The FT-8 CQ hook

John - AI4FR

While doing FT8 I've noticed what I termed as the "CQ Hook". Think of it like fishing in which you drop a line and a hook into the water. While watching the waterfall on SSDR one can easily see who is calling CQ and who is in a QSO with others. I use this little trick at times for a number of things. Say I am trying to answer a station calling cq, I can see right away on their next transmission if they heard me or are still calling CQ. From there I will make the appropriate adjustments, changing frequency, more power, etc.

The below picture is a screen capture of 30m this morning. It's quiet with not a lot of stations on the band but please take note of the arrows I have placed pointing at the CQ hooks. One can easily see that 2 stations are calling CQ while the other stations are in a QSO with others. While the previous time slot(further down the waterfall) shows one person calling CQ.




Enjoy,
John / AI4FR

Mark_WS7M

Duane_AC5AA

Pat N6PAT

Also lets you know of needed calls, prefixes, states, zones and DX

Rick N0VT

If you check the "CQ Only" box above the WSJT-X band indicator it will filter the incoming signals and only show stations calling CQ.

John - AI4FR