FT8 Frequencies by Band: Dial Frequencies for FT8 and FT4 in WSJT-X

Anyone who has opened WSJT-X for the first time has seen the band selector and wondered why each band jumps to a strangely specific number. The reason is that FT8 works only when many stations agree on a small slice of each band at the same time, so the community settled on a set of standard dial settings. This guide lists the usual FT8 frequencies by band, with the FT4 neighbours, explains how the dial frequency and the audio offset combine into the true on-air frequency, and shows how to check the list against your own band plan so that you do not end up on top of a CW or SSB net.

Why There Are Standard Frequencies

FT8 uses fifteen-second periods, and every station that wants to decode a message must be listening on the same frequency at the same time. If every operator picked a different spot, the calling stations would never find each other. The convention that has grown since the mode appeared in 2017 puts nearly all activity on one dial frequency per band, with different stations occupying different audio tones within about three kilohertz above it. The WSJT-X documentation says that, by default, the Working Frequencies table contains a list of frequencies conventionally used for modes such as FT8, JT4, JT9, JT65 and MSK144, and that you can edit it. When you choose a band in the drop-down list in the program, the dial frequency of the radio is set to the value from that table.

The result is an unusually efficient use of the spectrum. A hundred or more signals share a window of three kilohertz, and each one is only about 50 Hz wide. That density is also why the etiquette matters, a subject we cover in our guide to FT8 power, ALC and frequency choice.

Dial Frequency Versus Signal Frequency

The number in the table is the dial frequency, the frequency shown on a radio set to upper sideband. The actual frequency of a signal is the dial frequency plus the audio tone at which that signal is transmitted. If the dial is at 14.074 MHz and your transmit audio frequency in WSJT-X is 1500 Hz, your signal is on the air at 14.0755 MHz, with the occupied bandwidth running from that point upward by about 50 Hz. Because the tone can be set anywhere from about 200 Hz to 3000 Hz, FT8 signals extend a few kilohertz above the dial value.

This explains why you must always use upper sideband, with all audio processing and equalizer settings off and the receiver filter wide enough to pass three kilohertz. It also explains why a band plan limit matters at the upper end of a segment: if the dial is at the very top of a digital sub-band, a signal at a high tone may fall outside it. Check the edge of your segment rather than assuming that the dial frequency is the only thing that counts.

FT8 and FT4 Dial Frequencies

The table lists the dial frequencies that are most widely used on the HF and VHF bands. These are the common default values in WSJT-X; the program lets you edit the list under Settings and Frequencies, and some countries or regions use different segments, so confirm the numbers in your own installation and band plan before you transmit. FT4, a faster mode with seven and a half second periods, uses neighbouring frequencies, as shown.

The numbers are conventions among operators, not regulations. No licence gives you exclusive use of any of them, and on busy days the FT8 segment on 20 meters is crowded from one end to the other. If you want to see where the frequencies sit within the national allocation, our guide to the IARU band plan shows how the regions divide the bands.

Check Your Own Band Plan

The convention must fit inside the rules where you operate. On 60 meters, for example, many countries have channels or narrow sub-bands rather than a continuous band, and the FT8 dial frequency may not be allowed or may require a different value; our 60 meter band guide explains why. The 30 meter band is a secondary allocation in many places, with limits on power, and the FT8 segment is shared with other digital modes. On 40 meters the same dial number may fall in a different mode segment in different regions, so check before you transmit.

The best habit is to open the band plan of your national society, find the digital segment for each band and compare it with the entry in the table. If the dial frequency plus three kilohertz stays inside a segment where digital modes are permitted, you are fine. If not, edit the entry in WSJT-X rather than transmitting from a spot that may break the rules or interfere with a different activity.

Setting the Radio and the Program

With CAT control working, WSJT-X sets the dial frequency for you when you choose a band. If you do not have CAT control, tune the radio to the table value by hand, set it to USB, and make sure the program shows the same figure in its frequency display. A mismatch of even a few hundred hertz changes the audio tone at which signals appear, but more importantly it makes your logged frequency wrong and your reports misleading. Our guide to a WSJT-X and FT8 setup that works the first time explains CAT, audio levels and the other settings in order.

Remember also that the computer clock must be accurate to within about a second. If the time is off, you will see few decodes even on a busy band. We describe the fix in our article on FT8 time sync. And make sure that the radio’s built-in speech processor, noise reduction and automatic notch filter are turned off, because they can damage the very weak signals that the mode is designed to decode.

