[bars] Looking for software to identify digital modes

[Juan Jiménez]

I can tell what type of digital is being worked by looking at the waterfall
display. After a while you can identify it within seconds.

73,
K1CPR
Juan


On Thu, Oct 2, 2025 at 10:01 PM Leandra MacLennan via bars <bars at w1hh.org>
wrote:

> The "secret" technique to identify digital signals is to do lots of
> listening.
>
>  I have done a lot of listening and can identify by ear most of the common
> digital signals.
>
> FT8/FT4/JS8Call, these are the easiest to identify by their positions in
> the band. WSJT-X shows the frequencies where most of this operation takes
> place. These signals are synchronized to the clock. FT8 signals start at
> the top of the minute and at 30 seconds into the minute. FT4 signals are
> only 15 seconds long and start at second 0, 15, 30 and 45. JS8Call uses
> FT8, but are different frequencies that are not shown in WSJT-X. Every once
> in a while, a DX station will use an oddball frequency to keep their
> traffic off the FT8 watering holes. And they often use a special WSJT-X
> mode, so read up on them before trying to make a contact.
>
> Start by listening to the ARRL digital bulletins. These are sent every
> weekday in three different modes: RTTY, PSK32 and MFSK16. Use FLDIGI to
> decode these signals. These signals sound very different from each other.
> After a couple sessions you will be able to identify which mode you are
> hearing.
> https://www.arrl.org/digital-transmissions
>
>
> In the 80M and 40M CW bands you will hear a lot of VARA. This is a robust
> digital mode with handshaking. You can identify these signals by the short
> and repetitive signal bursts.
> VARA is heavily used for Winlink traffic, so you will see lots of VARA in
> the evenings on 80 and 40.
> VarAC also uses VARA for data transport. The two watering holes for VarAC
> are 7.105 and 14.105.
>
> And Packet is very distinctive - listen for APRS on 144.39 MHz
>
> And FYI, all digital transmissions on all bands, with only one exception
> (packet on 40M), are all USB.
>
>    -Leandra
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* bars <bars-bounces at w1hh.org> on behalf of JWAHAR BAMMI via bars <
> bars at w1hh.org>
> *Sent:* Thursday, October 2, 2025 9:18 PM
> *To:* Verhulst <verhulst at comcast.net>
> *Cc:* CLUB BROADCAST BARS <bars at w1hh.org>
> *Subject:* Re: [bars] Looking for software to identify digital modes
>
> https://www.sigidwiki.com/wiki/Signal_Identification_Guide
>
> Is a good place to start
>
> FLDIGI will identify most signal with an RSID
>
> 73 de ws1m
> Bammi
>
> On Oct 2, 2025, at 4:43 PM, Verhulst via bars <bars at w1hh.org> wrote:
>
> Barsians,
>
> There are plenty of programs that will let you hear different different
> digital modes offline. What I have not been able to find a program that
> connects to the radio and identify the currently tuned signal mode. I'm not
> particularly interested in decoding the signal. Anyone know of such a
> program?
>
> Thanx  73s Tony W1DYS
>
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