Configuring WSJT-X on Ubuntu for an Icom IC-7200
I’ve been trying to configure WSJT-X so I can run FT8 and WSPR for quite a while now. I finally tracked the problem to my Macbook which is introducing noise to the radio (could be the USB to USB-C adapter) and WSPR-X also crashes a lot during transmission. After switching to an antique Dell Latitude D520 from 2006, my signal on 40m (7.038600 MHz) is being received.
Here is the database output from wsprnet.org, of unique spots sorted by distance owith transmit power from 5-100 W. I was able to hit the US, Canada, Japan, Western Australia, etc with 100 W. This was with an end-fed half wave antenna with part of the antenna inside the house!
Timestamp Call MHz SNR Drift Grid Pwr Reporter RGrid km az 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040008 -20 0 QF56 100 VE3CWM FN15xi 15836 57 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040004 -23 0 QF56 50 KD4IZ FM19oo 15748 67 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.039999 -26 0 QF56 50 WB3DZC FM07ux 15595 69 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040008 -26 0 QF56 100 K4RCG FM08si 15587 68 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040011 -25 0 QF56 50 N3EDS FM09jx 15547 66 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040000 -20 0 QF56 100 W8AC EN91jm 15400 63 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040003 -26 0 QF56 50 WA4DT EM94lx 15288 73 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040014 -24 0 QF56 50 KI8FW EM79 15046 65 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040012 -23 0 QF56 50 AJ4JA EL88qg 14925 81 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040000 -25 0 QF56 50 K9AN EN50wc 14801 64 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040001 -20 0 QF56 100 N8AUM EM70em 14737 77 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040002 -21 0 QF56 100 KE1THA EN43 14634 59 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040007 -23 0 QF56 100 N5CEY EL16gc 13479 78 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.039997 -27 0 QF56 100 W7REK DM42lk 12589 65 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040001 -22 0 QF56 100 AE7SJ CN97au 12498 46 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040002 -25 0 QF56 50 W7OWO CN85lh 12297 49 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040028 -14 0 QF56 100 JH3APN PM74tq 7751 347 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040003 -16 0 QF56 50 JJ5NEX PM63 7684 344 2018-04-22 09:38 VK2APL 7.040012 -16 0 QF56 10 VK6CQ OF78wa 3270 263 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040023 -6 0 QF56 50 VK5MR PF89kk 1366 280 2018-04-22 09:42 VK2APL 7.040000 -25 0 QF56 20 VK5AKK PF94ix 1137 258 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040001 -3 0 QF56 50 VK7JJ QE38lr 931 201 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040001 -1 0 QF56 100 VK4ZBV QG62ml 696 17 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040001 -9 0 QF56 100 VK4XDB QG62jk 685 15 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040000 -25 0 QF56 50 VK2XN QF59ar 372 346
Installation of WSJT-X was done by:
sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa:ki7mt/wsjtx-next
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install wsjtx
sudo usermod -a -G dialout $USER # then need to logout and login again
Check using http://time.is that your clock is accurate (it should be automatically synced in Ubuntu).
In WSJT-X, the Radio settings are:
Serial Port: /dev/ttyUSB0 (baud rate: 9600, Data: 8, Stop Bits: 2, Handshake: default)
PTT method: CAT. Mode: USB, Split operation: Rig
and the Audio settings need to be set to alsa_input.usb-Burr-Brown_from_TI_USB_audio_CODEC-00-CODEC.analog-stereo with the Pwr slider all the way to the top.
On the radio:
Data: oF, MoD: U, D-MoD: MA, USB LVL: 80
(13/10/2018 - Jimmy Capizzi on the 7200 Owners and Fans Facebook Group suggested to set the d-mod to usb and the regular mod to microphone. That way it’s only one menu option to work voice ssb.)
Here is the result (in reverse chronological order) as I increased the power. Interesting that, with my current antenna (a end-fed half wave), I didn’t make it out of Australia with less than 50 W.
