ft8 signal reports explained

Typically means connecting leads to the soundcard, or using a soundcard built in to the interface then setting up software to use the right speaker and mic settings for sending and receiving on the WSJT-X app, Radio interface settings Most common models of radio already have their comms settings built-in to WSJT-X, so its a case of selecting from a list of radios, Connecting to the radios CAT/DATA port for controlling the radio. The simple fact is that they probably have a better antenna than you and yes, they may be running more power, but that won't make too much difference. As a result, our CQ DL1ABC JO62 message will be converted to data block 00 00 00 23 44 4A 11 91 3F 88. Its hard to argue with that, but I hope that there are still not only radio operators but also engineers who are interested in how these things really work. CleanTalk sets this cookie to prevent spam on comments and forms and act as a complete anti-spam solution and firewall for the site. People decoding you multiple times. JS8, a variant of FT8, can send full conversations and relay messages, CQ call from radio operator "KI7PO" along with his. You are just very strong. . Alternatively, you can add the new FT8 frequencies manually. Both FT8 and JS8 are heavily dependent on an accurate computer clock, since the modes send/receive information in a recurring, automated, 15s transmit/receive cycle. Hello, after years of saying I would never work FT8 I have finally taken the plunge and having a play. delphinium hybrid blue. Here you will see that on my FT8 Transmit some decoded me as +13 and others closer as -3, this can be due to skip zones as well as different antenna setups, etc. This site uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalised ads or content, and analyze our traffic. No Membership Fees. The next step is to convert the 91-bit message to the so-called LDPC (Low-density parity-check) code with a 174 bits length this redundancy is used to correct errors during the transmission. Frequencies for JS8Call and FT8 are adjustable by the user. YouTube sets this cookie via embedded youtube-videos and registers anonymous statistical data. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. CleanTalk sets this cookie to complete an anti-spam solution and firewall for the website, preventing spam from appearing in comments and forms. With FT8, youre restricted to very small messages, with a limit of 13 characters per message. +19 is about the best you should get, down to about -24dB. This cookie is placed by CleanTalk Spam Protect to prevent spam and to store the addresses (urls) visited on the website. The following equations explain why FT8 signals start decoding at -26dB and everything else is below the noise floor: SNRFSKFT8 = SNRreportedFT8 + (10 x LOG (2500 Hz/6.250 Hz)), SNRFSKFT8= SNRreportedFT8 + (10 x LOG (400)). CleanTalk sets this cookie to prevent spam on the site's comments/forms, and to act as a complete anti-spam solution and firewall for the site. Could a strong signal lower the gain so much that the weaker signal no longer decodes? joel meyers magician net worth. In the first step, common abbreviations are replaced by shorter codes, for example, CQ gets a 02h code. FT8 ("Franke-Taylor design, 8-FSK modulation") is an extremely-weak-signal, digital, narrow bandwidth (50 HzHertz (Hz), unit of frequency, defined as one cycle per second (1 Hz). GL, K7TRK. Pretty fast I got a response that they already have enough articles about FT8 and a screenshot of their archive with articles like Using FT8 in DXpedition in Borneo. A +12 signal does not say you are over driving. Examples: Does anyone else have this trend as well? Some operators do, some don't. Welcome to Reddit's own amateur (ham) radio club. This means your pre-amp is worse than theirs, or they're putting way more power into their antenna. Free Training. It contains a hashed/encrypted unique ID. This ham radio digital mode appeared in 2017, and since then its popularity has only been growing. On Tuesday, January 4, 2022, 08:25:36 AM CST, Chris VE3NRT wrote: "The cycle of operation of a machine or other device which operates intermittently rather than continuously. That is no effort to learn a code but able to work stuff you can't hear. Antenna for 70cms is a 7 ele ZLspecial, fixed towards SE up at about 15 feet. All this, combined together, made FT8 so popular. JS8Call (JS8) is an amateur radio QSO communication mode based on FT8. timeout for worked markers. