I’ve been reading the email about the new JS8Call keyboard QSO mode. If you think FT8 but allowing free-text messaging, you’ve got the basic idea. The exchange rate isn’t very fast, equivalent to 10-15 WPM CW, but it has similar heavy forward error correction as does FT8.
What you type is broken up into small chunks and sent out, then reassembled by the software. See the middle of the screen where you can see W8VYM’s final transmission, which took about 5 blocks of 15 second.
I found the software very easy to install, and the setup and use quite intuitive. I was on the air within a couple of minutes of downloading the program.
My condolences go out to John, WBVYM, in Eastman, GA for putting up with my fumbling during my first on-air QSO.
To obtain the software you must sign-up for the JS8Call group on groups.io (https://groups.io/g/js8call).
Because the software is in beta release, versions automatically expire. The current version, 0.8.3, expires this Thursday, so a newer release will be out before then.
Thanks to Jordan, KN4CRD, for this fascinating new mode!
