JT65 and Flex 6XXXX

Ian1

Morning

I'm mostly a digital user of my Flex 6700 lately I have been using JT65 and have a few questions for someone more familiar with it's setup and operation.

I tried using 2 versions of JT65

1st Program JT65-HF HB9HQX so far this has worked well but will not work with Flex 6xxxx setup had to use a Kenwood TS-2000 under HamLib settings is this normal?

2nd Program JT65 WSJT-X While I have tried every connection it appears the only connection was the Kenwood TS-2000. Next while the program will accept DAX1 etc and DAX Transmit and works correct by seeing signals and transmits it will not decode and signals. I'm using the latest 1.60 version.

Next issue is with JT Alert located here http://hamapps.com/
This group of programs appear to be a great aid but will not run properly. I see on occasion some Callsigns appear in various colors but within a split second they vanish.

Thus Far I have made 20 plus contacts in JT65it's been a nice Mode to operate.

Ian
KM4CQG

James Kennedy-WU5E

I use WSJT-X 1.6  with JTAlert-X with my FLEX 6500 works perfect. I have the JTAlert tied to my ACLOG 5.5 for automatic logging. Like you I have to use a Kenwood TS-950SDX to make it work. My setup has never crashed. I don't work JT65 due to over crowding , I have switch to JT9, the DAX and the CAT all work flawlessly

I only used JTAlert for path way to automatic logging rather than cutting and pasting.

One key component is time , make sure the computer is running good time. Anything outside of 5 sec off it will make it hard to decode.

make sure you have good CAT to the radio so you get a Green gumball.

if you need screenshot's I can do them later in the day. 

Cal N3CAL

Hi Ian,  I can answer your WSJT-X questions.  The most common issue folks have with no decodes has to do with your computer time not being synced.  If your computer's clock happens to be off from the stations your trying to receive you will more than likely not decode them.  I run a program called Dimension 4 which keeps my computer time synced up with the US Naval Observatory. 

My Flex 6500 setup for WSJT-X uses the Kenwood-2000 as the rig.  I also run JTAlert!   To take full advantage of JTAlert you have to setup with a logging program.  I'm using HRD Logbook. 

Here's a couple screen shots of my WSJT-X setup: 


Cal/N3CAL

Mike - N8MSA

Questions about WSJT decoding issues would best be posted to the support forum:

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/wsjtgroup/info 

Similarly, questions about JT Alert should be posted to the developer's support forum:

https://au.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/HamApps/info

The developers are actively engaged in supporting their respective applications.

Hope this helps...

73 de Mike - N8MSA

Cal N3CAL

With a Flex 6000 series rig you can also run JT65 and JT9 at the same time.   Just have your Flex in the DIGU mode and select a 5.0k RX bandwidth.  In the WSJT-X  Settings  select JT-9 + JT65. 
Here is a screen shot of what the WSJT-X wide graph looks like with both JT-65 and JT-9:



Cal/N3CAL

Andrew O'Brien

JT65-HF is essentially an abandoned project rescued by HB9HQX , not quite as up to date in terms of decoding algorithms when compared to WSJT-X . It will be better for you to concentrate on getting WSJT-X to work with your 6700.   I'm not sure why it is not decoding but i assume you have double checked your clock accuracy ?   have you installed the most recent JT-Alert , released within the last couple of weeks ?
Andy K3UK

George KF2T

Hamlib support for the 6000 series is not yet complete. That entry in rig control is more a place holder. TS2000 emulation is the way to go.

Ian1

Thanks gentleman my settings for the TS-2000 are the same as Cals however I noticed my directory doesn't show SliceA in the name.

My clock must have been the problem I was using another program since the install Dimension 4  all is running superbly.

WSJT X seems to be superior JT65 HBQHQX.

Thanks Again for all the help
Ian

Larry Loen WO7R

I struggled with the various WSJT programs.

Some thoughts:

1.  If you get the time "synched" to the nearest second that will solve a lot of the problems.  Far and away the best way to do this is to install this program:  https://www.meinbergglobal.com/english/sw/ntp.htm  you can then forget about this problem pretty much.

2.  Once step 1 is done, you then have to make sure you have DAX enabled.  This is harder than it looks.   
a.  There is a DAX button on the DAX console that has to be set
b.  You have to select which data stream to use.
c.  You have to "connect" that stream to the slice you are going to use.  I have stream one connected to slice A.  That works best with the various WSJT programs.
d.  You must ALSO set a DAX button on the SSB option display in the main SSB menu on SmartSDR.
e.  Once you get this right, check it periodically.  I have found that SmartSDR has a nasty way of resetting or forgetting some of these things from time to time.  This is also true when you change anything whatever.
f.  For transmit, when you finally get that to work, you may find it necessary to turn off compression or at least make sure it is at a minimal value.
g.  You may find it handy, too, to reduce or minimize the ACG and set the value to "none" in the "speaker" tab in the slice you use.  This can be important, because if the signals are too strong, they may distort and not decode.  On the WSJT-X display, at the far left, there's a value that shows current and average signal strength.  Keep it around 50 dB by adjusting the "speaker" tab values.

