Wrong mode shown in DX Cluster spots window

[barf]

What happened? How can it be reproduced? Provide as much information as possible.

Hello, the spot table has the wrong mode shown.
If I try to spot myself as follows, 'FTx' is shown instead of the 'COFDM' or 'DIGITAL' etc

DX Cluster Command to reproduce:
DX 24919.8 ZL3TUX RATTLEGRAM

QLog Version

0.50.0

Which OS are you using?

Linux

QLog Installation Method

Self-Compiled

Installation Details

No response

[foldynl]

What can I say about this? Probably it is best to first explain how it works.

DXC Spot does not provide any “unified” value for mode, so it has to be “estimated”. The estimation is primarily based on known values from the comment field. There are some commonly used phrases for this. If the mode cannot be estimated from that, then QLog falls back to how the given modes are usually distributed across the band.

Back to your case. If you report a rarely used mode on an FTx frequency, then QLog has no other option than to mark your spot as FTx. Therefore, I would not classify this as a bug.

Another point is that this mode can be added; it is quite simple. The question is whether “regular” users would actually use it this way. I will try to do some research to see whether, and how, users commonly report it.

[barf]

Thanks for the explanation! However this is not an FT8 frequency in any IARU band plan I'm aware of, so I don't know why that's the assumption?

In IARU region 3 it's for any narrow digital mode. If the mode text cannot be parsed, which is understandable, a more accurate assumption might simply be 'DIGITAL' ?

You are correct it's a rare (new) mode, but there is a chicken/egg type problem if unable to spot myself using any new mode. People might be curious what the traffic is, or want to try a new mode. These '5G' COFDM modes like Ribbit/Rattlegram, FreeDATA and FreeDV are likely to become more popular, so I hope they can be supported (and are scheduled for inclusion in the next ADIF spec now, hopefully!)

Thanks again!

[barf]

Just a correction to my previous comment, Rattlegram is now a listed mode in the ADIF specification since 3.1.7

It's categorized as OFDM / RIBBIT_SMS in the spec:
https://adif.org.uk/317/ADIF_317.htm

What syntax should I use to spot myself correctly using it?

[foldynl]

Thanks for the explanation! However this is not an FT8 frequency in any IARU band plan I'm aware of, so I don't know why that's the assumption?

FTx is a family of FT modes. It is not only FT8 but also FT4 etc. So if the sources are not wrong. then 24.919MHz + 3kHz is reserved for FT4 (https://www.dxzone.com/ft4-frequencies/)

In IARU region 3 it's for any narrow digital mode. If the mode text cannot be parsed, which is understandable, a more accurate assumption might simply be 'DIGITAL' ?

As I wrote above, the frequency is within the frequencies used for FT4. If you were 24.922 and above, then QLog would identify your mode as DIGITAL (

QLog/data/BandPlan.cpp

Line 95 in 855447b

{24.922, 24.929, BandPlan::BAND_MODE_DIGITAL},

).

but there is a chicken/egg type problem if unable to spot myself using any new mode.

QLog doesn't prevent you with spotting the new modem. It's just that it has a problem identifying it, because the frequencies for FT4 are used.

Rattlegram is now a listed mode in the ADIF specification since 3.1.7

Yes, I know about this. We discussed about this here - #828 and QLog already supports v3.1.7 including the new modes.

What syntax should I use to spot myself correctly using it?

To be honest, I would leave this up to you and to the people who will be using it. They will find various ways to specify this, and then it will be up to QLog to deal with it and solve the problem of how to correctly identify it from free text.