... for what it's worth, Lew has nailed down my exact feelings and opinion
of the current state of VHF contesting in this new world of FT8. I approve
of his post !
-W9RM
Keith Morehouse
via MotoG
On Mon, Sep 23, 2019, 9:41 PM Lew Sayre <w7ew@arrl.net> wrote:
> Greetings to all Contesters,
> K5QE has written up a fine article about VHF contesting and why we should
> leave the contest rules alone. It is clear that K5QE cares deeply about the
> subject. So do I. I have a different opinion on some of his assumptions so
> I'm sharing them with you. My opinions may be worth exactly what it costs
> you to read them but they may be representative of a significant number of
> operators
>
> K5QE wrote, "HF contesting is all about how you find stations not about how
> you work stations". I'd like him to explain more fully that statement to
> Ops like KL9A, N6MJ, W2SC,CT1BOH and others who are performing mutant like
> operating by interleaving QSOs from 2 radios. Why do they do this? I'd
> guess that by developing their operating skills and winning contests they
> are having fun. I'll get back to this idea of fun.
>
> The ARRL did remove rules pertaining to the use of internet chat rooms and
> telephones during contests a few years ago. Why did they do that? It was
> aimed at making it easier for stations to find other stations to work and
> diminish slow times. After reading K5QE's note it is clear that by making
> VHF contesting easier it has been a great success with everybody having
> more fun.
>
> Then along comes Dr. Taylor with his brilliant weak signal modes in WSJT-X.
> Now not only do the operators not worry about looking for stations but they
> really don't need to know how to operate to the same extent as a CW, SSB or
> RTTY operator. The FT-modes now allows minimally equipped stations to see
> and work real DX. It is a whole lot easier and a whole lot of fun which
> explains the runaway popularity of the FT-modes.
>
> What we are experiencing is amateur radio evolution right in front of us.
> Operators are voting with their computer mice over the other modes because
> the FT-modes are easier than CQ or SSB or RTTY, and a lot of fun.
>
> But there is a rub. There is a significant number of operators who have
> developed contesting skills and derive their fun from exercising those
> skills like the 4 stalwarts mentioned in the second paragraph. We have
> already seen that by combining the FT-modes in a VHF contest with CW and
> SSB that the pool of operators for the legacy modes is diminished. Since it
> is not much fun for the CW or SSB Ops they'll find other ways to enjoy
> their recreational time in the future such as SOTA, IOTA, golf or moving to
> a state where recreational cannabis is legal.
>
> The WWROF (World Wide Radio Operators Foundation) has the correct outlook
> here. A few weeks ago they sponsored the first FT8/FT4 only HF contest
> which was well attended. The VHF contesting world needs to do the same
> thing, which is to delete digital modes in the current VHF contests and
> develop a separate FT8/FT4 only VHF contest. This would provide a pool of
> operators who would be having FT fun with a percentage of them becoming
> bitten by the contesting bug and then developing the other skills necessary
> to compete in CQ and SSB contests.
>
> We do radio to exercise our radio skills which is rewarding and fun. The
> contests we do should emphasize those rewards and, not by their very
> nature, lead to conflict, malaise and unhappiness..The old VHF rules are
> broken by the success of the FT modes. Separate contests will rectify the
> situation.
>
> 73 and I remain,
> Lew w7ew
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>
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