Due to the health issues of the developer Joe Large W6CQZ it has been some time since there was a new version of the popular JT65-HF application. So I was interested to receive an email from Erwin, DK5EW, telling me about an enhanced version of JT65-HF made by Matthias DL3VCO called JT65-HF-Comfort.
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| JT65-HF as enhanced by Matthias, DL3VCO |
Matthias has not made an add-on to JT65-HF in the style of programs like JT-Alert. Instead he has made changes to the actual JT65-HF source code. I was particularly pleased to see that the enhanced version retains compatibility with the popular add-on
JT-Alert by Laurie, VK5AMA. When I tried recompiling the JT65-HF source code myself the new version did not work with Laurie's program, which I regard as an essential aid to JT65A operating. (In fact I have cheekily asked VK5AMA if he would consider making a version of JT-Alert that works with K1JT's WSJT-X program!)
I have not spent much time with JT65-HF-Comfort as my interest at the moment is directed towards the new JT9 mode, but you can see from the screenshot that one of the improvements DL3VCO has made is to display the callsign above each trace on the waterfall. He has also added a new Statistics menu which displays the number of contacts you have made per DXCC entity per band. I couldn't show you that as I use KComm for logging so my log is not in a format that JT65-HF-Comfort can read. You can find a Google-translated version of the JT65-HF-Comfort information
here.
If you are interested in trying JT65-HF-Comfort then you can
download a setup program (a modified version of W6CQZ's installer) to install the updated version. I shall certainly try using it the next time I do some JT65A operation.
10 comments:
I downloaded the new comfort version, but it won't work. I can't shut down the program, the date is something in 2006, it won't start either. Something to look at when I am back from holidays. 73 Paul
Hi Paul. You have to enter a name for the log file before it will close. Either specify a new file or export your log to an .adif file so it can show the countries you have worked.
Julian, G4ILO
Oooh - thanks, Julian. Will take a look. JT65A is a staple operating mode for me, so this will be interesting.
Tim
Hi Tim.
It works well. I've just had a QSO using it. Main stumbling block is you MUST specify an .adif or Mixw .log file of you can't close the settings. If you don't have either of those, export your log to an .adif so it knows which stations you've worked already.
Having said that, I've switched to WSJT-X and JT9 now. JT9-1 works almost identically to JT65A and uses a fifth of the bandwidth.
Julian, G4ILO
Hello Julian, Just spotted your reference to the revised JT65 software and tried it out. I have managed to get it to work except for the automated logging. My saved log file seems not to capture the details of the QSO. All it contains is a series of statements where the details of the QSO should be. Any idea what I have not set correctly?
73
Peter M0HBL
PS a very interesting blog by the way. Well doen for doing it.
Hi Peter.
I believe someone reported that the ADIF file logging was broken. The MixW format logging, which I use, works.
Keep your eyes open for an updated version.
Julian, G4ILO
Hello Julian
I see there is now an update to JT65 comfort which now saves the log file. Sadly the frequency is saved in a format such that it outputs KHz rather than MHz. Commas rather than periods separate the 'thousands' in the manner of continental European usage) So the file does not upload without error into my logging programme and I shall continue to use the original JT65 programme. It would be nice to see however a similar complete automated logging feature within JT9. I emailed Joe Taylor this week suggesting this. I imagine with such a feature, JT9 would become much more popular.
Hope the interior decorating is going well.
Best regards 73
Peter M0HBL
Hi Peter.
I'm hoping that Laurie VK3AMA will make a version of JT-Alert that works with WSJT-X and logging will be a part of that.
Julian G4ILO
Hi All
Question? When during the receive cycle does the software decide what Db level to report?
TNX Ray KD0FYF
A good question, Ray. I suspect that only W6CQZ knows the answer.
Julian, G4ILO
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