Installing the Decodium3 Update for FT2 — Avoiding the Shortcut Trap

The arrival of the Decodium3 update has sparked real excitement across the digital‑mode community, and with good reason. This release introduces FT2, the fastest amateur radio digital mode available today, offering dramatically quicker contacts for operators who rely on weak‑signal communication. But as with any major update, the installation process has a few quirks that can catch people out. The video in this article walks through the correct procedure step‑by‑step, and it’s worth laying out the essentials here for anyone upgrading to FT2 for the first time.

The Decodium3 package is distributed as a compressed archive rather than a traditional installer. That means the first and most important step is to fully extract the contents of the download. Nothing should be run directly from inside the ZIP file. Instead, the entire folder must be unpacked into your existing WSJT‑X installation directory. Decodium isn’t a standalone application; it’s a modified build of WSJT‑X, and it relies on being placed inside the correct folder structure so it can access the expected libraries and configuration files.

Once extracted, the updated executable sits inside the WSJT‑X folder alongside the standard program files. Launching this executable is what activates the new FT2 mode. When opened correctly, operators will immediately see FT2 listed among the available modes, and the waterfall will behave as expected for the higher‑speed signalling. However, a surprising number of operators are running into the same issue: they’re still launching WSJT‑X from their old desktop or Start‑menu shortcuts. Those shortcuts point to the original WSJT‑X executable — not the Decodium‑enhanced version. As a result, they open the outdated build, find no FT2 option, and assume the installation has failed.

The solution is simple but essential. Delete or update any existing shortcuts and create a new one that points directly to the Decodium3‑enhanced executable inside the WSJT‑X folder or launch the application from the WSTJ-X folder. Only by launching from the extracted Decodium files will the updated build — and FT2 — actually load.

Click to see how to extract and run the Decodium3 / FT2 Update


FT2 represents a major leap forward for digital‑mode enthusiasts, but unlocking it depends on following the installation steps precisely. Extract the files into the correct directory, launch the correct executable, and you’ll be ready to take advantage of the fastest digital mode amateur radio has seen yet.