WSJT-x and GridTracker For Great FT8
Great FT8 with WSJT-x and GridTracker
It’s been about a year since my last post on the Mac, FT8 and the Ten Tec Omni 6 Plus. Since then I’ve learned a few things, made some refinements in my setup and developed a better idea of how I want to use my station. Also, I was nudged into another post by a friend and fellow ham who wanted more information. This is a long post, so feel free to use the Table of Contests to jump around.
Why use FT8 and GridTracker?
As mentioned in my February 2022 post, FT8 provides several advantages:
- measure station performance and antenna effectiveness
- quickly explore current propagation
- make contacts efficiently
Although I didn’t initially plan to spend much time on FT8, it fascinated me. In the last couple of years, I’ve completed DX Century Club (DXCC), VHF/UHF Century Club (VUCC) (150+ 6 Meter contacts) and Worked All States (WAS) awards. It’s hard to argue with results like that.
Enter Grid Tracker
Installing Grid Tracker greatly contributed to this efficiency. By configuring the “Call Roster Award Tracker,” I can separate those stations that satisfy an award requirement from the hundreds that stream though WSJT-x. Having worked several thousand stations toward those awards, most of the easy contacts have been made. With GridTracker, that flow might be reduced to only one or two desired stations in a given session. Very efficient!
Of course, it’s still fun to dive in and work stations regardless of need, but I began to wonder if I could spend part of the time waiting for wanted FT8 stations to work on my CW chops. With the K3 set up for FT8, I still have the Ten Tec Omni 6 to work CW.
MacLogger DX (MLDX) can handle all this. By using the UDP Server capabilities in MLDX, it can receive worked contacts from WSJT-x concurrent with contacts logged directly through MLDX. More efficiency!
Bonus! FLDigi for CW skimming
One other “nice to have” capability is spotting CW stations calling CQ. Many hams use a CW Skimmer for this purpose, but sadly, it’s only available on the PC. Although not quite as capable as the PC-based CW Skimmer, FLDigi can help. It has the ability to decode several Morse Code streams within the audio passband simultaneously. CQ’s are highlighted in red.
What follows then, is my current setup including MacLogger DX, WSJT-x, Grid Tracker and FLDigi all integrated with an Elecraft K3 and Ten Tec Omni 6 Plus. FT8 and CW at the same time!
Let’s get started
When configuring an FT8 (or other digital mode) station, it is best to get one application or mode working with a radio first. For example, get MacLogger DX (MLDX) working with your radio (a K3 in this example) and then add other apps like WSJT-X. Each step builds on the preceding configuration.
What is sent between the computer and radio?
Generally speaking, digital modes require two types of connection between the computer and radio.
- A Serial connection that uses CAT commands to control functions within the radio like Push-to-talk (PTT) or set frequency. The serial connection is also used to receive telemetry from the radio like current frequency, audio level, transmit power level, band, etc.
- Audio connections to and from the radio are required to decode receive audio for the digital signals and encode audio for the radio’s transmitter.
Serial Connections
Serial connections vary from radio to radio. The Elecraft K3 has a dedicated RS-232 serial port on the back for this purpose. Specialized USB to RS-232 cables are needed to make this connection. Also, on the Mac, FTDX drivers must be installed so that it knows how to talk with these specialized cables. Similarly, specialized cables are needed for the Omni 6 Plus. I discussed connecting MLDX to it in a previous post, and much of that discussion applies here.
Audio Connections
MLDX
MLDX requires only a serial connection for basic CAT control and logging. I’ve had good luck with cables from BlueMax49ers, but other, cheaper cables found on eBay or Amazon will work as well. Once installed between the Mac and the K3’s KIO3 serial port, you’re ready to launch and configure MLDX. There are several screens in MLDX “settings”, but the “Radio” tab defines the radio connection. Here, you’re simply selecting the serial connection and baud rate. On a machine with many serial connections, it can be hard to identify the correct one, so comparing available USB ports in About this Mac page (under the Apple menu) before and after plugging the USB cable in can be helpful. Mine looks like this:
The serial number, FTFPXFPU (yours will be different), is what you’re looking for. When plugged into the MLDX setting page, it looks like this:
Note that the Baud rate and Stop bits must match the radio’s settings as well. The “Radio Setting” menu (here shown selecting the Elecraft K3) defines which radio MLDX will use. There can be many radios connected to the Mac, and this tab selects which radio is currently in use.
That should be enough to connect MLDX and the K3. MLDX can now control the K3 and set frequency, Push-to-talk (PTT) as well as read frequency, power level and other radio parameters.
Adding WSJT-X
WSJT-x has its own radio interface, and it must be configured as well. It needs both CAT control and audio in and out. When operating, it takes control of the radio and sends contact results to MLDX (or other logging program). There are two configurations screens to look at:
The settings “Radio” is shown above. I mostly used the defaults, but the serial port must be selected (same as with MLDX) and correct baud rate, data bits and stop bits. “Eight, None and One” are the most common, and will work with many radios. PTT method will vary depending on the radio, but for the K3, “CAT”, “None” mode, and “Fake it” work best. By the way, “Fake It” allows WSJT-x to move the radio frequency up or down by 500 or 1000 Hz to center the transmit audio in the passband — just in case your radio rolls off at 300 or 2700 Hz. FT8 likes to use the entire 0-3000 Hz audio passband.
WSJT-x Takes over
It’s worth noting that when WSJT-x is running, it takes control away from MLDX. This makes sense, since it needs to control the radio’s frequency and power level and PTT. Through the UDP Server magic, Any contacts made are forwarded to the MLDX log. MLDX can then select a different radio to control. More about this later.