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Do not assume that many folks are running 100 watts or less. Overcrowding encourages some to turn on their amplifiers, which only makes things worse. The fact that they align properly to the FT8 15-second period, and have 8 tones (the same as FT8) is a sign that these may be distorted FT8 signals, caused by AF harmonics in the transmitter or the receiver. If you're new to the hobby, we can help you get started - we've helped over 9,200 . Be aware that as currently implemented, WSJT-X will set your dial to the lowest frequency for the selected mode and band, when you switch bands. Just to report that quarantine in between I was able to pump some hours into the long delayed FT8 transceiver based on a raspberry pi using the RPiTX package and now ft8_lib. Typically the interface will appear as a COM port and WSJTX will need to be set to the correct COM, PTT So that the PC can put the rig into Transmit, the software needs to know how to trigger Transmit. There doesn't necessarily need to be a new operating class for Data modes, but that would be OK too. Your transmit and receive capabilities are not that much different. team_fondue 5 yr. ago Groups.io. Now, with FT8, I have real comparisons and can surely see a 5 - 10 db difference for most contacts. Press J to jump to the feed. That would help. The __qca cookie is associated with Quantcast. I can see on an external SWR meter that I am sending 100w. Image source: www.qsl.net/w1dyj/FT8%20for%20web.pdf. It's not a measure of your output. From a psychological point of view, the FT8 mode is also interesting to analyze. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. by | Jun 10, 2022 | forsyth county newspaper | the center does not hold meaning | Jun 10, 2022 | forsyth county newspaper | the center does not hold meaning Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. This cookie is used for targeting and advertising purpose. Right now my antenna is set up as a sloper. Each message of up to 13 characters takes 13 seconds to send. If you find something incorrect, have an update, or if there is something you would like to see added to the site, drop me a line here. During contest and for DX Expeditions everyone is 59 for Phone (USB/LSB) ad 5NN for CW in order to expedite exchange. But does everyone understand the nuances? I would think that is more than enough to get a decent signal report. Hello, after years of saying I would never work FT8 I have finally taken the plunge and having a play. This anonymous data helps us to better understand users' needs and customize the website accordingly. A cookie set by YouTube to measure bandwidth that determines whether the user gets the new or old player interface. Good sensitivity allows using of FT8 with compact or even balcony antennas. Basically anything can be proven and figured out,, but the variables are enormous.. Special data for synchronization (7x7 Costas Array) is also added, it requires for proper signal decoding. I HIGHLY recommend doing this. This signal is transmitted almost "as is" into the air, and the backward process of decoding is activated on the receiver side. YSC cookie is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages. This article was first sent to the german Funkamateur magazine. This mode allows communicating with a lower s/n ratio compared to PSK31 or RTTY. FT8 transmissions can be decoded at S/N down to -21dB (very weak signal). The test_cookie is set by doubleclick.net and is used to determine if the user's browser supports cookies. FT8 was developed by Joe Taylor (K1JT) and Steve Franke (K9AN). FT8 uses 8- GFSK modulation, includes forward error correction ( FEC ), and has an effective data rate of 5 words per minute. It's a really smart combination of bit optimization, mathematics and usability. Its significantly faster than the similar JT-65, It works very well even with a lot of noise, Its popular, so theres lots of activity, Its semi-automated, making for easy contacts, Its a great way of racking up the countries youve worked, without too much hassle, Getting the audio connected. Scorecard Research sets this cookie for browser behaviour research. WARC Bands: What are They and How Can I Take Advantage of Them. FT8 handles very weak signals very well, meaning that a Foundation licence holder with just 10 watts should be able to make some impressive contacts with a modest antenna - something not possible with voice or some other data modes. It's main advantage is that it allows low-power stations with marginal Let's say I call CQ and a few stations respond, the first being pretty weak (call 1st enabled). I noticed for a while that I can hear better than I am being heard. I am using Windows 10 with WSJT-X v2.5.3 with a USB connection to an iCom 7610 . If nothing else, remember to shift-click . Many Thanks for the link James, explains it well, a useful chart that gives the scale. Why are the signal reports negative numbers? By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Watch the following two sites for your call as well. I will be starting a donor thank you page soon so please indicate if you wish to be not listed. Hertz (Hz), unit of frequency, defined as one cycle per second (1 Hz). Any other suggestions how to troubleshoot this? ), yet the signals are very audible. