JS8 Mode
This is not meant to be more than a primer; see the link for more information. JS8 uses the FT8 protocol to send text point-to-point. This was made for poor signal conditions. It has several features that make it good for emergency communications.
- It breaks up the messages “frames”, allowing for more traffic on the channel.
- Groups can be created. During emergencies, operators might be rotated at a location. Using a group, the tactical callsign could serve as the recipient of the directed message rather than an individual, ensuring continuity. For example, Rutland Regional could be RRMC; any message prefaced with @RRMC would go to any operator who had added the group to their settings.
- Routing. In southern VT, we have one repeater we can hit, which will link us to the rest of the state. If that is offline, we will need to find an alternative route. With stations along the way, we could do something like Meshtastic does, namely, pass the message along. If SVMC wanted to talk to RRMC, the process would look something like (assuming AC1IX is the relay) AC1IX>@RRMC>Need status patient 12. Then RRMC could send AC1IX>@SVMC>stable. In theory, depending on the number of hops you can enter, you could pass a message around the state from a location back to itself.
- Mailbox – store and retrieve. Like Winlink, there is a mailbox system. The documentation is incomplete, so something to experiment with.
How we use it
Our initial use of this technology (in December 2025/January 2026) will be to see who can hear us and who we can hear. Those logs will help us map the interconnections we can make and identify pathways through Vermont should the repeater system go down.
Please configure your station to AUTO sending then send to @ALLCALL, SNR? This will let you get reports (automatically if all the people who can hear you are correctly configured) and see who is around you. Grab your log and email AC1IX@winlink.net.
This may also be used in our Skywarn reporting.
For more details about this protocol, visit JS8Call | The official site for JS8Call
Make sure you read the documentation, especially regarding the accuracy requirements for your clock.
