A practical guide for operators who already know WSJT-X and want to use WSJT-CB confidently on 27 MHz / 11 meters.
This guide focuses on what really changes in everyday use: callsigns, working frequencies, visible country information, and how contacts behave when CB-style identifiers are involved.
WSJT-CB is a version of WSJT-X adapted for the CB and 11 meter environment. If you already use WSJT-X, the general workflow will feel familiar. The difference is that WSJT-CB behaves more naturally when you operate on 27 MHz and when CB-style callsigns are part of the contact.
In simple terms, it is meant to remove the little frictions that appear when standard WSJT-X is used outside the amateur-radio callsign world it was originally built around.
This guide is for you if:
This software is provided for educational purposes only. You are solely responsible for complying with local, national, and international radiocommunication laws and regulations.
Before starting the program, make sure you have:
Open the executable from the bin folder of the WSJT-CB package. If you also use standard WSJT-X on the same computer, take a moment to confirm that you started the CB version and not the normal one.
Once the program is open, everything should feel close to WSJT-X. The important differences are in how the software handles callsigns, frequencies, and message flow on 27 MHz.
Callsigns that look normal in CB activity are accepted and handled more naturally.
The software includes the 11 meter band and the working frequencies used by the project.
Many CB prefixes can show a practical country label directly in decoded text.
Auto Sequence works better when both stations use longer CB-style identifiers.
One of the biggest practical improvements is callsign handling. WSJT-CB accepts many CB-style callsigns that a standard WSJT-X setup may reject or treat awkwardly.
The easy rule to remember is this: a CB-style callsign should have a numeric prefix, then letters, then a numeric unit number. WSJT-CB supports more of these formats than standard WSJT-X, including some longer unit numbers.
| Example | Accepted? | What it means for the operator |
|---|---|---|
1A1 |
Yes | A short CB-style identifier is accepted normally. |
26AT101 |
Yes | A common CB-style callsign works as expected. |
21AT106 |
Yes | Typical international CB formatting is supported. |
1AT1000 |
Yes | A longer 4-digit unit number can still be accepted in this style. |
26AT1000 |
No | The format is close, but not every longer variation is accepted. |
AT1000 |
No | A numeric prefix is still required. |
The practical takeaway is simple: WSJT-CB is much more forgiving with real CB callsigns, but format still matters. If a callsign is rejected, first check the numeric prefix and the final number.
WSJT-CB is set up to focus on the modes that make sense for this environment. In the main interface you should expect to work mainly with:
FT8FT4FST4Q65
The most important frequency to remember for FT8 activity is 27.265 MHz. WSJT-CB also keeps 27.045 MHz available, and for FT4, FST4, and Q65 that is the main default reference frequency.
For the operator, the benefit is that the program no longer feels like it is being forced into an area it was not expecting. The 11 meter environment is part of the intended workflow.
Another useful everyday change is country display for CB-style callsigns. WSJT-CB can use the numeric prefix of many callsigns to show a practical country label directly in decoded text.
So when you see callsigns such as 1AT106 or 26AT101, the decode window can give you something more meaningful than what standard amateur-radio prefix logic would normally show.
This does not replace your own judgment, but it makes the decode window more readable and helps you recognize stations more quickly.
If both stations use longer CB-style callsigns, standard FT8 message flow can become fragile. This is one of the places where WSJT-CB feels more stable than normal WSJT-X.
In practice, the software is better at recognizing report messages, roger messages, and closing messages even when the callsigns are not in the classic amateur-radio format.
RR73, and 73 are handled more smoothly.You do not need to memorize the internal message logic, but it helps to know that WSJT-CB uses a safer path for long CB-style FT8 exchanges. From the operator's point of view, the order still feels normal:
RR73 or 73.What matters is not the exact hidden mechanism, but the fact that WSJT-CB is better at keeping this sequence moving when long CB callsigns are involved on both sides.
<...> in decodes
This is one of the most confusing things for users coming from standard callsigns. In FT8, when two non-standard or CB-style callsigns are exchanged, one of them may appear as <...> instead of showing in full.
If you see something like <...> 26AT016, it does not automatically mean there is a bug or that the QSO is invalid. It often means the software has not yet learned the mapping needed to show the hidden callsign in full.
A later decode may reveal the full callsign. So the best approach is simple: do not panic, and judge the QSO by the flow of the exchange rather than by the first unusual decode you see.
FT8 for the main activity.27.265 MHz for FT8, or 27.045 MHz for FT4, FST4, or Q65 if that matches your operating plan.<...>, remember that it may be normal FT8 behavior with non-standard callsigns.| Situation | What it usually means | What you should do |
|---|---|---|
| Your callsign is accepted | The format fits what WSJT-CB expects | Continue normally |
| Your callsign is rejected | The structure is probably outside the supported CB style | Check the numeric prefix and unit number |
You see <...> in a decode |
The hidden callsign mapping is not known yet | Wait for later decodes before judging the QSO |
| A country appears next to a CB callsign | WSJT-CB recognized the CB prefix usefully | Use it as an operating aid |
| A long-callsign QSO keeps moving smoothly | The improved sequence handling is doing its job | Let the exchange complete normally |
No. If you already know WSJT-X, WSJT-CB should feel familiar. The main difference is that it behaves more naturally in the CB / 27 MHz world.
No. The point of this guide is exactly the opposite: to explain the practical differences without source-code language.
Because FT8 can still hide or compress non-standard callsigns. WSJT-CB improves how those situations are handled, but it does not change the underlying FT8 protocol behavior.
https://t.me/wsjtcbinfo@xzgroup.netWSJT-CB is based on WSJT-X by Joe Taylor K1JT and adapted for CB / 11 meter use by 1AT106 / 1XZ001 Vash.
The value of WSJT-CB is not that it simply runs on 27 MHz. Its real value is that it feels more natural there for operators who already know WSJT-X and want a smoother experience with CB-style activity.