Part of our The Icom IC-7300 Mark II: The Complete Guide.
Dual watch lets you monitor two frequencies at once, and while it’s more commonly talked about for SSB split work, it’s genuinely useful for digital modes too when band conditions or DX-pedition style operations call for split frequency use.
What dual watch actually does
Dual watch lets the receiver monitor a second frequency alongside your main VFO, alternating between them fast enough that you catch activity on both without manually flipping back and forth. For digital modes, this is handy when you want to keep an eye on a specific calling frequency while your main VFO is parked somewhere else decoding a busy segment.
Where this comes up in digital modes
Some DX-pedition style operations run FT8 with a listening offset similar to SSB split practice, calling on one frequency and listening across a spread. Dual watch lets you keep tabs on the DX station’s actual transmit frequency while your primary attention is on the segment where you’re calling.
Setting it up
Engage dual watch from the touchscreen and set your second monitored frequency to whatever you need to keep an ear on. Keep in mind WSJT-X is still decoding whatever your main VFO is tuned to, dual watch on the radio doesn’t feed a second decode stream into the software, it’s purely a receiver-side monitoring tool alongside your primary digital mode operation.
When it’s actually worth using
- DX-pedition style FT8 operations with a listening offset similar to SSB split.
- Keeping an ear on a specific calling frequency while decoding a busy general segment.
- Any situation where you want situational awareness beyond just the frequency WSJT-X is actively decoding.
It’s a niche use case for most casual FT8 operating, but for anyone chasing rare DX in digital modes, it’s a useful tool to have available rather than constantly flipping VFOs by hand.
For more on split-style operating, see Working DX Pileups and Split Operation on the IC-7300 Mark II and the broader look at how DXpeditions actually work.