As we move ever closer to fully-automated data modes, the divide between
data and
non-data modes gets bigger. When and if the operator becomes
incidental, what will
be the point of such contest QSOs - other than bragging that my software
is smarter
than yours?
WSJT-X may be the "flavour of the month" now - but, next month, or
certainly next
year, something "better" will turn up - as the potential for "new and
improved" data
modes is limitless. Some see this as progress in amateur radio and
contesting - I see
it as progress in automated two-way data processing over RF.
It seems to me that any mode that is not and can not be decoded by
individual
contesters (people) in real-time does not truly represent amateur
radio. But what
would I know, being just an old-fashioned (outdated?) contester who
keeps to
phone and CW :-)
Some will argue that we have to keep up, we can't stop progress, and
that amateur
radio and contesting are evolving. I say that data modes are evolving
into something
else entirely.
73,
Paul EI5DI
On 23/10/2018 19:40, Brian Moran via CQ-Contest wrote:
Joe, K1JT posted announcement of a dry-run to test WSJT-X in a contest setting. The
post was to the WSJT-X mailing list, but it's about contesting, so it's likely
relevant to readers of this list, as well. Upcoming versions of the WSJT-X
software will have the ability to make some contest exchanges, and I'm sure the
WSJT-X development team could benefit from the collective expertise of long-time
contesters. Here's an excerpt from the announcement:
A one-hour "practice contest" will be held tomorrow (Wednesday evening, NA
time) using the FT8 mode and the ARRL RTTY Roundup rules.
Date and time: Thursday, 25 October 0200-0300 UTC
Dial frequency 7.078 (and higher, in 2 kHz increments, if too much QRM).
Everyone works everyone.
To participate you must use WSJT-X 2.0.0-rc3
See the link above for the entire announcement-Brian N9ADG
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