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Reviews For: JT65-HF

Category: Ham Software/Apps - Other than logging

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Review Summary For : JT65-HF
Reviews: 19MSRP: 0.00
Description:
Amateur Radio software for reception/transmission of JT65A protocol with an emphasis upon its usage in the High Frequency Amateur Bands (price $0.00 FREE).

JT65a HF Frequencies:

1838-160m 3576-80m 7039,7076-40m 10139,10147-30m 14076-20m 18102,18106-17m 21076-15m 24920-12m 28076-10m
Additional Related Links:
http://jt65.w6cqz.org/
http://jt65.w6cqz.org/receptions.php
http://hamspots.net/wsjt/
Product is in production
More Info: http://jt65-hf.sourceforge.net/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00194.3
G0DNI Rating: 2012-12-08
Very good low power communication mode Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I run about 2 watts from a Yaesu FT-817ND (rig set to 2.5W and audio input to rig via Singnalink USB set so that there are no ALC bars).

Antenna is either a G Whip end-fed resonant wire or G Whip 'Widebander' multi-band wire.

Performance of this modest setup is quite staggering. My main band of choice is 20M (14.076) and best results often occur along the 'grey line'. Bearing in mind that with JT65A, you either have 100% copy or nothing at all and that signal reports are generated by the JT65-HF software, so they should be fairly accurate. Contacts at 600 to 1000 miles into Europe from the UK are fairly routine, with contacts out to 2500 miles being a pleasing but not unusual catch.

Most of my USA contacts have been East Coast stations along the grey line, and best DX to date is a YV6 (Venezuela 4,500 miles) and LU8 (Argentina 6,900 miles) - both using the FT-817ND and about 2 watts.

One of the great advantages with this mode is that you can use PSK Reporter (do a Google search for details) to see just were your signals are being picked up. PSK Reporter does also show you the stations you are receiving, but this is only of academic interest if stations in that geographical area are not picking up your signal.

Two superb utilities to aid operating JT-65A using the JT65-HF software are JT-Alert and JT-Macros (again Google will find these).

Yes, the software does decode signals that I can neither hear or see on the waterfall - just had a decode as I type this, an LW2 (Argentina) on 10M (28.076) and there is nothing showing on the waterfall and all I can hear is white noise!

Not a mode for everybody, but extremely satisfying and can be conducted without causing 'local' QRM and disturbing the XYL!
OLLIEOXEN27 Rating: 2011-09-20
works well Time Owned: more than 12 months.
JT-65A is a great mode and although it takes some time to implement it there is a great JT-65 Bozo's guide that speeds it up quickly. Once learned the only problems are other ops who usually run a gazillion watts and desensitise the band. Also after I ran about two dozen qso's I got bored and ceased using the mode.
WA6MJE Rating: 2011-07-31
Great Choice for Easy DX Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have been using this for about a year. I am in a HOA restricted community, so this software gives me a way to overcome a limited antenna. I am not a rag chewer. I just like to make a DX contact and move on. I let the software run all night, and stop by the rig on the kitchen table every so often to look at the call signs in the history. If a call catches my eye, I sit and try and work it. Otherwise I am free to do other activities. No need to sit and monitor, or tune up and down the band. I enjoy the quiet of not having hiss and noise while monitoring SSB or CW which gets to me over time.

All it takes is a modest HF rig set at under 50 watts, a small laptop computer, a mobile vertical just outside the door with elevated radials, and the world is at my finger tips. I put it all away the next morning. Unless my neighbors can see in the dark, they are clueless as to what I am doing. I no longer feel crippled by not having a 60 foot tower with a beam, and a California kilowatt amp.

I stay on 20 meters at night when the band seems closed. It is for sure open for the other half of the world in sunlight. Some of this other half gets through to me at night when I am one of just a few on my side of the globe to grab it.

This method works great at night after work. No need to spend hours at the rig.
K2NCC Rating: 2011-06-15
Work the world while watching TV Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Great program, easy to use. JT65 itself is definitely a lazy-man's mode.

Takes less than a 15 minutes to download, install and setup.

Free is a great price too.

Be sure to get "Dimension 4" (also free) to keep your clock close to everyone else's.

A good digital modes Facebook group, if you're not already a participant:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_206724042689984

There's a "Install JT65-HF, Dimension 4, Setup and Decode in under 5 minutes" video and a bunch of other video/pic samples.



