FT2: The Fastest Digital Mode in Amateur Radio

If you’ve been active on FT8, you know the drill — a 15-second transmission cycle, 60 seconds for a full QSO, and roughly 60 contacts per hour if everything goes perfectly. That’s been the gold standard for weak-signal digital work. But a new mode called FT2 just blew that benchmark completely out of the water.

Developed by Martino Merola, IU8LMC, from the ARI Caserta team in Italy, FT2 is a genuinely operational new digital mode — not vaporware, not a proposal. It was publicly verified on 16 February 2026, with dozens of real QSOs logged on 40m and 80m bands. The contacts involved stations in Campania, Capri, Sardinia, and Turin, with signals decoded down to –12 dB SNR. This is real, it works, and the ham radio community is already buzzing about it.

So, How Fast Is FT2?

Let’s put the numbers side by side. The differences are dramatic enough that a table barely does them justice — but here it is anyway:

Yes — 240+ QSOs per hour. That’s four times the throughput of FT8 and roughly double what FT4 offers. For anyone who’s ever sat in a pile-up for a rare DX station and wondered if there’s a better way — this is it.

How Does It Work? The Technical Side

Here’s what’s clever about FT2: it doesn’t reinvent the wheel. IU8LMC took the proven codec that already powers FT8 and FT4 and compressed the timing. The core technical foundation is identical:

The only real change from FT8 is time compression — shorter symbols, a tighter cycle. The trade-off is sensitivity. FT2 decodes down to about –12 dB, compared to FT8’s impressive –20 dB. That’s a meaningful difference for weak-signal work, but in a contest environment or during a DXpedition pile-up, signals are almost always strong. Speed matters far more than sensitivity in those scenarios.

 WHY USE THE SAME CODEC?

Reusing the LDPC (174,91) encoding and 8-GFSK modulation from FT8/FT4 was a deliberate design decision. It means the same logging software, the same message format, and the same decoding logic can be adapted with minimal changes. It also gives FT2 instant credibility — these algorithms are battle-tested across millions of QSOs worldwide.

Who Built This — and How?

FT2 was conceived and developed by Martino Merola, IU8LMC, with support from the ARI Caserta Team in southern Italy. In a refreshingly honest disclosure, the developer noted that artificial intelligence was used as a development tool to assist with modifications to the WSJT-X source code. This is an increasingly common approach in software development, and there’s nothing wrong with it — what matters is the output, and the output here is a fully working digital mode with verified, on-air QSOs.

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.— Martino, IU8LMC

When Should You Use FT2?

FT2 is not meant to replace FT8. Let’s be clear about that. FT8 will remain the king of weak-signal DX work, EME, and situations where sensitivity is paramount. FT2 is a specialised tool for strong-signal, high-traffic situations, specifically:

PERFECT USE CASES FOR FT2

DXpeditions and rare entity activations — where a single station is being called by hundreds, and the bottleneck is pure throughput. Contest pile-ups — where every second saved translates to a higher score. Local club nets and rag-chews on good paths where you want to keep things snappy. Emergency preparedness drills where fast digital exchanges are valuable.

FT2’s –12 dB decoding threshold means it won’t cut it for marginal propagation paths, greyline DX on a dipole, or any situation where you’d normally rely on FT8’s deep –20 dB sensitivity. Keep FT8 for those moments. Use FT2 when the signals are solid and speed is your priority.

FT2 vs FT4 vs FT8

Download FT2 Software

FT2 currently runs via Decodium, a modified version of WSJT-X developed by the IU8LMC team. It’s a Windows x64 application. The setup is straightforward — install the base WSJT-X, then drop the Decodium files into the same installation folder. That’s essentially it. You’ll also want to grab the FT2 frequencies file to configure your operating frequencies correctly.

Visit the official HamPass FT2 page for the latest version of Decodium and all supporting files. Technical documentation is available in English and Portuguese.

Step-by-Step Installation Instructions

Getting FT2 up and running is surprisingly straightforward. The whole process takes about 10 minutes if you already have an FT8 station set up. Here’s exactly what to do:

Step 1 — Install a Fresh Copy of WSJT-X 2.7.0

FT2 runs on top of WSJT-X, so you need a clean base installation first. Download the official WSJT-X 2.7.0 Windows installer directly from the HamPass FT2 page (a direct link is provided there). Run the installer and complete the standard WSJT-X setup — configure your callsign, grid locator, and audio devices as you normally would. If you already have WSJT-X installed and working for FT8, you can use that existing installation as your base.

