Many HAMS are trying digital modes for the first time and joining the already large community using a popular program called WSJT-X. This is not a guide on how to operate on these digital modes, although we are working on a step by step guide coming soon. This is for all the users who are familiar and operate comfortably on digital modes already.
There are many programs out that decode and encode these digital messages but WSJT-X is by far the most popular and easy to use. You click the decoded message you want to respond to and the program will generate the messages and auto sequence a QSO with the selected station and then be waiting for your next command. But what if I told you there was another version of this program that chooses the calls you take based on a configurable filter or continues to hail CQ for new QSO’s. This program is called WSJT-Z and is found on SourceForge.
WSJT-Z is a clone and modification to the original WSJT-X program, which was designed to facilitate
ham radio communications with very weak signals. WSJT-X was based on an earlier program, WSJT,
released in 2001 by Joe Taylor, K1JT. WSJT-Z was previously known as WSJT-X SQ9FVE Full-Auto Mod,
and was written by Tom Rudzinski, SQ9FVE.
WSJT-Z includes the open source WSJT-X software and extends it with these additional features:
- Modified user interface, including a larger Band Activity pane
- Extended filtering features,
- Auto CQ and auto responding
- QRZ.COM integration
- Audio alerts
- DXCC / Continent Filtering
- US state filtering
- Azimuth and Distance
- Additional views of the decoded messages and additional callsign information
- Integration with PSKReporter.
- WSJT-Z supports ONLY FT4, FT8, JT*, and WSPR.
While WSJT-Z does provide a great deal of automation, users should always attend to their
transceiver unless automated operation is legal in your location.
In a default installation, WSJT-Z replaces WSJT-X, meaning users may not switch between the two
packages. However, users may install them in separate directories if they desire to be able to switch
between them.