E8C06 - What is the bandwidth of an FT8 signal?

Question

What is the bandwidth of an FT8 signal?

Answer Options

  • A) 10 Hz
  • B) 50 Hz
  • C) 600 Hz
  • D) 2.4 kHz

Correct Answer: B


Explanation

FT8 is a highly popular weak-signal digital mode designed for extreme spectral efficiency. Its performance relies on a very low symbol rate and the use of eight discrete tones to encode the data over a narrow frequency span.

The \text{FT}8 signal occupies an extremely narrow portion of the spectrum. The bandwidth of an \text{FT}8 signal is approximately 50 Hz. This small bandwidth is one of the key factors enabling its weak-signal performance, as it minimizes the total noise power that the receiver captures, thereby maximizing the signal-to-noise ratio.


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