Step 2 — Download Decodium 3.0

Go to hampass.com/ft2 and download the latest Decodium 3.0 RAR archive (look for the file named decodium_3.0_XXXXXXXXX_FT2.rar). This is the modified WSJT-X engine that adds FT2 mode support, Auto CQ, and Auto Log functionality. You will need a tool like WinRAR or 7-Zip to extract it.

Step 3 — Extract Decodium Into Your WSJT-X Folder

This is the key step. Extractall filesfrom the Decodium RAR archive directly into your WSJT-X installation folder — typically C:\Program Files (x86)\WSJT-X on most Windows systems. When prompted about overwriting existing files, select Yes to All. Decodium replaces the core WSJT-X executable files with its modified versions while keeping all your settings intact.

Step 4 — Load the FT2 Frequency File

Download the ft2-bands.qrg frequencies file from the HamPass page. In Decodium/WSJT-X, go to File → Open Frequencies File and load this file. This pre-populates your band menu with all the correct FT2 calling frequencies for each band, saving you from manually entering them.

Step 5 — Sync Your PC Clock

This step is critical and often overlooked. FT2’s 3.8-second cycle requires your computer clock to be accurate to within ±50 milliseconds. If your clock drifts even slightly, you will miss decode windows entirely. Before every operating session, either use Meinberg NTP (free download, highly recommended) or simply right-click your Windows clock, select Adjust date/time, and click Sync now to force an internet time sync. Verify you are within ±20ms for best results.

Step 6 — Launch Decodium and Select FT2 Mode

Start Decodium (it launches just like WSJT-X). From the Mode menu, select FT2. Tune to one of the recommended calling frequencies — start with 7.052 MHz USB on 40m for the best chance of finding activity. Set your audio levels as you would for FT8, enable Auto CQ if you want to call CQ automatically, and you are on the air. Your first FT2 QSO may come within minutes if the band is open to Europe.

Recommended Operating Frequencies

FT2 uses the same general portion of the spectrum as FT8/FT4. Check the official frequencies file from HamPass for the exact recommended dial frequencies per band. As a general guide, expect FT2 activity to cluster near existing FT8 segments, slightly offset:

A Note on Experimental Status

FT2 is currently a beta / experimental mode. The developer is actively seeking on-air testers to provide feedback and help refine the software for a stable release. If you’re technically inclined and enjoy being part of something new, this is a genuinely interesting opportunity. There’s even a WhatsApp groupfor coordination.

The first verified FT2 contacts were made on 16 February 2026, on the 40m and 80m bands. Stations in Campania, Capri, Sardinia, and Turin successfully exchanged QSOs with transmission cycles of 3.8 seconds. Signals were decoded as low as –12 dB SNR. This marks FT2’s official entry into the world of amateur radio digital modes.

What Does This Mean for Hams?

From a ham’s perspective, this is exciting for a few reasons. With solar cycle 25 delivering excellent conditions on the higher HF bands, FT2 could be a powerful tool during domestic contests like IQRM or VU-DX contests, where throughput matters. It’s also worth experimenting on 40m and 80m during the evening when the bands are loaded with local traffic and pile-ups form quickly.

The –12 dB threshold, while less sensitive than FT8, is still more than adequate for most trans-continental paths from India when propagation is decent. VU to Europe on 20m at peak solar flux? FT2 would absolutely work there — and you’d be completing QSOs four times faster.

If you’re active in the digital modes community, I’d encourage you to download Decodium, give it a listen on 40m after dark, and leave a comment below about what you hear. Let’s collectively document how FT2 performs from the Indian subcontinent — that data would be genuinely useful to the development team.

Frequently Asked Questions about FT2

I’m already happy with FT8. Why should I even bother with FT2?

Fair question! If you’re mainly chasing weak DX from a modest station, FT8 is still your best friend. But if you’ve ever sat in a pile-up for 20 minutes waiting for a DXpedition station to work you — and watched the band close before your turn came — FT2 is the answer to that frustration. At 240+ QSOs per hour, that same DXpedition station can work four times more callers in the same time. Your wait in the queue just got a whole lot shorter.

Do I need to buy new radio equipment or a new antenna to use FT2?

