Digital Ham Radio apps such as WSPR and WSJT-X FT8 are time-synchronous and require the computer clock to be accurate to within a second for signal decoding.
Running FT8 and others on my Linux Mint system and Raspberry Pi was a fairly easy setup. Thinking that running these digital apps on Windows 10 would be straight-forward, it was just a matter of finding software to synchronize my Windows 10 system clock. References to Dimension 4 for Windows were plastered everywhere so I made the attempt.
As it turns out, Windows 10 and Dimension4 are 100% incompatible. My first attempt was to do the install just like any other app. However, Dimension 4 complained about the Windows Time Service.
After disabling the Windows Time Service, rebooting and then attempting to run Dimension 4, I got the proverbial “Error Starting Service” message. Yes, of course I have administrator privileges.
At this point I gave it one more shot using the “Windows 10 troubleshoot compatibility” install option. After this attempt I ended up with the same idiotic “Error Starting Service” message.
It seems that Dimension 4 may have been a good app at one time but today it’s a different world. Hams have installed Dimension 4 thinking their PC clock was synchronized but are still unable to decoding incoming signals.
Copied this info from a discussion group about Dimension 4 Vs Meinberg NTP. Found this quote to be amusing but true: “The difference basically is between continuously steering the clock to accuracy versus slapping it upside the head at pre-set intervals. (Basically NTP vs SNTP). However there is no difference for most end users. Use whatever works.”
Basically Dimension 4 has been an unsupported app for a very long time. Don’t know about you but I don’t want any back doors into my O/S. Unsupported apps can lead to a security vulnerabilities where Meinberg is still maintained and is properly installed as a service! Anyone who has knowledge of any variant of ‘NIX knows a service is the proper way to run an app on any client or server.
Unlike prior versions of Windows, Windows 10 now has greater control over apps that affect system internals such as the system clock. Last updated in 2004, Dimension 4 knows nothing about the additional security features of Windows 10.
The moral of the story is, despite all these references to Dimension 4 everywhere, install MeinbergNTP for Windows. Meinberg NTP for Windows is also a free app and is the official Network Time Protocol client software. The NTP deamon has been around for eons on all ‘NIX operating systems. Nothing will ever keep your Windows 10 system clock more accurate than Meinberg NTP for Windows.
If you happen to be one of those Elmers who talks about Dimension 4…PLEASE STOP!!! Dimension 4 is just a very old, unsupported program.
Click here for the Meinberg NTP app.
Click here to check your PC clock’s accuracy.
Chick here for the WSJT-X app.
Click here for WSPRnet
Ham Radio Reviews and Events 
I run Dimension 4 on several Windows 10 computers with no difficulty whatever. As KE2YK mentioned, however, it is essential to disable the Windows time sync feature, just as it is with Meinberg NTP. I find Meinberg NTP and Dimension 4 equally good applications on Windows 10.
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Better question: why are you still running winshit?
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Sorry you’re struggling with using our software, Dimension4. Shoot an email to our support email and weI can get you up and running again. We are totally Win 10 compatible.
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Just one man’s opinion.
Bashing an application – trashing it as a lousy piece of software that is wholly incompatible with Windows 10 just because you weren’t able to get it to work on your particular Windows 10 machine seems pretty narrow-minded and quite frankly, childish.
What did you do to research & resolve the issue? Did you check to see if your Windows Firewall or WiFi router might be blocking the needed UDP port? Bet that possibility never occurred to you.
Did you try to reach out to the DIM4 users’ group? I’m guessing not.
Working with computers can be a frustrating experience. I worked in IT for 30 years, & have been a ham for 35 years.
Think through the issue, troubleshoot the possible causes. Ask other hams how it worked for them. But don’t just take your toys and go home then post a diatribe like this against me a long-standing popular app, used by many hams that have Windows 10 & 11.
Ron – KJ5XX
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Hate to tell you but you dont know as much as you think you do. I have dimension 4 running without problems on both windows 10 and 11.
Read this article, like anything else depends on your need for precise timing and the o/s you are running. http://blog.g4ilo.com/2011/04/time-to-ditch-dimension-4.html?m=1
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sorry you have an issue with dimension 4 on your windows 10. i use it on my win 10 machine with NO issues!!
and for those that are apple fan boys….. windows works just fine.
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