Topband: 160

[Paul Christensen]

>If I can set up my station on ft8 and have it run automatically and collect new entities...

If you want to fully automate FT8, there's a presentation available on YouTube.  It only requires installing Quick Macros (QM).  No hacking to the core program is required.  During my setup, it was necessary to start, stop and replay the video many times before it was running correctly.  But once running, it's easy enough to further automate WSJT-X to change bands based on the PC clock (e.g., operate 17m-6m only during daylight hours.  The next logical step is to automate based on propagation software as well as automatically turn rotators and switch antennas based on propagation software prediction.  

Be aware that once QM is controlling WSJT-X, you can move around WSJT-X windows on the desktop but you cannot resize a window where any control takes place.  Any tampering of the window size almost necessitates reprogramming QM macros.   

I'm a core CW op.  That won't change even if I'm the last CW OP standing.  Despite automating FT8, I rarely operate that mode and I don’t collect awards.  Never have.  The exercise to fully automate was to prove to myself that it was possible, and as an experiment to see how far automation can be taken.

Paul, W9AC