FT8 on HACKRF One Using SDR Consoul

[KA9CBS]

I'm an old timer of 45 years on amateur radio so this stuff is new to me. I would like to know what I need to get my Kenwood TS-59SG and HackRF One SDR to work to decode FT8 and display the FT8 also what other software is needed to work FT8 on the air?
I also Have an SDRPlay RSV1A that I can use if it would be better. Thanks for any help getting this old man into the current tech age.
73 de KA9CBS
Charles Bruce Shurtz

[Max]

I'm an old timer of 45 years on amateur radio so this stuff is new to me. I would like to know what I need to get my Kenwood TS-59SG and HackRF One SDR to work to decode FT8 and display the FT8 also what other software is needed to work FT8 on the air?
I also Have an SDRPlay RSV1A that I can use if it would be better. Thanks for any help getting this old man into the current tech age.
73 de KA9CBS
Charles Bruce Shurtz

Hello Charles

In a way you have two separate questions here. One is (I think you are asking) to use an SDR (I suggest you use the RSP1A) as a panadapter to get a spectrum analyser type display out of the TS-590SG. It seems you are lucky here as the SG has a feature to make this very easy (RX antenna-out feed). To achieve this I suggest you take a look at this video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n96ZgDQa77Y

The fact they use SDR Uno in the video (well, the video is by SDR Play!) as the software is largely irrelevant. This is a forum for users of alternative software SDR Console, but you could change to this afterwards if you do not get on with SDR Uno. The important part of the video is getting control of the TS-590SG and RX RF into the SDR. Personally I loathe SDR Uno so that's why I'm on here because as an operator's tool I far prefer the much easier interface of SDR Console. It's a much closer match to operating a regular "black box" rig in my opinion only of course!

The other thing you want to do is get on air with FT8. In many ways I suggest if this is your main aim you, initially at least, bypass the above "panadapter" procedure. It's not necessary and an additional complication that you do not need to get going. WSJT-X which is the software for FT8 has its own panadapter built if as far as displaying FT8 signals goes. In many ways I suggest you skip the above step with the SDR (at least initially) and go straight to just interfacing WSJT-X with the TS-590SG.

As a great step-by-step introduction to this I suggest you look at this video. After the introduction it has quite a big section on setting up and operating FT8:

https://youtu.be/_SBhix7YwBM

Hope it helps get you going.

Max