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. A FT8 contact would be quite an undertaking. The RST reporting system is represented in three numbers for CW and two numbers for Phone. FT8 signal report Sent/Rcv consistent difference. Lets try to figure it out. It's a popular mode, so popular in fact that one report citing Club Log data recently showed that 80% of HF contacts in their tracking nowadays are FT8. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. *** As an alternate, sometimes you will see: N8DXE KE8FMJ RRR KE8FMJ says Report Received, KE8FMJ N8DXE 73 N8DXE says Best Regards, N8DXE KE8FMJ 73 KE8FMJ says Best Regards. Good luck! You can also use the excellent online PSK Reporter website to see where your FT8 CQ calls are reaching, as seen in this screenshot: This isnt a full how to guide on setting up FT8, as there are plenty of those online already. FT8 uses the clock to know when to decode and transmit, so for best results, time has to be EXACT. What do all the characters mean? On a trial basis, and in response to numerous suggestions from around the world, we have added a second set of suggested dial frequencies for FT8 on three HF bands and also on 6 meters. I've contacted 2 people in the same city before one after another. There is just a PC screen, and the rest is done by algorithms and mathematics. Band conditions across the terminator and across the equator also affect your signal and provide only a one way path. Looking at your location and excellent installation, Id venture to say you have much better receive capabilities than most other stations. I use theDimension 4for keeping my clock accurate. Thats the basics. Sent: Saturday, May 30, 2020 10:20 AM. As you can see here, I decoded everything from -21 to +05 range on 80m using the WSJT-X Software. When the conventional FT8 sub-band on 6, 20, 30, or 40m seems too full, please try moving your dial frequency down 3 kHz! NP4Z Team will be active from Puerto Rico, IOTA NA - 099 in ARRL DX SSB Contest, 4 - 5 March 2023. Professor Steven Franke and astrophysicist and Nobel laureate Joseph Taylor, have created a fascinating and efficient protocol for data transfer. There are several types of interface available, depending on your rig. As we know, we have a maximum of 8 tones (modulation type is FSK-8). My antenna is a horrible piece of wire, their antenna is a multi-element yagi on a tower as high as the Babel one, but sometimes this work, take this one with Croatia, 1300km distance on 6m: What you have are good signal reports, I wouldn't change much. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. We are trying to coordinate the suggested frequencies in WSJT-X with updated band plans being considered by IARU, ARRL, and other amateur radio societies. For details of this cookie, go to, The __gads cookie, set by Google, is stored under DoubleClick domain and tracks the number of times users see an advert, measures the success of the campaign and calculates its revenue. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". But the computer processing power grew up, and finally, the hero of our article appeared the digital mode FT8. Sometimes propagation is like a laser. A 14-bit CRC will also be added. If you're getting a +5 SNR report then obviously dial it way back but when I do DX at 100 Watts it's usually -10 or less. The signal report in 2m. 4. Here is what FT8 signals looks like, displayed in the WSJT-X waterfall view: Youll see from the above waterfall screenshot that there are over a dozen QSOs visible these are all taking place on a single frequency of 14.074MHz. I wonder if raising the far end up any more would help? Welcome to Reddit's own amateur (ham) radio club. It is an ICOM feature, not a bug. