FT8 frequencies on 6/2/70 in VK

[VK4ADC]

Can someone confirm that the following frequencies are valid in VK for FT8 users :

50.313
144.174
432.500

I found them listed in some FT8 docs a few weeks ago but I think it was a USA-sourced document & may not be right for us.

Thanks
Doug

[VK3QI]

Doug, 

The 144.174 doesn't look right.

At least 5 times per year that frequency would be swamped by SSB contest operations where the stations are requested to use 144.150 and upwards to 144.200.

Cheers

Peter  VK3QI

[VK3ALB]

50MHz is certainly correct according to our revised band plan. No specific mention of 2m and 70cm FT8 allocations but I suspect if they are the defaults delivered with WSJT then they will become the de facto standard.

Now we open several cans of worms.

1. Alignment of band plans between various IARU regions - good luck
   
2. Band plan design by WIA and ham community consultation - This has worked in the past
   
3. Communication of our band plan to the WSJT development team - Maybe, WSJT could be delivered with no default frequencies?
   

Fire at will.

[VK4ADC]

Peter
 
I was well aware of the activity on 144.175 during the Field Days etc hence my query. 

Lou

"No specific mention of 2m and 70cm FT8 allocations but I suspect if they are the defaults delivered with WSJT then they will become the de facto standard. " Well they aren't actually in the frequency versus mode list in WSJT-X - you have to add them.

Agreed.  The question doesn't really seem to have come up (as yet, at least within the realm of my Google searches) so maybe it is time to put that line in the sand.

Ok, 50.313 is it on 6M.
Without looking at WIA/VK bandplans exactly for now, maybe 144.313  and 432.313 for consistency ??

We probably want to avoid 144.225 and 144.325 ( ditto 432.225 / 432.325) to avoid cross-digital-mode problems - which would appear to be the nominal spots if you refer to the extracts below..

The again, is it really a DX Digital mode on 2M & 70CM ???

From the WIA Bandplans page :

"FT8 on 2 metres 


FT8 is becoming popular on 2 metres. The software comes with recommended operating frequencies built in, but only for bands up to 6 metres. On 2 metres, our band plan has a group of spot frequencies recommended for modes of different bandwidths. The narrow band channel on 144.320 MHz is the logical one for FT8. It is noted that 144.313 MHz has also been used for FT8. But unless there are compelling reasons to do otherwise, I would recommend the band plan. "

And then..

"144.000 - 144.700 NARROW BAND MODES (Note 1) 
144.000 - 144.025 Amateur Satellites (new IARU segment) 
144.000 - 144.100 EME 
144.100 - 144.400 CW / SSB 
144.100 Calling frequency: national primary 
144.200 Calling frequency: national secondary 
144.220 - 144.240 Digital DX modes 
144.240 - 144.300 Guard band: New Zealand beacons 
144.300 SSB chat frequency 
144.320 - 144.340 Digital DX modes 
144.300 - 144.500 Space communications 
144.400 - 144.600 Beacons (Note 2) 
144.600 - 144.700 Experimental "

and then...

"Note 1:
Narrow Band Modes This segment is reserved for modes such as CW, digital modes and SSB with bandwidths up to 4 kHz. 
Weak signal operation has absolute priority. 
Calling frequencies should be used only to make initial contact and then vacated as soon as possible.
 Please avoid any terrestrial operation within the EME segment. 
The following spot frequencies are recommended for digital DX operation using SSB-based modes: 144.220 / .320 
Weak signal modes with bandwidths below 100 Hz, e.g. PSK and slow CW 144.225 / .325 
Weak signal modes with bandwidths up to 750 Hz, e.g. MFSK, JT65 and similar 144.230 / .330 
High speed meteor scatter modes with bandwidths up to 3 kHz, e.g. FSK441 
Note that the segment 144.110 – 144.160 MHz is also used for international digital mode EME operation. 
The band 144.3 - 144.5 MHz is not an IARU recognised satellite band, however some frequencies in this segment may be used at times for space communications."

For 70CM:

"
431.950 - 432.700 NARROW BAND MODES (Note 1) 
431.950 - 432.000 EME guard band 
432.000 - 432.100 EME 
432.100 - 432.400 CW / SSB 
432.100 Calling frequency: national primary 
432.200 Calling frequency: national secondary 
432.220 - 432.240 Digital DX modes 
432.240 - 432.300 Guard band: New Zealand beacons 
432.300 SSB chat frequency 
432.320 - 432.340 Digital DX modes 
432.400 - 432.600 Beacons (Note 2)
 "

and...

"Note 1: 
Narrow Band Modes This segment is reserved for modes such as CW, digital modes and SSB with bandwidths up to 4 kHz. 
Weak signal operation has absolute priority.
Calling frequencies should be used only to make initial contact and then vacated as soon as possible. 
Please avoid any terrestrial operation within the EME segment. 
The “Digital DX modes” segments include recommended spot frequencies for SSB-based digital modes, on the same pattern as in Note 1 of the 2 metre band plan."


Comments gents ???

[VK3QI]

A quick look on the WIA website finds the following:
[b] [/b]


"FT8 is becoming popular on 2 metres. The software comes with recommended operating frequencies built in, but only for bands up to 6 metres. On 2 metres, our band plan has a group of spot frequencies recommended for modes of different bandwidths. The narrow band channel on 144.320 MHz is the logical one for FT8. It is noted that 144.313 MHz has also been used for FT8. But unless there are compelling reasons to do otherwise, I would recommend the band plan. "


Seems quite logical to me, as 144174 would suffer from QRM and 144195 to 144205 is already used by the MS boys.

The favoured 144174 seems to be in both Region 1 and 2. Why, I don't know!

The latest RSGB bandplan (2018) makes no mention of FT8 at this stage for 2 metres.


Cheers

Peter  VK3QI

[VK5PJ]

Doug,
FT8 on 144 is 144.320 MHz this was the TAC recommendation and what has already been in use in 2018, NOT 144.313 MHz like some had started to use. as far as 432 goes I could only guess if you used 432.320 you would be okay.
Regards,
Peter, vk5pj

[VK3ALB]

Yikes!

I skipped straight past the latest news section when I looked for information. It would be nice if those comments were included in the band plan document.

[VK4ADC]

I will take all that on board and set my WSJT-X software for FT8 so that it is ready on..

6M:  50.313

2M: 144.320

70CM : 432.320

Finding some activity on them is going to be the harder part 

Thanks all

73 Doug

[VK4WDM]

I will take all that on board and set my WSJT-X software for FT8 so that it is ready on..

6M:  50.313

2M: 144.320

70CM : 432.320

Finding some activity on them is going to be the harder part 

Thanks all

73 Doug

There is quite a lot of FT8 activity on 6m and contacts pop up on an apparently dead band. Last week there were some contacts between VK and UN and EK.  I have never tried 2m or 70cm.

73

Wayne VK4WDM