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  5. Richard's avatar

    I had the same experience when I started using js8call. It took some perseverance to get the computer and radio…

JS8Call What is it

JS8 is most commonly JS8Call — a weak-signal HF digital messaging mode for amateur radio (and also works perfectly on the 11-meter CB band) that lets you have real keyboard-to-keyboard conversations, compare it to (Short Message Service) SMS. It’s built on the same FT8 encoding but adds free-form text, relays, and networking without needing the internet.

Download the official JS8Call guide here or visit the official website / page first.

Both JS8Call and FT8 use the same weak-signal encoding, but they’re used differently. FT8 is for quick contacts — just callsign, grid, and signal report in 15-second cycles. JS8Call lets you type actual messages, ask for SNR reports, join groups like @ARES or @EMCOMM, and even relay messages through other stations. The trade-off is it’s slower and has a higher duty cycle.

Automated Query Commands:

These commands end with a question mark (?) and ask the remote station to automatically reply with specific data.

CommandAction / Meaning
SNR?What is my signal report? Requests your Signal-to-Noise Ratio as heard by their station.
GRID?What is your grid locator? Requests the station’s 4 or 6-character Maidenhead grid square.
INFO?What is your station info? Requests the custom text set in their station profile (e.g., name, QTH, rig).
STATUS?What is your current status? Requests their current status message (e.g., “Operating portable”, “Away from desk”).
HEARING?Who are you hearing? Requests a list of callsigns that station has recently decoded.
AGN?Please repeat. Automatically requests the station to retransmit its last sent message.

Download JS8Call from JS8Call Downloads – Make me happy and sign my guestbook, thanks !!

Key Features:

  • Free-Form Text & Relaying: Allows direct keyboard messaging as well as store-and-forward mailbox functions and message relaying through other stations if a direct link is blocked.
  • Automated Station Queries: Built-in commands let operators check signal-to-noise ratios (SNR?), grid locators (GRID?), station status (STATUS), or message inboxes (QUERY MSGS) automatically.
  • Multiple Speeds: Offers different speed/bandwidth modes—such as Slow, Normal, Fast, and Turbo—to balance signal robustness against transmission speed.

Disclaimer: Text from Internet, pictures my own, JS8Call download link -> original website JS8Call.