For those interested, maybe you missed this comment left on a previous posting regarding FT2. Beta testers wanted:

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FT2 is not a theoretical concept. It is fully working software, tested and operational.

On February 16, 2026, we successfully completed dozens of real contacts in FT2 mode, with transmission cycles of 3.8 seconds — four times faster than FT8 and twice as fast as FT4. QSOs were verified on two bands (40 meters and 80 meters) with stations in Campania, Capri, Sardinia, and Turin. Signals were successfully decoded down to -12 dB signal-to-noise ratio.

FT2 uses the same codec as FT8 and FT4: 77-bit payload, LDPC (174,91) encoding, 8-GFSK modulation. The only difference is the time compression: shorter symbols, cycle reduced to 3.8 seconds. The result is a complete QSO in 7-11 seconds, compared to the full minute required in FT8.

This mode was conceived and developed by IU8LMC, with the support of the ARI Caserta Team. Artificial intelligence was used as a development tool to assist with modifications to the WSJT-X source code.

The Time vs Bandwidth vs Sensitivity chart shows the engineering trade-off behind FT2: at 3.8 seconds with 150 Hz bandwidth, sensitivity is approximately -12/-13 dB. Less sensitive than FT8, but more than sufficient for contests, DXpeditions, and pile-ups where signals are strong.

FT2 does not replace FT8 or FT4. It is a specialized mode for when pure speed is what matters.

Anyone interested in trying the beta software or wanting more information is welcome to join our dedicated WhatsApp group:
https://chat.whatsapp.com/HKV5pdpqqNC3Vfw97Nsl4h

We are looking for beta testers willing to experiment with FT2 on-air and provide feedback for the final development phases.

73 de IU8LMC — ARI Caserta Sud Italy



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