To:    Amateur radio operators interested in using the WSJT
       software package
From:  Joe Taylor, K1JT (k1jt@arrl.net)
Date:  August 26, 2001

This message provides information you'll need to download, install,
and start using the first full release of WSJT, a software package
designed for amateur weak-signal radio communication at VHF.  The mode
presently implemented in WSJT uses FSK441: four-tone Frequency Shift
Keying, at 441 baud, optimized for the technique of high speed meteor
scatter (HSMS).

Downloading instructions will be found under heading #6 below.  The
first thing you should do is point your browser to
http://pulsar.princeton.edu/~joe/K1JT.  You will see a short listing
of files including README.TXT, a copy of the file you are reading now.
You will also see a screen-capture picture of WSJT running at my
station.  If you are new to meteor scatter communication using WSJT
study this picture, or better yet, print it out and keep it handy
while you read the rest of these instructions.  And please *do* read
this whole file before trying to install or use the program!

1. INTRODUCTION 
---------------

WSJT stands for "Weak Signal communications, by K1JT".  The program
provides a high-speed mode for amateur communication using reflections
from underdense meteor trails.  It uses four-tone frequency-shift
keying (FSK) at a speed of 147 characters per second (cps) or 8820
letters per minute (LPM).  There are plans to support the PUA-43 and
EME-2 protocols designed by W7PUA for very slow tropospheric and EME
communications.  However, version 1.0 does not yet have these slow
modes implemented.

In addition to using four-tone FSK to encode arbitrary messages, WSJT
seamlessly integrates single-tone encoding of four short and critical
messages frequently used in HSMS QSOs, namely "R26", "R27", "RRR", and
"73".  These shorthand encodings significantly increase the overall
system sensitivity and throughput, and therefore your ability to
complete QSOs using a minimum number of short, weak pings.  Most users
have found that the shorthand messages can be decoded reliably by ear,
as well as by the computer.  You will soon discover that although WSJT
is highly automated, it still leaves plenty of room for operator skill
and ingenuity.


2. DEVELOPMENT AND PRESENT STATUS
---------------------------------

An open beta release of WSJT took place on July 7, 2001.  It appears
that many hundreds of amateur operators are now using it in North
America and Europe, as well as a smattering in other parts of the
world.  In just a few weeks many thousands of HSMS QSOs have been made
using WSJT, and the VUCC, state, and DXCC totals of many users have
been increased significantly.  Most users find the FSK441 mode to be a
very significant advance over high speed CW (HSCW) techniques, and a
*vast* improvement over SSB for meteor scatter communication.  The DSP
algorithms in WSJT have a knack of detecting very weak pings that by
ear would be categorized as "S1" or "S0" -- and sometimes ones that
are not even heard -- and converting them into solid copy!  

3. DISCLAIMER
-------------

I will forego the customary all-caps legalese about how nothing is
guaranteed, you use this software only at your own risk, etc., etc.
But do take note that I am guaranteeing nothing whatsoever!  I am not
a professional programmer; I do this just for fun, and in fact WSJT is
the first and only program I've ever written for the Windows
environment.  You might still find some rough edges, and no doubt you
will wish for some features that are not implemented.  I hope you will
help me to improve the program further, and that you will enjoy making
many meteor-scatter QSOs with it.


4. OVERVIEW OF FEATURES
-----------------------

   - Same hardware and operating system requirements as PSK31, 
     WinMSDSP, and other soundcard based amateur radio software
   - Uses four-tone frequency-shift keying at 441 baud
   - Makes highly effective use of SSB audio bandwidth
   - Produces a clean transmitted spectrum
   - Transmission speed 147 characters per second, or 8820 LPM
   - Converts barely audible pings to solid copy on critical 
     short messages

5. REQUIREMENTS FOR USE
-----------------------

   - SSB station for one or more VHF bands
   - Computer running Windows 95, 98 or ME.  Windows 2000 and
     a beta release of Windows XP have also been found to work,
     although the present level of testing has been less.
   - 75 MHz Pentium or faster CPU
   - Monitor running at 800 x 600 or higher resolution
   - At least 32 MB RAM
   - At least 40 MB of free disk space
   - Windows-compatible soundcard
   - Station interface like those required for PSK31, MFSK16,
     Hellschreiber, etc.  The DTR or RTS line of one COM port is used 
     to key your transmitter's PTT line.  Standard connections are 
     required between your radio's audio output and the computer 
     soundcard input, and vice-versa.


6. GETTING AND INSTALLING THE PROGRAM
-------------------------------------

WSJT version 1.0 is available for download at web address
http://pulsar.princeton.edu/~joe/K1JT.  Direct your browser to this
address and download one or more of the files you find listed there.
If you have already installed an earlier version of WSJT, you should
need read the file README.100 and download the file UPD100.ZIP.  If
you are a new user you must download WSJT100.ZIP, which is
approximately 5 MB in size.  

Unzip the ZIP file into a convenient directory (such as C:\TEMP) and
then:

   -  If you are upgrading from an earlier version, copy the unzipped
      files over your existing files of the same name.  If there are
      any new files, copy them into your main WSJT installation 
      directory.

   -  If you are installing WSJT from scratch, run SETUP.EXE to 
      install the program to a permanent location of your choice.

During installation you may receive a few messages of the general form
"An error occurred while registering the file
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\[...]".  You may safely click "Ignore" to continue
with the installation.  If your system reports that you already have
some file with a newer date than one being installed, you may keep
your existing file.

When SETUP reports the installation to be complete, you will probably
want to create a shortcut on your desktop for starting WSJT.  To do
this, double-click on "My Computer", then on the relevant hard drive
symbol, and from there on down to the directory in which you have
installed WSJT.  Right-click on the file WSJT.EXE and select "Create
Shortcut".  Then drag the shortcut from the installation folder onto
your desktop.


7. INITIAL CHECKOUT
-------------------

Double-click on the WSJT icon to start the program, and when the full
screen view appears select Help from the Help menu.  Then, 

*********************************************************************
*    PLEASE, PLEASE, READ AND PRINT THE FULL INSTRUCTION MANUAL     *
*                BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO USE WSJT!                     *
*            IT IS AVAILABLE ON THE WSJT WEB SITE                   *
*********************************************************************


Please email your comments, suggestions, and problem reports to me at
k1jt@arrl.net.

			-- 73, Joe, K1JT
