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Re: [VHFcontesting] Changing from WSJT to SSB...

To: VHF Contesting <vhfcontesting@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] Changing from WSJT to SSB...
From: Mark Spencer <mark@alignedsolutions.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2019 12:49:51 -0700
List-post: <mailto:vhfcontesting@contesting.com>
I'm glad others enjoy the current style of FT8 operating.   I find the 
concentration of all most all FT8 signals on a given band in one "SSB channel" 
to be sub optimal, but I am glad to hear many people seem to enjoy it.  In my 
view any activity on the bands is almost always a good thing.  


73

Mark S
VE7AFZ 

mark@alignedsolutions.com
604 762 4099

> On Sep 18, 2019, at 12:29 PM, Tom Frenaye <frenaye@pcnet.com> wrote:
> 
> All good possibilities.    As a ³little gun² VHFer with 100w and a broken
> 6m antenna it is my experience today and 10-20-30 years ago that with so
> much emphasis from serious competitors on ³running the bands² for the UHF
> and microwave QSO points and multipliers it is not much fun.  At least the
> multi-ops stick around and try to work the beginners and low power
> stations calling them.
> 
> I think the person who suggested that having a designated frequency for
> FT-x activity is one of the main reasons as to why it has become so
> popular.  I agree.   There¹s nothing less fun to a newcomer than hearing
> two stations work each other and then QSY to another band.  The incentive
> for those extra points for UHF/microwave QSOs outweighs the possible score
> you might get by working the newcomers and low power stations.
> 
>     ‹ Tom/K1KI   
> 
> 
>
> Tom Frenaye, P O Box J, West Suffield CT 06093. c: 860-597-4539  h:
> 860-668-5444
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On 9/18/19, 2:50 PM, "VHFcontesting on behalf of John Kludt"
> <vhfcontesting-bounces@contesting.com on behalf of johnnykludt@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> 
>> All
>> 
>> But should we not be looking at why FT8 is dominant and not trying to
>> figure out ways to put the genie back in the bottle?.  Maybe it has to do
>> with the apparently declining number of "good CW ops" or the number of
>> people who even know Morse Code.  Maybe it has something to do with the
>> ability to be successful, whatever that means, with less than a KW and
>> stacked beams.  Maybe it has to do with the possibility that for a
>> station who mostly does S&P it is more efficient than SSB S&P.  Remember
>> the job of the little stations is to maximize their score, not the score
>> of the big multi/multi run stations.  And I get it, that is bad news to
>> the multi/multi players.
>> 
>> We will get it figured out.  It is a hobby and it is about having fun.
>> Being the 6m band captain for a multi/multi believe me I get it.  But I
>> also know we can't fix it by turning the clock backwards.  Genies do not
>> like to go back in the bottle.
>> 
>> John
>> Sent from my Verizon Motorola Smartphone
>>> On Sep 18, 2019 13:11, Mark Spencer <mark@alignedsolutions.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Or perhaps be able to work a station twice on one band using any two
>>> separate modes (ie. Digital, Phone or CW)
>>> 
>>> That way operators who didn't want to run digital could run Phone and
>>> CW and still be able to work stations twice on each band.
>>> 
>>> 73 
>>> 
>>> Mark S 
>>> VE7AFZ 
>>> 
>>> mark@alignedsolutions.com
>>> 604 762 4099 
>>> 
>>>> On Sep 18, 2019, at 11:03 AM, Dave <kdcarlso@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> If you got rid of the two signal rule you would actually reduce the
>>>> activity. If there is a rule change I would support the idea of being
>>> able 
>>>> to work a station twice. Once on digital and once on CW or SSB. That
>>> would 
>>>> help reduce FT8's dominance.
>>>> 
>>>> Dave 
>>>> N2OA 
>>>> 
>>>>> On Wed, Sep 18, 2019 at 9:59 AM RT Clay <rt_clay@bellsouth.net>
>>> wrote: 
>>>>> 
>>>>> I think the mode switching problem (and people getting "stuck on
>>> FT8") 
>>>>> has been made worse by the recent change in ARRL VHF contest rules
>>> that 
>>>>> allows single ops to transmit simultaneously on multiple bands. It
>>> was easy 
>>>>> for example for me to set up a single computer with two sound cards
>>> and two 
>>>>> radios running FT8. I think many ops now want to have a radio
>>> running 6M 
>>>>> FT8 all the time to catch weak openings on that band.
>>>>> Only allowing a single signal at once on ANY band (like HF contests)
>>> would 
>>>>> discourage single ops from trying to cover multiple bands on FT8.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Technically It is not easy to have a computer+two radios on FT8 and
>>> easily 
>>>>> switch back and forth from SSB (keeping a soundcard for voice
>>> messages of 
>>>>> course). Yes, you can go to multiple computers instead.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Also, allowing internet chat rooms I think has made FT8 use take
>>> priority 
>>>>> over SSB/CW, just because it is much easier to do FT8 + internet
>>> compared 
>>>>> to SSB/CW + internet.
>>>>> Tor N4OGW 
>>>>> 
>>>>>   On Wednesday, September 18, 2019, 7:41:47 AM CDT, N1BUG <
>>>>> paul@n1bug.com> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> This is a situation I am going to have to investigate and try to
>>>>> deal with as soon as I have some quality free time for radio...
>>>>> hopefully in about 5 to 6 weeks.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Call it over thinking things if you want, but of necessity band
>>>>> switching tasks are complicated here. I am active from LF to UHF and
>>>>> can only afford to have one good transceiver. VHF band switching
>>>>> involves switching 28 MHz IF to the appropriate transverter,
>>>>> reducing power output from the transceiver, enabling the correct
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> 
> 
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