From fcee51cea84cc85bfccfa8eee9db84e0c965756a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Joe Taylor Date: Sat, 23 Dec 2023 13:55:36 -0500 Subject: [PATCH] Update Section 1.7 of WSJT-X User Guide for v2.7.0. --- doc/user_guide/en/new_features.adoc | 102 +++++++++++++--------------- 1 file changed, 47 insertions(+), 55 deletions(-) diff --git a/doc/user_guide/en/new_features.adoc b/doc/user_guide/en/new_features.adoc index 234d636f0..dc11a72ba 100644 --- a/doc/user_guide/en/new_features.adoc +++ b/doc/user_guide/en/new_features.adoc @@ -1,68 +1,60 @@ [[NEW_FEATURES]] === New in Version {VERSION_MAJOR}.{VERSION_MINOR} -- _WSJT-X 2.6_ implements new features supporting the ARRL -International Digital Contest and its distance based scoring. The -*Call 1st* checkbox has been replaced by a drop-down control offering -*CQ Max Dist* as an alternative. A new window labeled *Active -Stations* displays a list of received but unworked callsigns, sorted -in decreasing order of potential contest points. With option *CQ Max -Dist* selected, the program will select the reply to your CQ that -yields the most contest points. You can click on a line in the Active -Stations window to call that station. +_WSJT-X 2.7_ introduces a new program called *QMAP*, a new Special +Operating Activity *Q65 Pileup*, an option to *Update Hamlib* at the +click of a button, and a number of other enhancements and bug fixes. -- Decoding performance for FT8 and Q65 has been improved in a variety -of situations with available _a priori_ (AP) information. +- QMAP and Q65 Pileup mode are of particular interest to those engaged + in Earth-Moon-Earth (EME) communication, but other applications may + be found for them as well. QMAP is currently available for Windows + only; it is derived from MAP65, an older program used since 2007 for + EME. QMAP provides single-polarization receive-only capabilities for + any one of the 60-second submodes of Q65. It allows you to monitor + all traffic in a 90 kHz sub-band while conducting EME QSOs in the + usual way with _WSJT-X_. Q65 Pileup mode helps DX operators using + Q65 in pileup circumstances with many simultaneous callers and very + weak signals, such as those experienced by 6-meter EME DXpeditions. + Further details on QMAP and Q65 Pileup mode are available in a + Quick-Start guide posted here: + https://wsjt.sourceforge.io/Quick_Start_WSJT-X_2.7_QMAP.pdf -- *Echo* mode now offers a *Clear Avg* button and produces reliable -measurements of SNR even when Doppler spread is large. Its *Monitor* -function can be used to measure SNR for a received unmodulated carrier -such as a key-down test signal emitted by another station and -reflected from the Moon, and also to measure Sun, Moon, and ground -noise as aids for optimizing an EME station's performance. +- A button *Update Hamlib* now appears on the *Settings -> Radio* tab. + On Windows it allows the user to automatically download and install + the latest version of the rig-control features in Hamlib. The + previously used version is backed up, so you can easily revert the + procedure if necessary. Names and dates of the active and backup + versions are clearly displayed. -- New buttons on the main window allow quick changes between modes -FT4, FT8, MSK144, Q65, and JT65, and toggling FT8 Hound mode ON/OFF. +- Spotting to *PSK Reporter* has been made more efficient. Redundant + spots are omitted, and all posts are spread more widely in time. If + your station locator is changed, for example during portable + operations, your new locator will be sent automatically to PSK + Reporter. -- New convenience features allow Fox operators to react more quickly -to particular QSO situations. A two-column table in Tab 2 provides an -overview of the queue and of callsigns with QSOs in progress. Fox -operator can change the ordering of callsigns in the queue, allowing -reaction to changes in propagation. Fox now responds automatically -for another two cycles to stations whose report has not been received, -increasing the success rate for difficult QSOs. +- *Fox* mode now provides more convenient handling of the two callsign + queues, and Fox's Log window displays statistical data on recent QSO + rate. Multi-streamed messages transmitted by _MSHV_ are now handled + properly when _WSJT-X_ is in *Hound* mode. -- The Working frequency table now offers save/restore capability and -better handling of more than one frequency per mode-band -combination. You can set preferred frequencies, and WSJT-X will select -these when you change band or mode. You can label a tabled frequency -with a description, for example a DXpedition callsign, and set Start -and End date and time so the frequencies automatically appear and -disappear from the displayed options. You can load a publicly -available frequency table from a file, to easily make such DXpedition -data available to the program. +- The cty.dat file can now be updated by clicking a button on the + *Settings -> Colors* tab. -- Optional color highlighting is provided for specified DX Call and DX -Grid, and for messages containing RR73 or 73. +- The FT Roundup message protocol now allows the exchange of static + 4-digit numbers in place of serial numbers. This extends the + usability of the FT RU protocol for other contest types. -- New options are provided for writing to file ALL.TXT. You can -request automatic starting of a new file every month or every year, -and you can disable writing altogether. +- Features for main-window switching between modes have been enhanced + so that submode and status of the *Sh* and *Fast* checkboxes are + saved and restored by mode. Right-click events were made more + intuitive and consistent. Right-clicking the Q65 button enables Q65 + Pileup mode, and a left-click brings you back to the normal Q65 + mode. Right-click on the JT65 button switches to JT9 mode. -- Settings for T/R period and Submode are remembered by mode when you -switch directly between modes: for example, MSK144-15, Q65-60A, or -FST4-120. +- Message averaging is now allowed only when *VHF features* are + enabled. Main window text box labels are changed to read "`Single + Period Decodes`" and "`Average Decodes`" when averaging is enabled. -- Tx and Rx audio frequencies are remembered and restored when you -return from a mode that sets a default frequency 1500 Hz (MSK144, -FST4W, Echo, WSPR, FreqCal), then switching back to FT4, FT8, Q65, -FST4, or JT65. +Further details on minor changes can be found in the Release Notes, +accessible from the _WSJT-X_ *Help* menu. -- Rig control is provided for some new radios, and bug fixes for -controlling others. - -- New features in _MAP65_ (available for Windows only) include an aid -for measuring antenna pointing errors and an ability to read the file -wsjtx.log (kept by _WSJT-X_) to recognize EME contest dupes. In -addition, _MAP65_ now sends additional information to file azel.dat -and offers optional digital scaling of input I/Q data.