Hello everyone
I am a long time contester on VHF. First operated in a September VHF
contest on 6 meters in 1969 with AM. Yes I am a Dinosaur.
My observation during the September VHF contest as an Operator at the
W2LV group VHF contest effort.
From our hilltop location on 6 and 2 meters we copied many stations
on the digital frequencies with S-7 to 20 over S-9 signals making very
short haul contacts on digital and ignoring even being on SSB at least
during the VHF Contest period.
I was under the opinion that the advantage of these computer digital
modes was for EME, Meteor Scatter and extreme weak signal QSO's not as a
replacement of SSB and or CW. On 50.313 the number of stations
competing, AKA Pileups, surely had to reduce the QSO rates and probably
covered up any real weak or long distance signals that were on the
frequency.
Now I have read comments that this FT-8 mode that seems to be the
mode of choice on digital is no better than CW on weak signal detection
and decoding. If this is true we are now a computer application hobby.
I hope to enjoy many more VHF Contests and will try some more digital
in the future.
73 Walt Murphy N2WM
Trustee of W2LV
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