WSJT-x Audio ports
Finding the audio ports is the same as finding the serial port. Look at the system info, USB ports (under the Apple menu). Note the USB connections with and without the audio interface plugged and look for differences. That’s the one to use.
The SignaLink identifies as “USB Audio CODEC”. That is then selected in the WSJT-x “Audio” settings tab:
One other page to look at: “Reporting”.
The “UDP Server” is how WSJT-x communicates with other software on the Mac Mini. As each contact is completed, it sends a notification to MLDX (and Grid Tracker if you’re using it). It also sends Call Signs when a contact attempt is made so MLDX can look it up on QRZ or your preferred lookup service.
Other than filling in your Call Sign and setting the grid square, that’s enough to get WSJT-x working with MLDX.
Back to MLDX
One more step to complete the circle. Back in the MLDX “Station” settings, there are a couple of checkboxes that enable “UDP Broadcast” and “WSJT-x”. Enabling “DXLab TCP” transfers rig control to WSJT-x when it is running.
On to Grid Tracker
If you’re adventurous, Grid Tracker is the next step. I won’t engage in the sales pitch, but I find it very helpful for identifying stations, grids, states, and DX entities I don’t have and would like to contact. It looks more daunting than it really is.
The General settings are first. By now, you should notice the port number, 2238, is the same as we set up for MLDX and WSJT-x. That’s the channel they all use to communicate. The settings shown here work in my setup.
You’ll also want to set up your reporting preferences.
There’s quite a few. Note that MLDX, WSJT-x and Grid Tracker all maintain their own logs. That can be a recipe for trouble, so it’s important to decide which one will be the canonical reference. Ultimately, Logbook Of The World (LOTW) makes some sense in that role for me, because that’s what the ARRL uses to make awards. Others choices are possible. One might choose QRZ instead of LOTW to chase their awards.
In this instance, I’ve configured reporting for LOTW, PSK-Reporter and Grid Tracker. LOTW can be used within the program to get a fresh copy of my log, and PSK-Reporter reports my activity to the Internet for use in various DX reflectors and services like DXMaps.com. In practice, I replace the Grid Tracker log almost every session with a fresh copy from MLDX. That way, the maps reflect my most recent activity and confirmations. In this arrangement, WSJT-x makes the contact, sends the result to MLDX, and it then forwards the contact to LOTW.
I have a login for eQSL.cc, but I find it quirky and hard to use. I don’t use QRZ for logging. I’ve gone strictly with LOTW for simplicity. .
The FLDigi “Frosting”
The Station audio setup
To understand how I’m routing to FLDigi, it’s helpful to start with my station audio setup. Years ago, I heard Bob Heil talk about the relative audio quality of the average Ham transceiver (it sucks) and he recommended augmenting it with an outboard audio mixer and powered monitors. To that end, I purchased a Mackie 802-VLZ3 8-channel mixer and a pair of JBL Control 2P powered monitors. Each of the radios in the shack send at least one audio line to that mixer. Audio line level, speaker level, or in the case of the K3, stereo line level, all can feed one or two channels on the mixer.
The Control Room output feeds the monitors, and the Tape In and Tape Out connections are used to go to and from the Mac. The beauty of this system is that each radio is heard through the monitor speakers while also being routed into the Mac. The Mac can record the audio, or route it internally to an app like FLDigi. Since I mainly use FLDigi as a CW “skimmer”, this is perfect. I have also used this audio connection to receive and decode RTTY with FLDigi.
Getting audio to the Mac
One thing to note about the basic Mac Mini; it has only one sound output (called “Headphones” in the settings) and no sound input. Happily, it’s easy to add as many “sound cards” as you like. As mentioned earlier, I use the Tigertronics SignaLink USB for the K3, and I have a couple of Sabrent USB external stereo sound adapters to connect other radios like the Ten Tec Omni 6 Plus. The adapters are only $9 each, and work well.
FLDigi settings
FLDigi has about a million settings, and I am far from expert in them. As mentioned earlier, I connected the app with the K3 to run an RTTY contest in the past. It can use HamLib as well as other CAT control strategies. Audio settings are similar to WSJT-x. I did find one config page that was particularly relevant to using it as a CW skimmer:
An FLDigi “superpower” – Syncing with MLDX
By instructing FLDigi to “Connect to MacLogger,” its frequency display mirrors MLDX, including any frequencies you jump to using the “Maps”, “Bands”, or “DX Clusters” buttons. It also receives individual lookups from MLDX. With audio routed in from the Mac, the passband of the radio you’re hearing is shown in FLDigi’s display, where it will decode any CW it hears. “CQ” calls are highlighted in red. In other words, it’s a great add-on to MLDX for CW operation.
One more thing . . .
Remember I said MLDX could remember more than one radio setup? By making a second (or several) radio setups, you can easily switch MLDX from one radio to another. It’s also the secret to using its features to operate CW. while waiting for that rare DX FT8. Here’s my setup for the Omni 6:
The setup was described more fully in this April, 2023 post. So, when using WSJT-x and GridTracker to work FT8, this setting is active in MLDX. With it, I can use all the great MLDX features like QRZ lookups, “Bands,” and “DX Clusters” to work CW contacts while FLDigi decodes CW on the current band and WSJT-x/GridTracker comb the airwaves for that next FT8 treasure. Pretty sweet! Best of all, it feels like I’ve cracked the technology “nut” and leveled up to the digital big leagues.
I hope this helps with your digital mode experience. Leave a comment if you have a question and I’ll do my best to answer. Like I said earlier, I’m no expert, but I’ve got one or two tricks up my sleeve . . .
Jim
Sent from my iPad
