WSJT-X Autogrid

  • Posted on: 2 December 2018
  • By: Mike

In my quest to set up FT8 mobile, I needed to figure out how to manage a proper grid square for the software.  

After doing some research I found that there was some basic scripting already set up for this purpose.  It took me some digging to get it working properly (especially with my gps) so I am documenting it here for anyone else who would like to do the same.

This article is being written for Windows, but could easily be adapted to linux, and most linux people should be savy enough to follow along and adjust as needed.

  1. Download Python from https://www.python.org/downloads/
  2. Run the Python installer.  Keep track of the directory it installs in (or set it to something you can remember)
  3. Download and extract the files from https://github.com/bmo/py-wsjtx
  4. Copy the folder labeled pywsjtx into the Lib folder inside your Python installation
  5. Follow the steps listed here http://www.pythoncentral.io/add-python-to-path-python-is-not-recognized-as-an-internal-or-external-command/ using your 'remembered' python installation directory
  6. From the 'samples' folder from the py-wsjtx download, copy the grid_from_gps.py file to a location that is convienent.
  7. Edit the file, and adjust the COM port listed to match your GPS;  the IP_ADDRESS and PORT set to the UDP settings of your WSJT-X install; and finally search for 9600, and adjust that to the baud rate of your GPS.   Save the changes.
  8. Finally you can open a command prompt, type "python gps_grid.py"  and hit enter (you may have to adjust the directory you are in to match where you have the file located.