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Ideas for an FT8 Radio

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John Harper

Ideas for an FT8 Radio

The upcoming QSX kit from G0UPL may have FT8 capability. Hans announced
that it will run PSK31, WSPR and RTTY natively, ie on firmware within the
rig. Another ham, a Latvian I believe, asked "Why not FT8 too?"

Hans offered him a free QSX if he could write the code for FT8 capability
to exist within the QSX and, last I heard, he was successful.

https://qrp-labs.com/qsx.html

John AE5X
https://ae5x.blogspot.com
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Devin Butterfield

Re: Ideas for an FT8 Radio

One of the potential issues no one has mentioned is that JT and friends released the code for FT8 under the GNU GPL license. This means if you link this into any proprietary closed device or firmware, you would violate the terms of the license.

You would have to either:

1. Write a cleanroom implementation from scratch of FT8, ensuring you didn’t use any GPL code and didn’t violate any copyrights

or

2. Build an “open” box radio, where all software is open source and licensed under the GPL

Having said that, you might want to discuss with an attorney before starting a business venture using JT’s software.

I also agree that a one-mode radio wouldn’t be of interest for very long.
—
Regards, Devin / K6DRS

> On Dec 30, 2018, at 5:44 PM, John Harper <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> The upcoming QSX kit from G0UPL may have FT8 capability. Hans announced
> that it will run PSK31, WSPR and RTTY natively, ie on firmware within the
> rig. Another ham, a Latvian I believe, asked "Why not FT8 too?"
>
> Hans offered him a free QSX if he could write the code for FT8 capability
> to exist within the QSX and, last I heard, he was successful.
>
> https://qrp-labs.com/qsx.html
>
> John AE5X
> https://ae5x.blogspot.com
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
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John Harper

Re: Ideas for an FT8 Radio

Here's the thread - scroll down to message #27527:

https://groups.io/g/QRPLabs/topic/no_ft8_in_the_upcoming_qsx/27317246?p=,,,20,0,0,0::recentpostdate%2Fsticky,,,20,2,0,27317246

John AE5X
https://ae5x.blogspot.com

On Sun, Dec 30, 2018 at 7:56 PM Devin Butterfield <
[hidden email]> wrote:

> One of the potential issues no one has mentioned is that JT and friends
> released the code for FT8 under the GNU GPL license. This means if you link
> this into any proprietary closed device or firmware, you would violate the
> terms of the license.
>
> You would have to either:
>
> 1. Write a cleanroom implementation from scratch of FT8, ensuring you
> didn’t use any GPL code and didn’t violate any copyrights
>
> or
>
> 2. Build an “open” box radio, where all software is open source and
> licensed under the GPL
>
> Having said that, you might want to discuss with an attorney before
> starting a business venture using JT’s software.
>
> I also agree that a one-mode radio wouldn’t be of interest for very long.
> —
> Regards, Devin / K6DRS
>
>
> > On Dec 30, 2018, at 5:44 PM, John Harper <[hidden email]> wrote:
> >
> > The upcoming QSX kit from G0UPL may have FT8 capability. Hans announced
> > that it will run PSK31, WSPR and RTTY natively, ie on firmware within the
> > rig. Another ham, a Latvian I believe, asked "Why not FT8 too?"
> >
> > Hans offered him a free QSX if he could write the code for FT8 capability
> > to exist within the QSX and, last I heard, he was successful.
> >
> > https://qrp-labs.com/qsx.html
> >
> > John AE5X
> > https://ae5x.blogspot.com
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > Elecraft mailing list
> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> > Post: mailto:[hidden email]
> >
> > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> > Message delivered to [hidden email]
>
>

Bob McGraw - K4TAX

Re: Ideas for an FT8 Radio

In reply to this post by Devin Butterfield

My interest is already diminished to zero.

73

Bob, K4TAX

On 12/30/2018 7:56 PM, Devin Butterfield wrote:
> I also agree that a one-mode radio wouldn’t be of interest for very long.

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Wes Stewart-2

Re: Ideas for an FT8 Radio

When a post has "FT8" in the subject line, it's an automatic delete. I only
opened this one because Bob wrote it.

BTW, I too use Thunderbird, but don't use any filters etc. I find that I'm
perfectly capable of deleting unwanted posts by myself. For the life of me I
don't know what all of the hand-wringing is about with OT posts.

Wes N7WS

On 12/30/2018 8:19 PM, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote:
> My interest is already diminished to zero.
>
> 73
>
> Bob, K4TAX
>
> On 12/30/2018 7:56 PM, Devin Butterfield wrote:
>> I also agree that a one-mode radio wouldn’t be of interest for very long.

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Jim Brown-10

Re: Ideas for an FT8 Radio

On 12/30/2018 7:36 PM, Wes Stewart wrote:
> For the life of me I don't know what all of the hand-wringing is about
> with OT posts.

I suspect that the complaints come from those who choose to read a
digest, or who don't use a decent email client. My delete key has always
worked quite well.

73, Jim K9YC

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W2xj

Re: Ideas for an FT8 Radio

Digests are from the early 90s. Totally unnecessary in this day and age.

Sent from my iPad

> On Dec 30, 2018, at 11:15 PM, Jim Brown <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> On 12/30/2018 7:36 PM, Wes Stewart wrote:
>> For the life of me I don't know what all of the hand-wringing is about with OT posts.
>
> I suspect that the complaints come from those who choose to read a digest, or who don't use a decent email client. My delete key has always worked quite well.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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>
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>

Dennis Moore

Re: Ideas for an FT8 Radio

In reply to this post by Devin Butterfield

That explains the complete and utter failure of the K1 and KX1 to gain
any popularity.

