SSTV modes
A mode defines how a picture is turned into audio: its size, whether it is color, and how long it takes. The sender and receiver must use the
same mode. When receiving, leave Mode on Auto and the receiver identifies the mode from the transmission's header; when transmitting,
pick the mode on the Transmit tab. The 48 modes below are the list in the program (qsstv --list-modes prints the
short names).
| Family | Name in the mode list | --mode name | Duration | Picture size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin | Martin 1 | M1 | 114.3 s | 320x256 |
| Martin 2 | M2 | 58.1 s | 320x256 | |
| Scottie | Scottie 1 | S1 | 109.6 s | 320x256 |
| Scottie 2 | S2 | 71.1 s | 320x256 | |
| Scottie DX | SDX | 268.9 s | 320x256 | |
| Wraase SC2 | SC2 60 | SC2-60 | 61.5 s | 320x256 |
| SC2 120 | SC2-120 | 121.7 s | 320x256 | |
| SC2 180 | SC2-180 | 182.0 s | 320x256 | |
| Robot | Robot 24 | R24 | 24.0 s | 160x120 |
| Robot 36 | R36 | 36.0 s | 320x240 | |
| Robot 72 | R72 | 72.0 s | 320x240 | |
| Pasokon | P3 | P3 | 203.1 s | 640x496 |
| P5 | P5 | 304.6 s | 640x496 | |
| P7 | P7 | 406.1 s | 640x496 | |
| Black and white | B/W 8 | BW8 | 8.0 s | 160x120 |
| B/W 12 | BW12 | 12.0 s | 160x120 | |
| PD | PD50 | PD50 | 49.7 s | 320x256 |
| PD90 | PD90 | 90.0 s | 320x256 | |
| PD120 | PD120 | 126.1 s | 640x496 | |
| PD120W | PD120W | 130.8 s | 768x432 | |
| PD160 | PD160 | 160.9 s | 512x400 | |
| PD180 | PD180 | 187.1 s | 640x496 | |
| PD240 | PD240 | 248.0 s | 640x496 | |
| PD290 | PD290 | 288.7 s | 800x616 | |
| MP | MP73 | MP73 | 73.0 s | 320x256 |
| MP115 | MP115 | 115.5 s | 320x256 | |
| MP140 | MP140 | 139.5 s | 320x256 | |
| MP175 | MP175 | 175.4 s | 320x256 | |
| MR | MR73 | MR73 | 73.3 s | 320x256 |
| MR90 | MR90 | 90.2 s | 320x256 | |
| MR115 | MR115 | 115.3 s | 320x256 | |
| MR140 | MR140 | 140.4 s | 320x256 | |
| MR175 | MR175 | 175.2 s | 320x256 | |
| ML | ML180 | ML180 | 180.2 s | 640x496 |
| ML240 | ML240 | 239.7 s | 640x496 | |
| ML280 | ML280 | 280.4 s | 640x496 | |
| ML320 | ML320 | 320.1 s | 640x496 | |
| JB60 | JB60 | JB60 | 61.3 s | 640x496 |
| Fax | FAX480 | FAX480 | 133.6 s | 512x500 |
| AVT | AVT24 | AVT24 | 22.5 s | 128x120 |
| AVT90 | AVT90 | 90.0 s | 320x240 | |
| AVT94 | AVT94 | 93.8 s | 320x200 | |
| MP/MC narrow | MP73-Narrow | MP73-N | 73.0 s | 320x256 |
| MP110-Narrow | MP110-N | 109.8 s | 320x256 | |
| MP140-Narrow | MP140-N | 139.5 s | 320x256 | |
| MC110-Narrow | MC110-N | 109.7 s | 320x256 | |
| MC140-Narrow | MC140-N | 140.4 s | 320x256 | |
| MC180-Narrow | MC180-N | 180.4 s | 320x256 |
Durations are the picture transmission time in seconds, not counting the calibration header. The exact time for your picture is shown on the Transmit tab.
Notes
- Which mode to use. Martin 1, Scottie 1 and PD120 are widely used on the HF SSTV frequencies, and PD modes give a larger, better picture. Your local nets and calling frequencies matter more than anything else, so check what the other stations use.
- JB60 is a mode added in QSSTV-Experimental: a color mode of about 61 seconds with a 640x496 picture. As far as is known, no other SSTV program decodes it.
- PD120W is a widescreen (16:9, 768x432) variant of PD120, also new here.
- Grids: modes with a picture larger than 512x400 (the size of PD160, so PD120 qualifies) can send a grid of several pictures stitched together (see Framing and grids).
- Black and white modes (B/W 8, B/W 12) are the quickest. Robot 24 and AVT24 are low-resolution fast color modes.
- The Narrow modes are narrow-bandwidth variants.