Is this thread’s subject material really just whining? Well, FT8 does some really good things that typical CW operation doesn’t usually want to bother with.
1) use of a calling frequency (“SSB” “carrier” frequency) 2) constant monitoring 3) highly efficient use of VERY close frequencies. Never needs retuning. 4) computer driven to allow attention to band over broad time spans. 5) technical attention to issues effectively resulting in improved sensitivity 6) dB above noise replaces ancient RST signal reports. One aspect of currently practiced CW is doing something we have enjoyed all our lives. I’m not knocking that, particularly CW contests. But FT8 exposed everything difficult about casual low band dxing. With some really good conditions to North Carolina, I have had just a handful of great transatlantic old style extended 160 CW QSO’s to G DL SP OK But I know those lovely episodes can’t be regular, I don’t morose not being able to do those every Wednesday. Instead I get in the CWT one hour mini test whose 0300 session usually finishes out with some of the mob gone down on 160 and enjoy an occasional EU contact in the last ten minutes. In those sessions, even through summer months, have had QSOs with USA west coast AND European RBN. But casual DXing on weeknights, with time differences that require shifting waking hours around? Some folks have the circumstances for that. God bless em. Stew Perry, ARRL and CQ 160’s are on weekends and scheduled years in advance. Those are reserved in advance and the discombobulated waking hours don’t affect routine life. I can get away with that and don’t mind struggling through the Monday following. Every now and then I’d like to go back to 1959, my NC2-40D & 807 transmitter working the NTS 80m traffic nets. But that’s all gone. NTS refused to modernize and adapt to modern life and circumstances. What continued was the familiar enjoyable pattern from the 50’s. I totally understand that. But I don’t pretend that is extensible to our current circumstances. How WOULD you do CW pulling stuff from FT8 advantages, and with patterns that could actually be done manually as well as autonomous computer? 73, Guy K2AV On Fri, Oct 9, 2020 at 9:27 AM GEORGE WALLNER <[email protected]> wrote: > Hans, > FT8 did not kill Ham radio; it has changed it. Computer are doing that to > many aspects of our lives, some them we like, and some we don't. > There are things that you can't do with FT8: you can't win a CW or SSB > contest (even RTTY), nor can you get a CW DXCC, etc. > You can still show your skills. > > 73 and CU on CW, > George, > AA7JV/C6AGU > > > > On Fri, 9 Oct 2020 10:27:11 +0200 > Hans Hjelmström <[email protected]> wrote: > > SORRY Roger > >FT 8 has killed Ham radio ,when you need your own skill and not trust > > a computer to make your connection. I will NEVER use that > mode.Unfortunately MNI MNI Sweden Hams have almost gone QRT for > good,because of this FT-8 and lack of activity on ,,,,hearing modes. > > > > Kind regards > > > > Hans SM6CVX > > > >> 9 okt 2020 kl. 10:20 skrev Roger Kennedy <[email protected] > >: > >> > >> > >> It's such a shame that 160m Conditions for DX have been pretty good > over the > >> past week or two . . . > >> > >> Yet there are so few CW stations coming on the band ! > >> > >> I hear lots of us Europeans putting out endless CQ DX calls . . . but > often > >> getting no replies, despite good RBN Reports confirming the band is > open. > >> > >> Roger G3YRO > >> > >> > >> _________________ > >> Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > > > > _________________ > > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > > _________________ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > -- Sent via Gmail Mobile on my iPhone _________________ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
