JS8Call – Why? What’s New? and Download Link
Why the Name Change to JS8Call?
The primary reason for the name change is because the designers of FT8 (Franke and Taylor) asked Jordan, KN4CRD to change it.
The mode is JS8 and that sounds better to me than FT8Call.
See my FT8Call article: New Mode FT8Call Hitting the Ham Bands
So, What's New in 0.8?
- 0.8 should be much better for decodes where time has drifted between stations. But, because of this and some message format changes, 0.8 is backwards incompatible with 0.7.
- A few directed commands are a little more verbose so they are easier to remember and easier to read. No more "?" vs "@" vs "&" vs "^" vs "*". Those still work for now, but the preferred method is the long-form "SNR?" "QTH?" "QTC?" "GRID?" "STATUS?"
- BEACONs are gone. They are called HEARTBEAT now.
- The idle watchdog timer now only applies to HEARTBEAT transmissions, so it should help to encourage folks to heartbeat while they are near the station control point and can make a QSO.
- There's a new Group Callsign feature. It allows you to direct a message to a pre-arranged group name.
JS8Call and JS8
JS8 is a easy mode and very exciting for many Hams. I've noticed a huge uptick in searches for JS8 and JS8Call, so I am going to experiment more with it.
I plan to take advantage of these modes while mobile and portable when conditions are poor.
It may not be everyone's bag of tea, but it's here and being used!
JUST OUT 11/4/2018
Comments
What are your thoughts on JS8?
Thank you for subscribing to this website. I appreciate the comments, questions and suggestions. Please follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube if you have those.
Stay in touch and 73,
Rich, K0PIR
Sources:
JS8Call Download Links (Join the Group) Mac, Windows, RaspberryPi and Linux.
New Mode FT8Call Hitting the Ham Bands (K0PIR)
Unless someone comes up with a structure for competition JS8 will set on the sidelines as FT8 continues to attract significant activity. FT8 already had a competitive structure – the Contest. Unless JS8 can offer a form of competition that is more efficient than FT8 it will remain on the sidelines.
Let us hope that JS8 can foster some competition structure that will contribute to the market for Ham Radio products.
Hi Dick,
Nice to hear from you and well put!
I have not downloaded the beta of WSJT-X yet, but I’m looking forward to it.
Best 73,
Rich, K0PIR
Hi Rich,
Tim Kraus/KC4ZGP here.
I downloaded a windows version 0.7.3 from the group thing. It says it expires in fourteen days unless I upgrade. Where’s the upgrade button?
I see waterfalls but decode nothing.
Thanks.
Kraus
Hi Tim,
Nice to hear from you and yes the expiring is common until the finial versions are out. Jordan will have an update on that same page you downloaded it from.
I’m on 7.078 right now and decoding signals. Sometimes there won’t be anything or anyone on. Is your time synced on your computer?
Rich, K0PIR
Hello Rich. Thank you for the fast reply.
Time synced on the computer? Do you mean the software and computer time match? The software has it’s own clock? OK. I’ll look for the sync thing when I get home.
Oh boy! I’m having fun…I think.
Say hey to the family.
Kraus
I have a Windows PC and use NetTime. It syncs my PC time so the TX/RX in the software is spot on.
Rich, K0PIR.us
Eureka, I went to 7.078 and call signs began to show.
Learning things like it sends in blocks. Send button says 1/4, 3/5. I stopping it manually after it unkeyed.
Decoding still an issue.
I’ll be on 7.078 this evening. Maybe we’ll decode together.
73
Kraus
FB Tim!
JS8 is not for contesting, but more for chatting IMO. It has great potential, but I hope it evolves to something more streamlined for two way chat, than today’s version.
Hi and thank you for commenting. I can see your point and two way chat is nice. It takes a little time to understand how it works in a QSO, but the more time I spend with it the better I understand it.
The auto is a little confusing at times. I found myself having a QSO with a station on auto mode, HI HI!
Maybe there is some potential for emergency communications with JS8.
Thank you again and 73,
Rich, K0PIR
It is my opinion that JS8 will bury FT8. FT8 with chat…what is there not to like? Contests, schmontests. That is just a more automated version of FT8, if that were possible.
Hi,
Nice to hear from you!
WSJT-X is further along and offers much more. JS8Call just does JS8.
I’m anxious to use FT8 in a contest, just for kicks.
73,
Rich, K0PIR
I found chatting to be cumbersome. One good sentence would cause 5 uploads, I think 15 second segments. I might be missing the main point of JS8 but PSK still looks pretty good to me.
Brad
N6GR
Hi Brad,
I have found the same. There seems to be a lot of stations using AUTO and BEACON, only a few to have a QSO with.
I’m still working at it because there seems to be a lot of interest right now.
I agree I could have had easier PSK31 QSOs. Is there a PSK contest coming up, I hope so. 🙂
73,
Rich, K0PIR
P.S. I am having a QSO with WD9DUI right now and it is going very nicely!
7.078??
I think I just figured out something. I was looking at waterfalls a tad above Olivia at 7.072. I should tune higher eh.
I’ll let you know.
Thanks.
Kraus
Now I understand the clock synchronizing thing.
NIST via internet and my windows 10 automatic setting feature did the trick.
Olivia what? PSK-31 what? Huh
Have fun folks and be patient.
Kraus
I just installed WSJT-X on my HP Stream and at first it didn’t decode. After installing the timesync app, no problem!
73!
Rich, K0PIR.us
been trying to download the new js8 program into my new lenovo e495 laptop and can’t seem to get it to download.
Hi Clyde,
Head over to the JS8Call support on Facebook or Groups.io. See if others are having a problem.
I am on the “Road to QuartzFest”.
73,
Rich, K0PIR
Rich, Any new download links for JS8Call? Everything I’m seeing here is from 2018?
Hi Michael,
Good to hear from you and 2.2 is the latest I have seen. The download area is here
Thanks for sending your question here and I hope to hear you on the air.
GL & 73,
Rich, K0PIR