Hello. I am a Japanese 6m CRAZY JP1LRT Yoshiharu.
This will be a little bit long story...
The summer extreme multi-hop Es season is coming soon. This summer 2018, so many people will use FT8. But with WSJT-X, there is an only one
frequency 50.313MHz. We can easily imagine that situation that QRM from domestic QSO or short range international QSO with neighboring country. I am afraid of the situation that the intercontinental QSO weak signal will mask from the short range QSO strong signal.
If a domestic QSO/short range international QSO and intercontinental QSO frequency are set separately, we can avoid such a useless QRM.
In order to prevent such a situation, I asked K1JT Joe an author of WSJT-X whether a frequency can be incorporated into WSJT-X for intercontinental communication.
The e-mail I sent to him is as follows.
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Hello Joe-san. I am a Japanese Ham Radio Operator, JP1LRT Yoshiharu Tsukuura.
I am a user of WSJT-X. First of all I would like to thank you.
WSJT-X is a very cool and amazing software. I enjoy digital communication every day.
And I am a 6m band CRAZY. Last Summer, I did make a SUPER DX QSO on 6m band with JT65. So many people saw an incredible QSO. It was not a short-range communication with a neighbor country but a super-long distance communication across the continent.
With SSB or CW, we do not have many opportunities. But with JT65, we could make a QSO even a few, very weak openings.
Extreme multi-hop ES with JT65 , it was an amazing world.
However, there were two problems.
1.TX/RX sequence (period)
When the strong station transmits in the receiving sequence, weak radio waves arriving across the continent have been covered and not decodable.
So we, Japanese people did try an attempt to unify the transmission sequence to the odd number side. Many Japanese agreed with the attempt, so we were able to get a quiet receiving environment.
2.QRM from domestic QSO or short range international QSO with neighboring country
This is a BIG PROBLEM. These signals are very strong. The station that cannot receive a DX signal start DOMESTIC QSO on the same DF of SUPER DX station.... We witnessed such a tragic scene many times last summer.
So we tried to separate frequencies between domestic communication and international communication. But we did not have much time to announce it, and the season of the extreme multi-hop Es has ended.
The 6m band in summer is very special. It differs from any frequency in the HF band.
So I have a suggestion.
I'd like you to establish a frequency for intercontinental communication of the 6m band at the official frequency of WSJT-X.
Currently 50.276MHz is set for JT65 and 50.313MHz is set for FT8.
Designate them as frequencies for short-distance communication with domestic and neighboring countries, and newly establish frequencies for long-distance intercontinental communication.
For example, for long-distance intercontinental communication with JT65 is 50.273MHz , with FT8 is 50.316MHz. This is only an example.
QRM from a domestic or short range international QSO, this problem happens both in Europe and the United States.
If WSJT-X does a new frequency setting for 6m band DX, this problem can be solved. Also, most of all 6 meters of digital communication enthusiasts will support this policy.
How do you think? Please contact your development team and your friends' 6m band lovers.
There are three months until the beginning of the extreme multi-hop Es season. We have enough time to announce it. Please consider about it.
I hope to see you on the air Joe-san.
Thank you for reading.
Best regards
JP1LRT Yoshiharu Tsukuura
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And the answer from him is as follows.
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Hi Yoshiharu-san,
Conventional working frequencies for the various JT modes are determined by users.
When there is good consensus that certain frequencies are desirable we include them in WSJT-X as defaults. Decisions about new working frequencies must be made by the world-wide user community.
-- 73, Joe, K1JT
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So..... I would like to try to make a "CONSENSUS" in the world-wide user community.
I did try to contact with SMIRK, UKSMG, SixItalia, FaceBook Community - 50 MHz - The Magic Band - DX.
IK0FTA Sergio-san (SixItalia) and OE4VIE Jo-san (FaceBook Community -50MHz- The Magic Band-DX, FT8 Digital Mode Club ) gave me a responses.
They agree with my suggestion. I am still waiting some responses from SMIRK and UKSMG.
And this "movement" started to move little by little.
OE4VIE Jo made icons and started distributing.
New FT8 QRG 50.323MHz for intercontinental DX QSO
http://jp1lrt.asablo.jp/blog/img/2018/03/19/4d9971.jpg
The local QSOs remain on 50.313MHz. Don't do on 50.323MHz. 50.323MHz in only for the INTERCONTINENTAL QSO.
If you can agree with this, please let your friends know.
I think that we will announce the operating frequency to ON4KST chat, but this 50.323 MHz will be one choice.
It would be nice if people who would like to enjoy domestic communication and nearby international communications or those who would like to enjoy long distance communication between continents should respect each other and create an environment free of conflict.
I am aware that there are lots of opinions. And all of them aim for a better environment. And this suggestion is also one of them. I got a information from Lefty, K1TOL that ARRL and N0JK writer (gThe World Above 50 Mhzh column) says g50.303MHzh now for FT8 DX freq. But I think 2 frequencies should be nice. 50.303MHz , just like a 50.110MHz DX window , for all DX. 50.323MHz just for the intercontinental long distance DX.
And I got an e-mail from Jon N0JK as below.
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At the W6JKV 6M BBQ last September, 2017 in Austin, TX - I asked the group about an intercontinental freq. for FT8 on 6M. The consensus of the group was 50.303 MHz, which I then listed in the WA50. I didn't come up with 50.303, rather that was the what the group of attendees decided was best after a spirited discussion. https://www.sixmeterbbq.com/
We could have two DX frequencies - 50.303 for "all FT8 DX" and 50.323 for "intercontinental long distance FT8 DX." I suspect people will gravitate to one frequency or the other. DXers can always coordinate with each other on ON4KST.
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UKSMG now promotes alternative frequency 50.323 MHz.@http://uksmg.org/ft8-code-of-practice.php
We need to inform this proposal as many people as possible not
only for DXer but also for people who operate with simple equipment. I hope an environment that everyone can enjoy DX without useless
QRM this summer. I don't know what will happen in this summer 2018. So see what will
happen then consider again for 2019.
Thank you for reading my poor English.
FB DX. 73.
Best Regards
JP1LRT Yoshiahru Tsukuura