FT8's Fox Hound Mode Explained!

This month as part of the club's "Fifth Wednesday" special presentation series, Al Rovner K7AR gives the Sierra Foothills ARC a review of WSJT's "Fox / Hound" mode for the very popular FT8 communications protocol. This talk is based on an article he published in the ARRL October 2023 issue of QST Magazine.

Fox / Hound manages the flow of traffic between Ham Radio DXpedition stations and the many operators trying to make contact with them. The mode helps manage the DXpedition team's workload, and improves the over-the-air communications efficiency to allow as many contacts to be made as possible.

Al was first licensed in 1971 as WA2TMP in New Jersey, receiving K7AR with the vanity program in 1996. He now lives in Vancouver, WA, and is a retired engineer and an active DXer and Contester. Al has participated in 28 DXpeditions, with the last 11 years in the South Pacific. Over the last 7 expeditions, Al has become an expert in using the Fox mode in FT8, and his experience shows in the deep understanding he relates in this presentation.