Choosing a Tone Inside the Window

Within the three-kilohertz window you pick an audio frequency for your transmission. The common advice is to avoid the part of the waterfall where a lot of stations are calling and to find a clear gap, since two signals within about 50 Hz of each other will collide. You can pick an empty part of the waterfall with the mouse, and the user guide lists the click and modifier-key combinations that set the receive and transmit frequencies. Many operators answer a station on the frequency of the other station’s transmission, which is often the best way to be heard. Others move to a clear spot after the contact is established, for the same reason.

It is also worth keeping your signal away from the very edge of the window. A low tone below 200 Hz or a high tone above 2900 Hz is not decoded well by some receivers, and the filter of the radio may attenuate it. On a crowded band, the middle of the range has the most decodes but also the most competition. If you are running low power, find the most quiet area and be patient; the mode forgives weak signals better than it forgives collisions.

FT8 on the Upper Bands and on VHF

The same convention works on the bands above 10 meters, with a few differences in practice. On 6 meters, FT8 at 50.313 MHz is a popular way of detecting sporadic E openings, because the mode decodes signals long before they become audible on SSB, and the activity there rises and falls with the season. On 2 meters, FT8 is used for meteor scatter, tropospheric openings and rovers, and for contests that include digital sections; the 2 meter dial frequency in the table is the one used in IARU Region 1, and other regions may use another segment. Our guide to the FT8 mode on Wikipedia is a good summary of its technical background, such as the 8-FSK modulation and the fifteen-second periods, but for frequencies you should always rely on a current local list.

On the highest HF bands, 12 and 10 meters, the activity depends strongly on the solar cycle and on the time of day. A segment that is empty at night can fill with a hundred signals when the band opens, and a good habit is to watch the waterfall for a minute or two before calling CQ. If you see nothing at all, check a reporting network to see whether your own signals are being heard before you give up, since an empty waterfall may be a sign of a closed band rather than a fault in your setup.

Logging the Right Frequency

Whatever you choose, log the true frequency rather than a rounded number. WSJT-X records the dial frequency in the ADIF file it creates, and logging programs and award systems use it to assign the band. If your radio and the program disagree, the contact may be rejected for an award because the frequency is outside the band. A routine check of the first QSO after a change of band, comparing the radio display, the program display and the logged value, costs a few seconds and prevents the problem from spreading through a whole evening of contacts.

Other Modes in the Same Segment

The FT8 window is not alone. JT65, JT9, WSPR and FT4 all have conventional frequencies close to the FT8 values, and the program supports all of them. WSPR in particular uses its own frequencies, such as 14.0956 MHz in the dial notation, as the documentation notes in its WSPR chapter, and a station that sits on the WSPR frequency with a FT8 signal can disturb the beacon network. When you change mode in WSJT-X, check that the frequency has changed too, because the program keeps a separate list for each mode.

The fast spread of FT8 has also made the segment a busy place for contest-related modes, and for special event frequencies announced on a cluster or a social network. Always listen for a while before you transmit. If you see that the waterfall is full of strong signals at the end of the segment, it may be a contest weekend in which stations use a different convention. In those cases, the rules of the event and the announcements of the organizer give the correct frequencies, and you can find them on the organizer’s site.

The Bottom Line

FT8 frequencies are conventions: one dial frequency per band, such as 14.074 MHz on 20 meters and 7.074 MHz on 40 meters, with FT4 on a nearby value and signals spread over about three kilohertz above the dial. Use upper sideband, keep the clock accurate, let WSJT-X set the radio through CAT and check the numbers against your national band plan, especially on 60 meters, 30 meters and any band where your country has narrow segments. When the standard spot is crowded, pick a clear tone and be patient, and edit the frequency table rather than guessing when your local rules differ.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the FT8 frequency on 20 meters?

The usual dial frequency is 14.074 MHz in upper sideband. Signals appear above that value according to their audio tone.

What is the difference between dial frequency and signal frequency?

The dial frequency is the value shown on the radio. The signal frequency is the dial frequency plus the audio tone at which the signal is sent, up to about three kilohertz higher.

Where do I find the list in WSJT-X?

Under Settings and the Frequencies tab, which holds the Working Frequencies table. You can add, remove or edit entries there.

Are FT8 frequencies regulated?

The dial values are conventions among operators. What is regulated are the band limits and the allowed modes and power in your country, so check your national band plan.

Does FT4 use the same frequency as FT8?

No. FT4 has its own dial frequencies a few kilohertz away from FT8 on most bands. The values in the table are the usual ones, and you should confirm them in the program.

Why do I decode nothing on the right frequency?

The most common reasons are an inaccurate computer clock, the wrong sideband, audio levels that are too low or too high, or listening during a period when the band is closed.