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FT8 setup with Flex 6300

Al Reeves
Al Reeves Member ✭✭
edited July 2022 in Third-Party Software
I have my Flex 6300 setup with the latest version of Ham Radio Deluxe (HRD) to operate and log digital modes (PSK, RTTY etc.).  The setup works flawlessly.  I now want to try out the new FT8 mode.  Does anyone have detailed setup instructions specific to the 6300 and HRD?  I know there are some youtube videos online but they are confusing and not specific to the 6300.  I'm sure someone out there is running FT8 with the same setup I have.

Answers

  • AH0U
    AH0U Member
    edited June 2019
    The first thing to realize is that HRD does not work on FT 8... you need WSJT and vest to add JTAlert which works great on FT8.
    73 es Gud luck.. it's a fun midd
  • Ria
    Ria Member ✭✭✭
    edited November 2019
    Hit submit too soon, oops. 
  • Bill -VA3WTB
    Bill -VA3WTB Member ✭✭✭
    edited August 2017
    And It is not a Flex 6300 specific idem, It is just SSDR related. So for any Flex 6000 radio.
  • Ria
    Ria Member ✭✭✭
    edited November 2019
    JTAlert can also log direct to HRD. This is how I had it setup. I don't use HRD anymore, but this config is what I use. Adjust accordingly for your logbook name.image
  • Ryan - NC4RA
    Ryan - NC4RA Member ✭✭
    edited August 2017
    Ria what's the basic steps for setting up Meinberg? Thank you
  • Ria
    Ria Member ✭✭✭
    edited August 2017
    Just download the installer and run it.
    https://www.meinbergglobal.com/english/sw/ntp.htm

  • Ryan - NC4RA
    Ryan - NC4RA Member ✭✭
    edited August 2017
    Sweet!
  • Andrew O'Brien
    Andrew O'Brien Member ✭✭✭
    edited November 2019
    I'm a little biased on this topic but I really urge Flex users to dump HRD and move on to more modern logging software .  Using HRD is like using a VHS tape in the era of Blu-Ray .  It will work, but you will miss many advantages of modern software.   For interfacing with digital modes, Commander (part of DX Lab Suite) is a lot easier to configure and has many Flex sections of their help files. The companion log software DX Keeper interfaces well with JT Alerts. WSJTX specifically includes Flex control features that easily allow Flex 'slices" to be configured for separate instances of WSJTX. Winwarbler (also part of DX Lab Suite) is easily configured with a Flex to allow working PSK31 , PSK63, and RTTY with seamless logging to DX Keeper. 

    Take the plunge.. save your HRD logs as and ADIF and import easily in to DX Keeper (its FREE) . Spend 15 minutes with Winwarbler setting up new PSK/RTTY macros then dump DM780. 5 Minutes to set up WSJTX (if that long) and you are all set for 90% of commonly used digital modes.  If you are interested in the more obscure modes like Olivia, Thor, ****, SSTV, Contestia, MT63, and multi-carrier PSK, grab FL-Digi .

    Andy K3UK
  • Ria
    Ria Member ✭✭✭
    edited April 2018
    I should mention that Steve, N5AC has already done a guide but mine is a bit updated since you can use TCP ports now.
    https://helpdesk.flexradio.com/hc/en-us/articles/202037343-Configuring-WSJT-X-and-SmartSDR-for-Windo...



  • Justin W4JTD
    Justin W4JTD Member ✭✭
    edited October 2017
    Thanks for the great tutorial Ria!!!!! Your advice is always much appreciated.

    Justin
    KL2D
  • Ria
    Ria Member ✭✭✭
    edited October 2017
    I went to Log4OM. DXKeeper is fully featured but has a steep learning curve plus it looks like Windows 95. But it's very powerful. It's very popular among DXers.

    Log4OM has a decent feature set and works well with WSJT-X. Just need to make sure to start the communicator. 
  • VE7ATJ_Don
    VE7ATJ_Don Member ✭✭✭
    edited November 2019
    Thanks Ria for the well documented config guide for FT-8.  I got mine up and running within about 5 mins.  (Now to read through the WSJT docs to figure out what everything means :-))

    I was wondering though, how to handle the AGC-T control.  The WSJT docs and various other notes say to turn off the AGC and use the RF Gain control, but we don't have either of those.
    I tried it just with my AGC-T set the usual way and everything seemed to work OK, but is there something specific we should do for the digital modes?

    Thanks again for the great config docs (including pictures!).

