If you’ve ever fired up FT8 and wondered why nothing is decoding, or you’ve seen a “time error” message pop up in WSJT‑X, there’s a good chance your PC clock is slightly out of sync. FT8 is incredibly sensitive to timing, and even a small drift of a second or two can stop decodes completely. The good news is that fixing it is simple, and once your clock is set correctly, FT8 becomes far more reliable. In this post, we’ll look at why FT8 needs such accurate timing, how to sync your PC clock properly, and what to check next if stations still aren’t hearing you.
Why FT8 Needs Accurate Timing
FT8 works by transmitting and receiving in very strict 15‑second cycles. Every station around the world starts and stops at the same moment. If your computer’s clock is even slightly off, your transmissions and decodes won’t line up with everyone else’s. That’s why you can have a perfect antenna, a great radio, and strong signals on the waterfall — but still decode nothing. Timing is the foundation of FT8. Get the clock right, and everything else becomes much easier.
How to Sync Your PC Clock for FT8
Windows normally keeps your clock updated, but it doesn’t always do it often enough for FT8. The fix is to sync your clock manually or use a more accurate time source. The simplest method is to open your Windows time settings and force a manual sync. This pulls the correct time from an online time server and resets your PC clock instantly. In most cases, this is all you need to get FT8 decoding again. If you want even more accuracy, you can switch to a better time server or use a dedicated time‑sync tool, but for most operators, the built‑in Windows sync is perfectly adequate.
What If Stations Still Can’t Hear You?
Once your clock is correct, FT8 should start decoding normally. But what if you’re calling CQ and nobody comes back? Or you reply to a station and they never respond? That’s when it’s time to look at your ALC. ALC doesn’t affect decoding — it affects your transmitted signal. If your ALC is set incorrectly, your FT8 signal can become wide or distorted. Other stations may see you on the waterfall, but they won’t decode you properly. The symptom is simple: nobody hears you. If that sounds familiar, I’ve made a full video that walks you through setting ALC correctly so your FT8 signal stays clean and narrow. You can find the article and the video about ALC here - How to Set ALC for FT8
Final Thoughts
Setting your PC clock correctly is one of the simplest and most important steps in getting FT8 working reliably. It only takes a moment, but it solves one of the most common causes of FT8 decoding problems. Once your timing is sorted, you can move on to fine‑tuning your transmit audio and ALC to make sure other stations hear you clearly. If you’re new to FT8 or building your station step by step, this is one of the first things you should check — and it’s an easy win that gets you back on the air quickly.
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