Category Archives: FT8

Ham Radio Digital Modes: Joe Taylor talks FT8 and introduces FT4

Many thanks to Pete Eaton (WB9FLW) who shares the following note and video:

Here is a You Tube Video of a presentation given by Joe Taylor last night at the Fair Lawn ARC Club Meeting on FT8 & Beyond an introduction to FT4.

Click here to view on YouTube.

Thank you for the tip, Pete!  FT4 looks like a fascinating iteration of the popular FT8 mode.

A Simple and Low Cost FT8 Transceiver

Many thanks to Pete (WB9FLW) who writes:

Adam Rong BD6CR has designed a simple DSB Transceiver for FT8. Crystals are available for 7.074 MHz. and 14.070 MHz (which can be “pulled” with a trimmer to 14.074 MHz).

Using only 4 Transistors, 2 IC’s, 3 Toroids, 5 Diodes/LED’s and a handful of resistors and capacitors this one watt wonder will get you on the air in no time.

Click to enlarge.

One could build this on Perfboard (see above), or use Ugly/Manhattan style construction. There are no plans for a circuit board.

Adam posted this on groups.io crkit:

“I built this 7074 DSB 1-watt radio and made 6 FT8 QSO with JA stations in 15 mins last weekend. It is fun to operate by switching PTT manually to keep it simple and lower current consumption.”

For more info check out crkits groups.io.

Wow! Thank you for sharing this Pete. I’ll have to give this a go myself!