Timestamp Call MHz SNR Drift Grid Pwr Reporter RGrid km az 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040001 -1 0 QF56 100 VK4ZBV QG62ml 696 17 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040003 -22 0 QF56 100 W7OWO CN85lh 12297 49 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040000 -23 0 QF56 100 VK2XN QF59ar 372 346 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040001 -20 0 QF56 100 N8AUM EM70em 14737 77 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040023 -6 0 QF56 100 VK5MR PF89kk 1366 280 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.039997 -27 0 QF56 100 W7REK DM42lk 12589 65 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040003 -24 0 QF56 100 WA4DT EM94lx 15288 73 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040008 -26 0 QF56 100 K4RCG FM08si 15587 68 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040011 -18 0 QF56 100 VK6CQ OF78wa 3270 263 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.039999 -23 0 QF56 100 WB3DZC FM07ux 15595 69 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040014 -20 0 QF56 100 KI8FW EM79 15046 65 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040008 -20 0 QF56 100 VE3CWM FN15xi 15836 57 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040003 -13 0 QF56 100 JJ5NEX PM63 7684 344 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040028 -14 0 QF56 100 JH3APN PM74tq 7751 347 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040000 -23 0 QF56 100 K9AN EN50wc 14801 64 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040001 -22 0 QF56 100 AE7SJ CN97au 12498 46 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040001 -9 0 QF56 100 VK4XDB QG62jk 685 15 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040000 -20 0 QF56 100 W8AC EN91jm 15400 63 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040002 -21 0 QF56 100 KE1THA EN43 14634 59 2018-04-22 09:52 VK2APL 7.040007 -23 0 QF56 100 N5CEY EL16gc 13479 78 – 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.039999 -26 0 QF56 50 WB3DZC FM07ux 15595 69 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040011 -25 0 QF56 50 N3EDS FM09jx 15547 66 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040002 -25 0 QF56 50 KE1THA EN43 14634 59 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040012 -15 0 QF56 50 VK6CQ OF78wa 3270 263 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040001 -4 0 QF56 50 VK4ZBV QG62ml 696 17 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040001 -22 0 QF56 50 N8AUM EM70em 14737 77 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040001 -12 0 QF56 50 VK4XDB QG62jk 685 15 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040012 -23 0 QF56 50 AJ4JA EL88qg 14925 81 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040000 -25 0 QF56 50 VK2XN QF59ar 372 346 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040014 -24 0 QF56 50 KI8FW EM79 15046 65 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040004 -23 0 QF56 50 KD4IZ FM19oo 15748 67 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040002 -25 0 QF56 50 W7OWO CN85lh 12297 49 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040001 -3 0 QF56 50 VK7JJ QE38lr 931 201 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040000 -25 0 QF56 50 K9AN EN50wc 14801 64 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040023 -6 0 QF56 50 VK5MR PF89kk 1366 280 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040003 -16 0 QF56 50 JJ5NEX PM63 7684 344 2018-04-22 09:46 VK2APL 7.040003 -26 0 QF56 50 WA4DT EM94lx 15288 73 – 2018-04-22 09:42 VK2APL 7.040023 -11 1 QF56 20 VK5MR PF89kk 1366 280 2018-04-22 09:42 VK2APL 7.040012 -20 0 QF56 20 VK6CQ OF78wa 3270 263 2018-04-22 09:42 VK2APL 7.040000 -25 0 QF56 20 VK5AKK PF94ix 1137 258 2018-04-22 09:42 VK2APL 7.040001 -13 0 QF56 20 VK4XDB QG62jk 685 15 2018-04-22 09:42 VK2APL 7.040001 -9 0 QF56 20 VK4ZBV QG62ml 696 17 – 2018-04-22 09:38 VK2APL 7.040023 -10 0 QF56 10 VK5MR PF89kk 1366 280 2018-04-22 09:38 VK2APL 7.040012 -16 0 QF56 10 VK6CQ OF78wa 3270 263 2018-04-22 09:38 VK2APL 7.040001 -15 0 QF56 10 VK4XDB QG62jk 685 15 2018-04-22 09:38 VK2APL 7.040001 -10 0 QF56 10 VK4ZBV QG62ml 696 17 – 2018-04-22 09:26 VK2APL 7.040023 +3 0 QF56 5 VK5MR PF89kk 1366 280 2018-04-22 09:26 VK2APL 7.040001 -16 0 QF56 5 VK4XDB QG62jk 685 15 2018-04-22 09:26 VK2APL 7.040001 -11 0 QF56 5 VK4ZBV QG62ml 696 17
Here are my unique spots.
Timestamp Call MHz SNR Drift Grid Pwr Reporter RGrid km az 2018-04-22 09:36 AE7SJ 7.040048 -13 0 CN97au 501 VK2APL QF56 12498 244 2018-04-22 09:48 KF6I 7.040081 -23 0 DM13bv 10 VK2APL QF56 12097 242 2018-04-22 09:40 JG1EIQ 7.040036 -26 0 PM74ns 1 VK2APL QF56 7771 166 2018-04-22 09:32 JA5NVN 7.040176 -22 0 PM74ec 2 VK2APL QF56 7716 165 2018-04-22 09:36 VK6CQ 7.040027 -5 0 OF78wa 5 VK2APL QF56 3270 103 2018-04-22 09:50 VK6JB 7.040050 -23 0 PF09rg 0.5 VK2APL QF56 2786 104 2018-04-22 09:48 ZL3TKI 7.040102 -20 0 RE66hk 0.1 VK2APL QF56 2181 293 2018-04-22 09:32 VK4XDB 7.040098 -2 0 QG62jk 5 VK2APL QF56 685 194 2018-04-22 09:34 VK2RG 7.040083 -18 0 QF56mc 0.2 VK2APL QF56 42 350