73, Dennis NJ6G
Happy New Year!

On 12/30/2018 17:56, Devin Butterfield wrote:
> I also agree that a one-mode radio wouldn’t be of interest for very long.
> —
> Regards, Devin / K6DRS
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Neil Zampella

Re: Ideas for an FT8 Radio

In reply to this post by John Harper

As long as the developer is using any part of the WSJT-X code it cannot
be added to closed source firmware. It doesn't matter that it can be
done.
It would be in violation of the GPL

Neil, KN3ILZ

On 12/30/2018 8:59 PM, John Harper wrote:

> Here's the thread - scroll down to message #27527:
>
> https://groups.io/g/QRPLabs/topic/no_ft8_in_the_upcoming_qsx/27317246?p=,,,20,0,0,0::recentpostdate%2Fsticky,,,20,2,0,27317246
>
> John AE5X
> https://ae5x.blogspot.com
>
>
>
> On Sun, Dec 30, 2018 at 7:56 PM Devin Butterfield <
> [hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> One of the potential issues no one has mentioned is that JT and friends
>> released the code for FT8 under the GNU GPL license. This means if you link
>> this into any proprietary closed device or firmware, you would violate the
>> terms of the license.
>>
>> You would have to either:
>>
>> 1. Write a cleanroom implementation from scratch of FT8, ensuring you
>> didn’t use any GPL code and didn’t violate any copyrights
>>
>> or
>>
>> 2. Build an “open” box radio, where all software is open source and
>> licensed under the GPL
>>
>> Having said that, you might want to discuss with an attorney before
>> starting a business venture using JT’s software.
>>
>> I also agree that a one-mode radio wouldn’t be of interest for very long.
>> —
>> Regards, Devin / K6DRS
>>
>>
>>> On Dec 30, 2018, at 5:44 PM, John Harper <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>>
>>> The upcoming QSX kit from G0UPL may have FT8 capability. Hans announced
>>> that it will run PSK31, WSPR and RTTY natively, ie on firmware within the
>>> rig. Another ham, a Latvian I believe, asked "Why not FT8 too?"
>>>
>>> Hans offered him a free QSX if he could write the code for FT8 capability
>>> to exist within the QSX and, last I heard, he was successful.
>>>
>>> https://qrp-labs.com/qsx.html
>>>
>>> John AE5X
>>> https://ae5x.blogspot.com
>>> ______________________________________________________________
>>> Elecraft mailing list
>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>>> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>>>
>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>>

---
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Gwen Patton

Re: Ideas for an FT8 Radio

They can put it on a separate module. There's space for at least a
Raspberry Pi Zero in there, so it could be put on a dedicated board of its
own. That way, it wouldn't be software in the main system firmware, it'd be
a separate, optional module with its own license. THAT can be GPL. You can
sell things with GPL software in them, after all. The only thing that would
violate the GPL is if they put the FT8 code in the main firmware.

Gwen, NG3P

On Mon, Dec 31, 2018 at 8:20 PM Neil Zampella <[hidden email]> wrote:

> As long as the developer is using any part of the WSJT-X code it cannot
> be added to closed source firmware. It doesn't matter that it can be
> done.
> It would be in violation of the GPL
>
> Neil, KN3ILZ
>
> On 12/30/2018 8:59 PM, John Harper wrote:
> > Here's the thread - scroll down to message #27527:
> >
> >
> https://groups.io/g/QRPLabs/topic/no_ft8_in_the_upcoming_qsx/27317246?p=,,,20,0,0,0::recentpostdate%2Fsticky,,,20,2,0,27317246
> >
> > John AE5X
> > https://ae5x.blogspot.com
> >
> >
> >
> > On Sun, Dec 30, 2018 at 7:56 PM Devin Butterfield <
> > [hidden email]> wrote:
> >
> >> One of the potential issues no one has mentioned is that JT and friends
> >> released the code for FT8 under the GNU GPL license. This means if you
> link
> >> this into any proprietary closed device or firmware, you would violate
> the
> >> terms of the license.
> >>
> >> You would have to either:
> >>
> >> 1. Write a cleanroom implementation from scratch of FT8, ensuring you
> >> didn’t use any GPL code and didn’t violate any copyrights
> >>
> >> or
> >>
> >> 2. Build an “open” box radio, where all software is open source and
> >> licensed under the GPL
> >>
> >> Having said that, you might want to discuss with an attorney before
> >> starting a business venture using JT’s software.
> >>
> >> I also agree that a one-mode radio wouldn’t be of interest for very
> long.
> >> —
> >> Regards, Devin / K6DRS
> >>
> >>
> >>> On Dec 30, 2018, at 5:44 PM, John Harper <[hidden email]> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> The upcoming QSX kit from G0UPL may have FT8 capability. Hans announced
> >>> that it will run PSK31, WSPR and RTTY natively, ie on firmware within
> the
> >>> rig. Another ham, a Latvian I believe, asked "Why not FT8 too?"
> >>>
> >>> Hans offered him a free QSX if he could write the code for FT8
> capability
> >>> to exist within the QSX and, last I heard, he was successful.
> >>>
> >>> https://qrp-labs.com/qsx.html
> >>>
> >>> John AE5X
> >>> https://ae5x.blogspot.com
> >>> ______________________________________________________________
> >>> Elecraft mailing list
> >>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> >>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> >>> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
> >>>
> >>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> >>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> >>> Message delivered to [hidden email]
> >>
>
> ---
> This email has been checked for viruses by AVG.
> https://www.avg.com
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

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