in dBm, and they can be decoded at signal-to-noise +ratios as low as -28 dB in a 2500 Hz bandwidth. WSPR users with +internet access can automatically upload their reception reports to a +central database called {wsprnet} that provides a mapping facility, +archival storage, and many other features. + +Echo mode allows you to detect and measure your own lunar echoes, even +if they are far below the audible threshold. + +WSJT-X provides spectral displays for passbands up to 5 kHz, flexible +rig control for nearly all modern radios used by amateurs, and a wide +variety of special aids such as automatic Doppler tracking for EME +QSOs and Echo testing. The program runs equally well on Windows, +Macintosh, and Linux systems, and installation packages are available +for all three platforms. + +WSJT-X is an open-source project released under the GPL license (See +COPYING). If you have programming or documentation skills or would +like to contribute to the project in other ways, please make your +interests known to the development team. The project’s source-code +repository can be found at https://sourceforge.net/projects/wsjt, and +most communication among the developers takes place on the email +reflector https://sourceforge.net/p/wsjt/mailman. User-level +questions and answers, and general communication among users is found +on the https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/wsjtgroup/info email +reflector. -WSJT-X offers a “bi-lingual” operating mode in which you can transmit -and receive JT65 and JT9 signals, switching between modes -automatically as needed. Displayed bandwidth can be as large as 5 -kHz. If your receiver has as upper-sideband filter at least 4 kHz -wide, you can have all the typical JT65 and JT9 activity on screen at -once, available for making QSOs with a click of the mouse. Even with -standard SSB-width IF filters, switching between JT65 and JT9 modes is -quick and convenient. Be sure to read the online WSJT-X User's Guide. Project web site: