FAQ and Known Errors

Install Error bash: line 1: syntax error near unexpected token `<'

If this happens, the DNS redirect (vanity URL) I use to make the install command shorter and easier to type may have broken.

Explanation: The installation command line uses an application called curl to download the target URL. The pipe operator (|) redirects that to whatever follows, in this case, sudo (run as root) and bash (the command interpreter) to make the bash script run as soon as it downloads. If the redirect breaks somehow, a regular HTML page will be sent instead of the bash script. Bash doesn’t know what to do with HTML (the < in the first position of the first line), so it simply refuses to do anything.

You may use the following longer and more challenging to type, command instead (one line):

curl -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/lbussy/WsprryPi/main/scripts/install.sh | sudo bash

WSPR-15 Support

I have removed WSR-15 support in version 2.x.

WSPR-15 (“Weak Signal Propagation Reporter” with a 15-minute transmit/receive cycle) was introduced in January 2013 as part of the experimental WSPR-X software suite. By stretching the standard 2-minute cycle to 15 minutes, WSPR-15 lowers the symbol rate to about 0.183 Hz tone spacing (versus 1.4648 Hz in standard WSPR), narrowing the occupied bandwidth to ≈ 0.7 Hz. This yields roughly a 9 dB sensitivity improvement, making it particularly attractive for very low-frequency (LF, MF) beacon work where Doppler shifts are minimal.

Sources:

  • https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weak_Signal_Propagation_Reporter

  • https://www.scribd.com/document/358388839/WSPR-X-Users-Guide

Current Support and Viability

  • Software support is scarce. The only decoders that handle WSPR-15 are the legacy WSPRX program and the now-unmaintained WSPR-X client. Mainstream WSJT-X releases (e.g., WSJT-X 2.7) implement only the standard 2-minute WSPR protocol and offer no WSPR-15 option

  • Network integration is limited. The central WSPRnet database and most reporting services expect the standard WSPR2 format; uploading or mapping WSPR-15 spots generally requires unofficial workarounds (for example, using wsprdaemon’s mode-designator code “2” for WSPR15) and sees only niche community use. Source: https://wsprdaemon.org/wspr-field-names.html

  • Modern alternatives outperform it. Within WSJT-X, the FST4W family (e.g., FST4W-120) achieves similar or better sensitivity than standard WSPR—with FST4W-120 about 1.4 dB more sensitive—and is fully supported, actively developed, and widely adopted on LF/MF bands. The WSJT-X author explicitly recommends migrating LF/MF propagation tests from JT9/WSPR to FST4/FST4W for sensitivity and ease of use. Source: https://wsjt.sourceforge.io/FST4_Quick_Start.pdf

Bottom line: While WSPR-15 still “works” if you can run WSPRX or WSPR-X and manage manual uploads, it remains a niche, legacy protocol with minimal software and network support. For new or ongoing weak-signal experiments—especially on LF/MF bands—you’ll find greater viability and community backing in the FST4W modes (or stick with the standard 2-minute WSPR2 on HF).