Operating JS8

Operating JS8

JS8 brings JS8Call-style keyboard-to-keyboard messaging into the browser: a chat panel with a tab per QSO, a live Heard list, group and @ALLCALL channels, automatic heartbeats, and one-click logging. The codec is a WebAssembly build of JS8Call-improved and runs in the browser, so JS8 works in both builds.

Opening the panel

Press JS8 among the mode keys. The panel replaces the scope: the audio waterfall with the JS8 decode region marked, the Heard list with each station's SNR, and the message feed. The band dropdown retunes to the JS8 frequency for the band. Like FT8, opening the panel puts the rig in USB and retunes; closing it restores the VFO.

Submodes

Submode	Slot
Slow	30 s
Normal	15 s
Fast	10 s
JS8 40 (Turbo)	6 s
JS8 60 (Ultra)	4 s

Pick the one the band is using; Normal is the usual choice.

Messaging

• Type a callsign in the compose box, or click a station in the Heard list, to open a QSO tab for it. Messages typed in that tab are directed to that station; a reply arrives in the same tab.
• @ALLCALL and group tabs carry broadcast and group-directed traffic.
• The CMD palette holds the JS8Call directed commands (SNR?, INFO?, GRID?, MSG, relays and the rest); auto-replies to the queries follow JS8Call's rules.
• Heartbeat sends HB on the schedule you set and answers HBs with ACKs, following the JS8Call 3.0 rules.
• A message longer than one frame is queued and sent over consecutive slots; the tab shows its progress.
• LOG on a tab writes the QSO to the shared Logbook.

The station callsign and grid come from the gear dialog, as in every mode.

Things to know

• This is wfweb talking JS8; it interoperates with JS8Call on the air, but the panel is not JS8Call and has no API or network features of it.
• The compressor is switched off for the transmission; see Troubleshooting.
• JS8 and the FT8 panel are peers: opening one closes the other.