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie. greg davies daughter carly; can i deposit someone else's check into my chime account; how much is bungee fitness near los angeles, ca; When I last had a play the lower the alc the smaller the spurs at each tone change. I've contacted 2 people in the same city before one after another. At the time of writing (Feb 2018), it appears to be the most popular for a number of reasons: As with modes such as JT65 and PSK31, you interface your HF rig to a computer, and send out text encoded by your computer over the amateur bands. The domain of this cookie is owned by Ebay. Therefore, the complete exchange (QSO) above would take about 105 seconds. For example what is the equivalent in comparison to RST. I slide it down until my TS-590s ALC meter shows nothing. On Tue, Jan 4, 2022 at 7:15 AM John wrote: Are you sure you wish to delete this message from the message archives of main@WSJTX.groups.io? Press J to jump to the feed. Frequency modulation 8-FSK, tone space is 6.25Hz. Signal reports in FT8 are signal to noise ratio, NOT strength. Since FT8 automatically transmits and receives only the bare minimum of information necessary to complete what officially counts as an amateur radio contact (QSO), FT8 has been criticized by some amateur radio enthusiasts as a means for radio amateurs to 'cheat' their way to victory in certain contests and award categories. Online Investing Guide To buy more radios! A +12 signal does not say how much power a person is using. Remember this is a S/N report,not a power level report. Only thing I dont really understand is how the signal reporting works. The above is an example of what you will find at the PSKreporter.info website where you can monitor your own transmissions and see where you are heard. The only time I bump up to full power is if there's been QSB and the other station isn't copying my "RR73". PayPal or Coffee donations are always appreciated. ft8 signal reports explained 97867 74664 head gravity tour string pattern Facebook south tyneside council white goods Twitter best chicken parm near me Youtube. It's not a measure of your output. Personally, I dont really understand the pleasure of almost completely automatic radio communications, but the FT8 is popular, so people use this. CleanTalk set this cookie to provide spam protection. I've been licensed long enough to know this, but I've only recently in the past couple of months started on FT-8. With a SignaLink, it is always best to go back and follow the setup instructions EXACTLY. 1 week 2 weeks 1 month 2 months 3 months 6 months 1 year no. That lets a massive amount of signal into the mixer. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Replied by G0CBOon topic FT8 Signal Reports Many Thanks for the link James, explains it well, a useful chart that gives the scale. All topics relating to the hobby are welcome here, from purchasing and building equipment, to operating techniques and activities, and everything in between. I am running . Heres the actual math behind the signal report if you want to deep dive into the concept: The noise floor is relative to the receiving station, however. Forgot your password? Why would I want to operate FT8? 2023 As we can see, FT8 is quite an interesting protocol. Yep I've been lucky enough to get Fiji x2 and Kenya in the past week or 2 so it's definitely working! Here CQ is the calling code, DL1ABC is a callsign, and JO62 is the grid locator. Many ops can compensate with more power, but the problem with that is you quickly exceed your receive capabilities - people can hear you but you cant hear them. You may be working them off their side, or even long path. Norfolk Amateur Radio Club. It's not an absolute scale. For details of this cookie, go to. It does not store any personal data. JT65, JT9, FT8 SNR Explained. Or,sometimes you could be overdriving and causing splatter due to distortion. hihi I jest. Essex Ham is dedicated to supporting Amateur Radio. FT4 and FT8 are digital protocols designed for rapid and accurate communication between amateur radio stations, particularly in weak-signal conditions. You know, I can play with my volume on my computer and get that +12 down to a -18 or lower. Your antennas ability to direct that transmit power at the receiving station and. SNR is expressed in dB (decibles). Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. The tone is only used for CW (Continuous Wave aka Morse Code) transmissions. I got a + signal report back from one and a -18 or so back from the other. It is very easy to beat an EFHW at 35'. Designed by Shape5.com, forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/the-skignal-reports.591508/. FT8 transmissions can be decoded at S/N down to -21dB (very weak signal). Create an account. As others have said, the signal reports are based on the signal-to-noise. From DXNews.com, 59 plus 20 for a really strong USB signal, 47 for a somewhat weak but still readable USB signal. Between the radio and SteppIR DB18, I have these devices inline: Welcome to the world of Antennas, Propagation and Black Box Technology!! Cleantalk set this cookie to detect spam and improve the website's security. Now, with FT8, I have real comparisons and can surely see a 5 - 10 db difference for most contacts. what is the federal supplemental tax rate for 2022. motorcraft battery cross reference chart; pda soccer team location; Menu They are negative numbers (unless you are running too much power; Is there too much power? No, I have just as much noise here as most others living in suburbia. Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation. Heres what Im using: As with all data modes software, setup requires some setting up, notably: Your computers clock does have to be spot on with FT8. It is calculated as the ratio of signal power to the noise power. Operators may or may not be aware of the noise they're creating on the band's, but the result of that noise is is qrm for the others trying to operate on the same band . FT8 transmits this minimum of information in a semi-automated fashion on its own time frame. DT: Calculated offset of the received signal from your local clock Values above .3 are not optimal. We must say that technically these digital modes are simple, and the characters, entered by the user, were broadcasted almost without any complicated processing. Free Help. As a result, the signal report I end up giving is like 30dB higher than it would be if I left the entire passband open. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. ie you transmit a 50Hz wide ft8 @ 500 and there will be a 100Hz wide image @ 1000 and a 150Hz wide image @ 1500 and a 200Hz wide image @ 2000 and so on. Consider a practical example the transmission of the phrase CQ DL1ABC JO62. Records the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. I run QRP and most of the time the reports are like above, I put 5W into the antenna, they put 100+ (and some Italians would do multi-kW). Menu viscount royal caravan. For details of this cookie, go to, Set by Google to distinguish users. Without further information all it says is the other person has a good SNR with your signal. The data being gathered also includes more than just PSK spots, it include JT65 and FT8 -- with FT8 the overwhelming majority at the moment. Be sure to configure your software properly as described below. Radio operator "IZ1M" replies with his callsign and grid square locator. Is there a solution? Then, youll need some software. Remember this is a S/N report,not a power level report. If you are wondering what Amateur Radio is about, it's basically a two way radio service where licensed operators throughout the world experiment and communicate with each other on frequencies reserved for license holders. So, its interesting to see the future evolution of the ham radio digital modes. These modes, while great for modest stations (read . Hit tab to get into that menu. ), or even compromised antennas. (references). The mode is a modification of the JT9 & JT65 weak-signal modes that have been around for nearly ten years, an eternity in the digital world. Here is the generally accepted System: Basic rule: Higher Numbers are always better. This is just a summary of thebasics, plus a few tips Ive picked up along the way. FT8 Spectrogram at 7076 kHzKiloHertz (kHz) 10^3 Hz for duration of 1 min 40 seconds, seeing how each cycle is sent. ie every 100 or 120Hz. You're doing everything right, but someone, somewhere, is offended. Getting started with FTA Free To Air Satellite Television. Of course, before the mass appearance of personal computers in homes, probably no radio amateurs were thinking about transmitting and decoding digital data. This increase has come at the expense of other mode activity, especially CW. The name FT8 stands for Franke and Taylor, 8-FSK modulation. All this is necessary because the maximum message length is 77 bits (not only predefined symbols but of course, arbitrary text and even telemetry can also be transmitted with similar limitations). Information exchanged in a minimal two-station contact typically consists of call signs, four-character Maidenhead locators, signal reports, and acknowledgments. I do and I encourage you to do so as well. A computers onboard clock can be notorious for drifting off, and FT8 needs to transmit at very specific times to work. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors. However, DX communications are actively performed using FT8. FT8 is one of a group of Multiple Frequency-Shift Keying (MFSK) modes that include JT9, JT65 and MSK144 created by Joe Taylor, K1JT and co-developers. Functional cookie placed by CleanTalk Spam Protect to store referring IDs and prevent unauthorized spam from being sent from the website. ft8 signal reports explained just mercy sinopsis maryland vacation payout at termination. