From e785d56a16501c692a344f3e81f085534480a59f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Joe Taylor Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2018 13:25:12 -0400 Subject: [PATCH] Draft White Paper on WSJT-X v2.0. --- lib/77bit/wsjt-x_v2.0.txt | 197 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 197 insertions(+) create mode 100644 lib/77bit/wsjt-x_v2.0.txt diff --git a/lib/77bit/wsjt-x_v2.0.txt b/lib/77bit/wsjt-x_v2.0.txt new file mode 100644 index 000000000..a98f6a87e --- /dev/null +++ b/lib/77bit/wsjt-x_v2.0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,197 @@ + Plans for WSJT-X Version 2.0 + ---------------------------- + +This white paper describes a number of important enhancements planned +for WSJT-X Version 2.0. Most of them involve the FT8 and MSK144 +protocols, which will be upgraded to use use 77-bit information +payloads rather than the present 72 or 75 bits. This modest increase +in information content will make possible new message types that +support the following special types of QSOs and exchanged information: + +1. NA VHF Contest operation with full support of grid exchanges and + "/R" (Rover) callsigns + +2. EU VHF Contest operation with the exchange of 6-digit grids, QSO + serial numbers, and "/P" (portable) callsigns + +3. ARRL Field Day operation with standard Field Day exchanges + +4. ARRL RTTY Roundup operation with standard contest exchanges + +5. Better and more user-friendly support for compound and nonstandard + callsigns + +6. A special "telemetry" message format for exchange of arbitrary + information up to 71 bits + +Decoding sensitivity for the new messages will be atleast as good as +for the FT8 and MSK144 modes presently in WSJT-X v1.9.1. The existing +FT8 DXpedition mode will be supported, and a more powerful DXpedition +mode may be offered as well. + +In this document we'll call the new FT8 protocol "FT8+". It will be a +superset of the FT8 implemented in v1.9.1, providing at least +temporary compatibility and inter-operability with older program +versions. We may decide to remove the support for backward +compatibility in FT8 after a specified switchover interval. + +In contrast, the new MSK144 protocol will replace the old one without +backward compatibility. We believe the smaller and more specialized +group of MSK144 users will upgrade quickly and not find this +restriction to be a problem. + + +To minimize any confusion that may arise during a switchover from +v1.9.1 to v2.0, we tentatively propose the following schedule: + +September 15, 2018: +------------------- + +A beta-test version v2.0.0-rc1 will be made available for download. +FT8+ will support the old (v1.9.1) protocol as well as the new message +types described below. Frequencies formerly used for JT9 on the HF +and VHF bands will be recommended for testing the new features in +FT8+. MSK144 will be fully functional between any two stations using +v2.0.0-rc1, but will not be backward compatible with earlier program +versions. The original MSK144 protocol will be declared obsolete. + +Program version v2.0.0-rc1 (and any subsequent versions 2.0.0-rc#) +will probably include an automatic "timeout date" or other mechanism +to force upgrading when newer versions become available. + +November 1, 2018: +----------------- +Official GA release of WSJT-X v2.0.0. + + +Dates of relevant upcoming ARRL contests +----------------------------------------- +VHF QSO Party: September 8-10, 2018 +RTTY Roundup: January 5-6, 2019 +VHF SS: January 19-21, 2019 + +Note that our proposed schedule