What is FT8?

FT8 is a digital mode designed specifically for weak-signal communication. It uses 8-frequency shift keying (8-FSK) and advanced forward error correction, allowing computers to decode signals that are often completely inaudible to the human ear and well below the noise floor. It is not a voice mode, a multiplexer, or a slow-scan TV mode. Because it relies on heavily structured, short data bursts and precise computer timing, it allows operators to make long-distance contacts even under very poor atmospheric conditions.