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The following equations explain why FT8 signals start decoding at -26dB and everything else is below the noise floor: SNRFSKFT8 = SNRreportedFT8 + (10 x LOG (2500 Hz/6.250 Hz)) transmitters. The exchange above would therefore take about 90 seconds (compared with seven minutes on JT65). This is measurable to some extent by the signal reports on FT8. The new suggested dial frequencies are 7.071, 10.133, 14.071, and 50.310 MHz. If the average recipient has a lot more noise than you, you will get a worse report on average. At first, just a fun fact. Don't you dare speak ill of my compromise antenna, at a compromise height, at a compromise location. The full coax length of LMR400 is about 160 feet long (to the tower and up). ft8 signal reports explained. the QSO record in ACL log does contain the signal report . I've seen the same, that outlier station with a good receive setup or just weird propagation magic that copies you +12 while everyone else in that grid is coping you -10. FT8 is by nature < 50% duty cycle. Image source: https://www.amateurradio.com/over-2000-miles-on-80m-with-the-warbler/ (2010). On average I run about 30 watts only on this mode and have had some success on 70cms along with the other bands. Automatic miles km. More then 2 seconds difference, no decode! It includes integration with PSK reporter. But since you are new at it, I'd start with the radio settings. Does anyone know what this connector is please? I am using Windows 10 with WSJT-X v2.5.3 with a USB connection to an iCom 7610 transceiver running 100w. All this, combined together, made FT8 so popular. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Heck, I even see a difference in dB when running two slices off the same antenna. This runs in the background and keeps your clock in-sync by resetting the time to one of the online atomic clock servers every 20 minutes. On the other hand, the almost complete automation of the process definitely reduces the role of operator skills. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. They are a signal to noise representation. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Nice job. This is most easlly done by the PWR Slider. Increasing FT8 usage on the popular bands 40, 30, and 20m means that the default 3 kHz sub-bands are often wall-to-wall with signals. It's a good way to check the quality of your radio setup, and the radio propagation properties that depend on how grumpy the ionosphere is at the moment. 3,298 Stations <0 698 Stations >0. . What are the frequencies? Conventions may change with time or by user preference; you can modify the frequency table as desired." Hacking my Newair Humidor For Cigar Smokers, GOES Geosynchronous Weather Satellite Receiver, Building the SteppIR BigIR Mark IV Vertical Antenna, Configuring WSJT-X for W6TI (or other) Special Event Station Use, Automatic Transverter Selector for FlexRadio, Setting up GOES Weather Satellite Receiver on the Raspberry Pi, Setting up NOAA Weather Satellite Receiver on the Raspberry Pi, Getting Started with Ham Radio Award Hunting, 3B7M Saint Brandon Islands. nanninga campground alberta. There is no more attentive listening to the radio noise and fadings, getting a weak signal from the other side of the ocean. Until you're into the -20dBs you're being heard. On Tuesday, January 4, 2022, 04:32:27 AM CST, John wrote: On Tue, Jan 4, 2022 at 10:15 PM, Arnold Lausevich wrote: Do you mean 50% power? toggle quoted message Show quoted text Try lowering the AGC, if any, and/or the output audio level. "By default the [WSJT-X Software's] Working Frequencies table contains a list of frequencies conventionally used for modes FT8, JT4, JT9, JT65, MSK144, WSPR, and Echo. My receive is quiet enough I am giving +10 or higher reports by s2 on some bands. They are using a directional antenna, and you are using an omnidirectional antenna. For FT8 and many other digital modes (But not RTTY), the values are measured by the software and are expressed in dB such as -10 or +02 for example. It was specifically created to work well in really bad situations like meteor scatter or moonbounce. FT8 was developed by Joe Taylor (K1JT) and Steve Franke (K9AN). Transmissions occur in 12.6s intervals (within the 15s transmit cycle window) until an entire message has completed transmitting. Too off and it will not work at all. https://www.sigidwiki.com/index.php?title=FT8&oldid=20766, 3.573 MHz,7.074 MHz,10.136 MHz,14.074 MHz,24.915 MHz,50.323 MHz,70.1 MHz,144.174 MHz,1.84 MHz,18.1 MHz,21.074 MHz,28.074 MHz,50.313 MHz, FT8 is an extremely-weak-signal amateur radio mode that transmits very limited communications. The decibel (dB) is a logarithmic unit used to express the ratio of two values of a physical quantity, here the strength of a received signal. Some use the S-Meter on their radios to give the reading, which is fine if it is accurate (it is notusually as there are many factors) or by ear which frankly is a better way to go about it.

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ft8 signal reports explained