  • Ria
    Ria Member ✭✭✭
    edited October 2017
    You can turn it off, but I just leave it as-is, medium and about halfway. I may vary it for band conditions but I found it makes little difference. The radio has enough dynamic range to make this not an issue, tbh. You'll also find that you can also drop TNFs on really strong offending signals. But with WSJT-X and this radio there is little need, you can run it wide open and it's just fine 99% of the time.
  • Fred-NA2U
    Fred-NA2U Member ✭✭
    edited March 2018
    Many thanks, Ria.  I just changed to a new computer and just upgraded to v2.1.33.106.  My previous, ahem, documentation of settings was lacking in the extreme.  Up and running now.  73 from the desert....Fred/NA2U
  • Mark  K1LSB
    Mark K1LSB Member ✭✭
    edited April 2018
    Ria, can you please enlighten me as to why you don't use HRD anymore?  I'm asking because I've received a one-time discount offer from HRD and am considering purchasing it mainly for the DM-780 capabilities, but I'm pretty uninformed about HRD generally, and not sure whether I'm prepared to part with 80 bucks for something I don't really need.

    Thanks in advance,

    Mark
  • Ria
    Ria Member ✭✭✭
    edited August 2019
    The final straw was the whole incident with W4PC retaliating against their customers, a practice they’ve since claimed to have rectified.

    But prior to that the product seemed rather stagnated and no real development. The DX cluster also never seemed to work right. I was missing a ton of challenge slots which showed up in ClubLog and Log4OM. Yes I did get a trial of 6.x after using 5.24 for years.

    So I settled on Log4OM which works very well for me.

    HRD works well for some people but it doesn’t for me. Some will aggressively defend HRD and claim people don’t want to pay for software but for me it was more about features and stuff that actually worked. I have actually bought ham software that have brought value to me - CW skimmer, CWget, SmartSDR for iOS and SmartSDR 2.0. There are some who have asked me to give a less than honest opinion about their software or their friends software - tsk tsk, shame on you. That’s all I gotta say.
  • Mark  K1LSB
    Mark K1LSB Member ✭✭
    edited April 2018
    Thank you ma'am, after reading your reply I started researching and learned that there's a lot I still don't know.  Think I'll pass on parting with any money just yet.
  • Ria
    Ria Member ✭✭✭
    edited April 2018
    I’m not saying one way or the other to be honest. Just describing my personal experiences. There are some here who have great experiences with it. They seemed to have turned a corner with regards to the PR issues and (now illegal) retaliation. Laurie VK3AMA has started supporting them again too. So they may very well be good.
  • Steve Belcak
    Steve Belcak Member ✭✭
    edited May 2020
    I'm using WSJT-X  1.9.1 r8747    when transmitting the frequency transmits 500hz below the standard 7.074 at  7073.500    Under Settings/radio/split operation  I unselect Fake it and the offset goes away....xmt stays on 7.074       I don't remember this happening before.....what is controlling the offset.....key up my 6500 it stays at 7.074, hit Tune in WSJTX and it xmts 7.073500.........what am I missing in the wsjtx setup?  what is the correct setup......Thanks  73
  • Ted  VE3TRQ
    Ted VE3TRQ Member ✭✭✭
    edited December 2019
    "Fake It" on in wsjt-x, or a TX offset in your wsjt-x config setup would do this, I would think. Fake It causes an offset depending on where you have your cursor set. You must have the TX cursor set low in the passband for a lower VXO setting like what you are seeing.
  • N6OIL
    N6OIL Member ✭✭
    edited November 2018
    Ria and others, any compelling reason for not using OmniRig for CAT control? I use Log4OM as my daily and N1MM+ for contesting and also N3FJP. Never any hiccups with OmniRig. But if there are any advantages to going direct I'd like to hear.
  • Peter Bentley
    Peter Bentley Member ✭✭
    edited January 2019
    Thanks for your guidance Rita, you are a Star...
  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin
    edited April 2019
    I just posted this, but there is a few mouse click setup for FT8 using SliceMaster that does the configuration for you.


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj85yjVcTTk

  • K8CLH
    K8CLH Member
    I followed this and almost everything is working great (thank you so much for this post). The only problem I seem to be having is that I can't change bands from the dropdown in WSJTX. I'm stuck in 20M now. When I select any other band, it is automatically going back to 20M. Any ideas?
  • David Decoons, wo2x
    David Decoons, wo2x Member, Super Elmer Moderator

    In SmartSDR CAT create a TCP CAT port 5004

    In WSJT-X in radio tab select Flex 6xxx and set IP to 127.0.0.1:5004

    Use CAT for PTT. Use DIGIU/PKT for mode, and Fake It for the last selection.

    Set DAX TX at 48 and WSJT-X power slider all the way up

    Set the DAX channel RX level at 34. That will give WSJT-X RX level in range of recommended value.

    Dave wo2x

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