Let me throw in a quick thanks to all the software writers and site owners that have made this hobby so much fun! If not for digital modes and those who make them work, I would have dropped this hobby long ago. Thank you!


73, f, k2ncc
NT9M Rating: 2011-06-03
I'm impressed Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've made several JT65-HF contacts. I was most impressed by the ability to work a VK station on 15 meters whose signal was totally inaudible to my ears. Not a rag chew or contest mode, but definitely useful for picking out DX.
RADIOMANN Rating: 2011-06-03
Limited useful Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
the jt65 does not make any jt65 signal readable wich is not audible by the human ear, if i cant hear any jt65 signal with my ears, the jt65 software does not decode anything either and that is why I dont find it true when someone claims jt65 would decode a signal that is burried under the noise. Exactly that is my Excpectation from a digital mode and the Excpectation for jt65: A digital Mode that can decode a signal wich is so very very weak, healthy human ears dont even notice it.

Another thing I dont like is the very limited messages, the jt65 software says only 13 charackters in Text, that is not usefull for a qso but to watch monitor the propagation as people usualy transmitt their callsigns plus first two letters and number of their locator

What I like is, the jt65 adds a new working mode to amateur radio and it is easy to use, once the software is setup, it does not need any more adjustment and simply starts decoding.

The only difficult thing is the Computers Clock has to be set very accuratly, but for that there is free Software, for example here:
http://www.thinkman.com/dimension4/download.htm
KQ4Y Rating: 2011-03-14
Lots of Fun! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've been using this software for just a few months and have been having a great deal of fun with it. It is easy to use and has been updated twice in the few months that I've been using it. Plus, it's free!
K7EK Rating: 2011-03-13
JT65-HF - Simply the best! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
JT65-HF has made my HF/6m JT65A experience quite excellent. I have been involved with this program since its early days. It continues to get better and better with every new release. JT65-HF simplifies the confusion one will most likely experience with some of the other programs out there. This one is specifically tailored for the HF/6m JT65A operator so there won't be any guess work. Operation on those bands is not an afterthought as with other programs. The various controls and buttons were laid out with much forethought. The waterfall display is very informative and tells you at a glance where signals are active. This program couples with W6CQZ's JT65A Reverse Beacon and chat server, which are a must for any serious operator. See http://jt65.w6cqz.org... Create a username and password & log onto the site. There you will see realtime JT65A spots, being posted by people all around the world running JT65-HF... not to mention the near real-time chat server. If there was ever a "must have" tool for JT65A operation, that is W6CQZ's Reverse Beacon System and Chat Server... Try it... You'll be glad you did....

In addition to the sites mentioned above, the latest version of JT65-HF and setup instructions is also available at authorized mirror site: www dot k7ek dot net, in the downloads area.
KB9UMT Rating: 2011-03-10
Bring those HF signals out of the noise Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Highly recommended....give this software/mode a try (it will not be for everyone because it is not a ragchew digitial mode but you will be amazed at how well it works on weak signals). Once you download, read the material for operation, or ask the user group questions if you have any you will find this software very easy to use and make JT65 contacts on HF.

If you are looking for a weak signal mode for HF then please give JT65-HF a look over (or just download and try it, it's FREE and has good support user group too). Those that are into digital soundcard modes or those new wanting to try weak signal digital contacts on HF this could be your ticket to some weak signal fun.

Those that like QRP will like this software/mode, those that like even less wattage will make contacts those that like more wattage not needed with this mode 1w, 5w, but no more than 20w will make contacts all over the World (depending on band & conditions) even with simple wire antennas.

If you have restrictions (HOA CCRs) most likely you have an antenna close to the ground (houses, or even inside the house/attic) with higher noise levels and this software/mode will get down to and even below the noise to decode signals so a real plus.

For those looking for DX this is the software and mode that will work the DX when the path is so weak that other digital modes will not make it (and more and more ops are giving this mode a try all over the World..so good DX to be had).

Have fun and hope to work some of you in this mode on the HF bands.

Don kb9umt
www.30mdg.net

Your PC clock/time must be perfect so you will need to download a program to do that such as:

http://www.thinkman.com/dimension4/

Below a user support group for JT65-HF:

http://groups.google.com/group/jt65-hf