Not at all. If your station already works on FT8 or FT4, you are good to go for FT2. Same radio, same antenna, same audio interface, same CAT cable. The only thing that changes is the software on your computer. FT2 runs through Decodium 3.0, which sits on top of your existing WSJT-X installation. No hardware upgrades needed whatsoever.

My PC is a bit old. Will it handle the faster 3.8-second cycle?

FT2’s shorter cycle does put a bit more demand on your CPU for decoding, since it needs to process signals faster than FT8. That said, the decoding algorithm itself is not radically different. Most PCs from the last 8–10 years should be fine. The bigger concern is your system clock accuracy — FT2 needs your PC clock synced to within ±50 ms (compared to ±200 ms for FT8). Run Meinberg NTP or use Windows Time Service before your session and you should be sorted.

I only operate on 40m and 20m. Is there FT2 activity on those bands?

Great news — the first-ever verified FT2 QSOs were made on 40m, so that’s where the action started. On 40m, tune to 7.052 MHz, and on 20m try 14.084 MHz. Since FT2 is still in its early experimental phase, activity is most concentrated in Europe right now, but it’s growing fast. Check the PSKReporter FT2 live map before calling CQ to see where signals are being heard.

Will my FT2 contacts count for DXCC, WAS, or other awards?

This is one of the most commonly asked questions in the community right now, and honestly — it’s not fully settled yet. Since FT2 is still an experimental, unofficial mode, the ARRL’s current DXCC rules require contacts to be made on modes that are officially recognised. Until FT2 gets wider formal recognition, contacts may not qualify for DXCC or similar awards. That said, HamPass has already launched the FT2 Friendship Award specifically for this mode — a great motivator to get on the air now while you’re part of the pioneering crowd. Check it out at hampass.com/awards/ft2-friendship.

How is FT2 different from just running FT8 faster — isn’t it the same thing?

It’s a fair way to think about it, but the engineering behind it matters. Yes, FT2 uses the same 77-bit message format and the same LDPC error correction as FT8 — but squeezing the same amount of data into a 3.8-second window instead of 15 seconds required compressing the symbol duration and widening the bandwidth to about 150 Hz. The sensitivity drops as a result, from FT8’s impressive –20 dB down to about –12 to –14 dB for FT2. So it is similar in spirit, but the trade-offs make it a genuinely different tool suited to different operating conditions.

Can I run FT2 on Linux or Mac, or is it Windows only for now?

Currently Decodium 3.0 is released only as a Windows x64 binary. Linux and Mac versions have not been officially released yet as of February 2026. If you’re a Linux ham, keep an eye on the HamPass FT2 page for updates — since the underlying code is a WSJT-X fork, a cross-platform build is certainly possible down the road.

Is FT2 going to kill off RTTY in contests?

That’s the bold claim some contesters are already making, and it’s not hard to see why. RTTY has long been the go-to for high-speed digital contesting, but it requires wider bandwidth and is much harder to decode under interference. FT2 offers similar speed, fits in a much narrower slice of spectrum, and uses robust error correction. Whether contest sponsors officially adopt FT2 as a recognised mode category remains to be seen — but the underlying case for it replacing RTTY in high-rate digital contesting is genuinely strong.

Where do I go if I get stuck setting up Decodium or have questions?

The FT2 developer and the ARI Caserta team are actively supporting users through a dedicated WhatsApp group — this is where beta testers share feedback, report issues, and coordinate on-air tests.  The technical documentation in PDF form (English and Portuguese) is also available directly from HamPass and is worth reading before your first QSO.

HamPass has launched a special FT2 Friendship Award to recognise early adopters who get on the air with this new mode. If you make FT2 contacts now while the mode is still in its experimental phase, you’ll have something to show for it. Details at hampass.com/awards/ft2-friendship.

Important Links

• 🔗 HamPass FT2 Official Page — Downloads, documentation, awards
• 🔗 DX-World: New Digital Mode FT2 — Announcement from the developer
• 🔗 PSKReporter — Live FT2 spots — See who’s active right now
• 🔗 WSJT-X Official Site — Base software required for FT2

Will FT2 eventually become an official WSJT-X mode? That remains to be seen — the WSJT development team led by K1JT and co. would need to formally adopt it. But as a community-developed, experimentally verified tool, it’s already real enough to get on the air with. And in ham radio, getting on the air is the whole point.

Keep watching this space — I’ll post an on-air report once I’ve had a chance to test FT2 from here.

73

de VU3DXR.

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