makes v2.0 available for relevant ARRL +contests in 2019. However, the ARRL September 2018 VHF QSO Party will +need to use v1.9.1. + + +Here are some examples of messages that will be supported by FT8+ and +MSK144 in WSJT-X v2.0. The list is not exhaustive. Parameters i3 and +n3 are used in the software to define major and minor message types. + +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +i3.n3 Example Messages Comments +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + 0.0 TNX BOB 73 GL Free text + 0.1 K1ABC RR73; W9XYZ -08 DXpedition Mode (Fox only) + 0.2 G4ABC/P R 570007 JO22DB EU VHF Contest + 0.2 PA9XYZ 590003 IO91NP EU VHF Contest + 0.3 K1ABC W9XYZ 6A WI ARRL Field Day + 0.3 W9XYZ K1ABC R 2B EMA ARRL Field Day + 0.5 123456789ABCD Telemetry (18 hex digits) + 1. W9XYZ Compound call + 1. W9XYZ 73 + 1. CQ FD K1ABC FN42 + 1. CQ K1ABC FN42 + 1. CQ TEST K1ABC FN42 NA VHF Contest ("TEST" is optional) + 1. CQ TEST K1ABC/R FN42 + 1. K1ABC W9XYZ EN37 + 1. K1ABC W9XYZ -09 + 1. K1ABC W9XYZ R-17 + 1. K1ABC W9XYZ RRR + 1. K1ABC W9XYZ 73 + 1. K1ABC W9XYZ RR73 + 1. K1ABC/R W9XYZ EN37 + 1. K1ABC W9XYZ/R RR73 + 1. W9XYZ -13 Nonstandard call + 1. W9XYZ R+02 + 1. W9XYZ RRR + 1. W9XYZ RR73 + 2. CQ G4ABC/P IO91 + 2. G4ABC/P PA9XYZ JO22 + 2. PA9XYZ G4ABC/P RR73 + 3. K1ABC KA0DEF 559 MO ARRL RTTY Roundup + 3. K1ABC W9XYZ 579 WI ARRL RTTY Roundup + 3. KA1ABC G3AAA 529 0013 ARRL RTTY Roundup + 3. TU; G3AAA K1ABC R 559 MA ARRL RTTY Roundup + 3. TU; KA0DEF K1ABC R 569 MA ARRL RTTY Roundup + 3. W9XYZ K1ABC R 589 MA ARRL RTTY Roundup + 4. CQ KH1/KH7Z Compound call + 4. CQ YW18FIFA Nonstandard call +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + + +Here are some examples of minimal QSO sequences that take advantage +(where necessary) of the new protocol capabilities: + +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +1. Standard QSO +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +CQ K1ABC FN42 + K1ABC W9XYZ EN37 +W9XYZ K1ABC -11 + K1ABC W9XYZ R-09 +W9XYZ K1ABC RRR + K1ABC W9XYZ 73 + +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +2. Short-cycle QSO +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +CQ K1ABC FN42 + K1ABC W9XYZ -09 +W9XYZ K1ABC R-11 + K1ABC W9XYZ RR73 +W9XYZ K1ABC 73 + +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +3. FT8 DXpedition Mode +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +CQ KH1/KH7Z + KH7Z K1ABC FN42 +K1ABC KH7Z -12 + KH7Z K1ABC R-14 + KH7Z W9XYZ EN37 +K1ABC RR73; W9XYZ -08 + +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +4. ARRL Field Day +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +CQ FD K1ABC FN42 + K1ABC W9XYZ 6A WI +W9XYZ K1ABC R 2B EMA + K1ABC W9XYZ RR73 + +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +5. ARRL VHF Contests +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +CQ TEST K1ABC/R FN42 + K1ABC/R W9XYZ EN37 +W9XYZ K1ABC/R R FN42 + K1ABC/R W9XYZ RR73 + +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +6. ARRL RTTY Contest +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +CQ TEST K1ABC FN42 + K1ABC W9XYZ 579 WI +W9XYZ K1ABC R 589 MA + K1ABC W9XYZ RR73 + +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +7. EU VHF Contest +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +CQ TEST G4ABC/P IO91 + G4ABC/P PA9XYZ JO22 +PA9XYZ 590003 IO91NP + G4ABC/P R 570007 JO22DB +PA9XYZ G4ABC/P RR73 + +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +8. Compound calls +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +CQ PJ4/K1ABC + W9XYZ +W9XYZ K1ABC -11 + K1ABC W9XYZ R-09 +W9XYZ RRR + W9XYZ 73