Further updates of the v1.7 release notes.

git-svn-id: svn+ssh://svn.code.sf.net/p/wsjt/wsjt/branches/wsjtx@7231 ab8295b8-cf94-4d9e-aec4-7959e3be5d79

v1.7_Features.txt

@@ -13,38 +13,40 @@ Short list of new features
 8.  Multiple configurations can be saved and restored.
 9.  Sample-file download facility.
 10. Optional auto-sequencing for "fast" modes.
+11. Power settings optionally remembered for Transmit and Tune on a
+    band-by-band basis.
 
 New Modes
 ---------
 
 1. MSK144 is intended for meteor scatter at 50 MHz and higher.  It
-uses a low-density parity check code (LDPC) designed by K9AN.  The
-mode is a direct descendant of the now-defunct mode JTMSK, with a
-number of improvements for better performance on weak and short meteor
-pings.  The effective character transmission rate is about 250 cps,
-compared with 147 cps for FSK441.  Like JT4, JT9, JT65, and QRA64,
-MSK144 uses strong forward error correction.  Message decoding is
-essentially "all or nothing": partial decodes do not occur, and you
-will see little or no garbage on your screen.
+uses a low-density parity check code (LDPC) designed by Steve Franke,
+K9AN.  The mode is a direct descendant of the now-defunct mode JTMSK,
+with a number of improvements for better performance on weak and short
+meteor pings.  The effective character transmission rate is about 250
+cps, compared with 147 cps for FSK441.  Like JT4, JT9, JT65, and
+QRA64, MSK144 uses strong forward error correction.  Message decoding
+is all or nothing: partial decodes do not occur, and you will see
+little or no garbage on your screen.
 
-Standard MSK144 message frames are 72 ms long, compared to about 120
-ms for FSK441.  The MSK144 waveform allows coherent demodulation,
-allowing up to 3 dB better sensitivity.  After QSO partners have
-exchanged callsigns, MSK144 can use even shorter messages, only 20 ms
-long.  As in all the fast modes in WSJT-X, the 20 ms or 72 ms messages
-are repeated without gaps for the duration of a transmission cycle.
-For most purposes we recommend a T/R cycle duration of 15 s, but 5 s
-and 10 s sequences are also supported.
+Standard MSK144 message frames are 72 ms long, compared with about 120
+ms for an equivalent FSK441 message.  The MSK144 waveform allows
+coherent demodulation, allowing up to 3 dB better sensitivity.  After
+QSO partners have exchanged callsigns, MSK144 can use even shorter
+messages, only 20 ms long.  As in all the fast modes in WSJT-X, the 72
+ms (or 20 ms) messages are repeated without gaps for the duration of a
+transmission cycle.  For most purposes we recommend a T/R cycle
+duration of 15 s, but 5 s and 10 s sequences are also supported.
 
 Short ("Sh") messages in MSK144 are intended primarily for 144 MHz and
-higher, where many pings are short.  These messages do not contain
-full callsigns; instead, they contain a hash of the two callsigns
-along with a report, acknowledgement, or 73.  Short messages are fully
-decodable only by the station to whom they are addressed, as part of
-an ongoing QSO, because only then will the received hash match that
-calculated using the known strings for "My Call" and "DX Call".  If
-you are monitoring someone else's QSO, you will not be able to decode
-its Sh messages.
+higher frequencies, where most pings are very short.  These messages
+do not contain full callsigns; instead, they contain a hash of the two
+callsigns along with a report, acknowledgement, or 73.  Short messages
+are fully decodable only by the station to whom they are addressed, as
+part of an ongoing QSO, because only then will the received hash match
+that calculated using the known strings for "My Call" and "DX Call".
+If you are monitoring someone else's QSO, you will not be able to
+decode its Sh messages.
 
 An MSK144 signal occupies the full bandwidth of a typical SSB
 transmitter, so transmissions are always centered at an offset of
@@ -55,13 +57,13 @@ and your QSO partner is 200 Hz, and less is better.
 
 2. QRA64 is a intended for EME and other weak-signal use.  Its
 internal code was designed by Nico Palermo, IV3NWV, and implemented in
-WSJT-X by K1JT.  The protocol uses a "Q-ary Repeat Accumulate" code,
-another one of the latest research areas in communication theory.  The
-QRA64 code is inherently better than the Reed Solomon (63,12) code
-used in JT65, yielding already a 1.3 dB advantage.  QRA64 uses a new
-synchronizing scheme based on a 7 x 7 Costas array, so you will not
-see a bright sync tone at the lowest tone frequency.  This change
-yields another 1.9 dB advantage.
+WSJT-X by K1JT.  The protocol uses a "Q-ary Repeat Accumulate" code --
+along with LDPC, another one of the latest research areas in
+communication theory.  The QRA64 code is inherently better than the
+Reed Solomon (63,12) code used in JT65, yielding already a 1.3 dB
+advantage.  QRA64 uses a new synchronizing scheme based on a 7 x 7
+Costas array, so you will not see a bright sync tone at the lowest
+tone frequency.  This change yields another 1.9 dB advantage.
 
 In most respects our implementation of QRA64 is operationally similar
 to JT65.  QRA64 does not use two-tone shorthand messages, and it makes
@@ -95,12 +97,9 @@ identify.
 Final Comments
 --------------
 
-Remember that you are using an Alpha Release.  We will be grateful for
-any and all reports from test users that may help us to further
-improve WSJT-X.  The most helpful reports describe the problem clearly
-and include a complete recipe to reproduce it.  Send your reports to
-wsjtgroup@yahoogroups.com.
-
-Please be patient concerning responses from the development group.
-Several of us will be on vacation or otherwise engaged during much of
-August.
+Remember that you are using a pre-release version of WAJT-X.  We will
+be grateful for any and all reports from test users; these will surely
+help us to make further improvements to WSJT-X.  The most helpful bug
+reports describe the problem clearly and include a complete recipe to
+reproduce it.  Feature requests are also welcome.  Send your reports
+to wsjtgroup@yahoogroups.com.