3.  Make sure the program (I recommend starting with WSJT-X, it's easier and widely used for HF) points at the proper "sound card" values for the slice you are using for transmit and receive.  Make sure that the red TX button for that slice is actually the one "lit up" when you try and run the program in transmit.

4.  By the way, make sure your rig puts out no more than about 30 watts.  When you finally do get the transmitter to work, you'll find it is **** the Flex and any amplifier you have the Flex hooked up to (which you should not need by the way).

Get all of step 2 right and you should start to see decoding on WSJT-X.  If you don't get that right, you may HEAR signals in the JT65 passband but you will not SEE a proper decode on the WSJ-X waterfall display.  If so, the problem is almost certainly something DAX related.

You can have some or any of these problems with any RTTY program, but there does seem to be more sensitivity to these things with WSJT.

AH0U

I use HB9HQX with my 6700 and it works great via HRD.I don't understand the need or purpose of JTAlert as the color coding in the HB9 program seems to do everything JTAlert does so I don't use it

Cal N3CAL

Ian, 

 You can actually run multiple instances of WSJT-X (one on each slice of your radio).  K6OZY has a wonderful Youtube video on how to set them up with your Flex 6000 series radio.   I've actually had 4 slices going and 4 WSJT-x and  4 JT Alert programs running all at the same time.  That's why you see my directory name as SliceA....

Here's the link to the video:  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV0kDWdFswc

Here's a screen shot: 



73 de Cal/N3CAL

EA4GLI

Today I tried WSJT 1.5, WSJT 1.6 and HB9HQX and all of them work.
(WO7R) Larry's steps are what I would have suggested so +1 on his post above.

Ian1

AHOU JT Alert program allows you to watch for and missing DX or QSO on any band in any mode.

It's a bit like a spotter plugged right into your Decoding program.

Very impressive.

Larry

Thanks for the tips.

Cal

How many instances have you ran I have tried 2 in the past a few times. I now mostly just use it to watch the band open up or monitor for stations.

Ian

G4NRT

FWIW and to add my two-pennorth, I use JT65 /JT9 all the time.  It is my most used mode.

My setup is 6500 with Maestro to handle the radio side of things (I have a mic profile called "Digital" and a TX profile called "JT65").  I have both a Mazzoni Baby Loop and a home-brew OCFD the latter tuned via a PalStar AT2KD ATU.

I use the (unreleased) 1.7.0 developer version of WSJT-X and compile a new version every few days.  I use JTAlertX to interface with the WSJT-X application and also DX Logger which I use as my main logging programme.  I actually like the colours and voice prompts from JTAlertX

DX Logger also updates my QRZ log and I also keep my LoTW and eQSL accounts up-to-date.  
Another benefit of my configuration, is that I also have an Icom IC-7300 and I can use exactly the same setup only with DX Lab's Commander (part of the same suite) to control the CAT and PTT.

I sometimes run multiple instances of WSJT-X but also use multiple profiles on them to drive either the 6500 or the 7300.

I think that I must have had over 500 JT65/JT9 QSOs by now. I am aiming for a JT65/JT9-only DXCC and I am about two thirds of the way there.  

David G4NRT

Ian1

David

Your spot on target with JT65 helper. I have thousands of PSK contacts new to JT65 with the multiple slices and WSJT-X combined with JTHelper much more then ever is posssible.

I even made a 5 watt QRP Australian  VK2DX/QRP amazing mode this JT65.

Ian

Ian1

Cal

I must be missing somethiing here can't seem to create multiple instances can you walk me thru it?

Ian

1. How should I configure WSJT-X to run multiple instances?

   Start WSJT-X from a command-prompt window, passing each instance a unique identifier as in the following two-instance example. This procedure will isolate the Settings file and the writable file location for each instance of WSJT-X.

   wsjtx --rig-name=TS2000  wsjtx --rig-name=FT847

DH2ID

https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/tutorial-setting-up-wsjt-x-with-smartsdr

Cal N3CAL

Ian,  

K6OZY's Youtube Video provides all the settings on how to create multiple instances. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV0kDWdFswc

Cal/N3CAL