FT or not, I'm not sure you'd see those rates again on SSB. Maybe on 6
since almost every modern HF radio has 6 in it - but certainly not on 2m or
up. The number of hams with 2m or higher sideband capabilities is just the
hard core folks. There's a fraction of the number of guys locally (or even
regionally) on 2m or higher with gear to do SSB or CW than there was 30
years ago when I started in this hobby.
I've been encouraging local hams to get on the air with what they have and
work them FM. I may not pick up grids from them, but I'll take the extra
contacts for the points.
On Fri, Jan 14, 2022 at 11:49 AM Jay RM <w9rm@calmesapartners.com> wrote:
> ..and FT4 is painfully slow compared to SSB (...or CW) when signals are
> stronger.
>
> Anybody who is a died-in-the-wool CONTESTER abhors what has happened on 6M
> during June and July contests. How is the "art of contesting" served by
> 40-50/hour run rates on digital ? The real problem is, only 25% of us on a
> given contest weekend are serious, the rest are leisure time ops, just
> looking to work somebody...anybody. "They" are the ops that allowed "us",
> the serious contesters, to have our fun and adrenaline rush, running a 200+
> hour on SSB.
>
> Those ops, the ones that count, are gone, never to return to SSB (...yes,
> or CW). Change the rules all you want, add more incentive, add more
> 'coolness', whatever - they are tied to FT8 and are not going to bite and
> move to another mode, because FT8 is what they want - some time to make a
> few easy Qs without worrying about pile-ups, procedure, ect.
>
> Yes, VHF contesting dynamics have changed drastically - strategy is NOTHING
> like it used to be. Participants can either change, deal with the vastly
> reduced hourly rate (,,and the Qs you may not have been able to work before
> - yes, a very good positive) and forge on. Or, if you're a rate junkie,
> retire from the VHF contest game and move on to something else - I doubt
> the FT8 contesters will miss us much.
>
> -W9RM
> Certified rate junkie and ex-VHF contest op
>
> Keith J Morehouse
> Managing Partner
> Calmesa Partners G.P.
> Olathe, CO
>
>
> On Fri, Jan 14, 2022 at 8:41 AM Chuck Dietz <w5prchuck@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > I think many contesters would agree that we should not penalize or
> > discourage FT8, however, it would be good if we could encourage FT4
> because
> > it is not as painfully slow.
> >
> > Chuck W5PR
> >
> > On Fri, Jan 14, 2022 at 9:08 AM <chetsubaccount@snet.net> wrote:
> >
> > > Hello fellow contesters,
> > >
> > > Some recent threads here and elsewhere about FT8 have prompted me to
> > > express
> > > my alternate view.
> > >
> > > I agree with the summary statement that FT8 has presented VHF
> contesters
> > a
> > > complex problem.
> > >
> > > What I do not agree with is that FT8 has ruined VHF contesting. The
> most
> > > vocal about its demise seem to be the big mega MM stations. I
> understand
> > > the
> > > angst; they have put in a huge effort over the decades to optimize
> their
> > > station capability and team and now it doesn't work the same anymore.
> The
> > > old ways have been challenged. But that beautiful 4-1000A 6M amplifier
> > and
> > > plate modulator had to sadly be replaced too.
> > >
> > > For a station like mine that runs low power, the changes are exciting.
> In
> > > the past, from here in CT, I could hear a distant big operation like
> > K8GP,
> > > AA4ZZ, or W3SO long before they could hear me, if at all. But using
> FT8
> > I
> > > have that extra 15-20 dB of help and now I will likely get that grid.
> > >
> > > For many years I've maintained my own VHF call history file to use
> with
> > my
> > > logging program. When I started trying FT8 a couple of years ago, it
> was
> > > striking how many local stations I'd work that were NOT in that history
> > > file. That means a LOT more (new?) amateurs are getting on for the
> > contest.
> > >
> > > For any mode, to do well you still need a good station and antenna
> > system.
> > > Make that a never-ending part of your effort. As an avid contester and
> > not
> > > a
> > > DXer, over the years I've put-up multiple antennas and switching
> systems
> > to
> > > provide wide azimuthal coverage. Other improvements are still being
> > > pondered. Consider this: A 5 element yagi has a 3dB beamwidth of 54
> > > degrees. On FT8 the equivalent MDS azimuth coverage is now 128 deg.
> > > Remarkable! This wider coverage and increased boresight range makes
> many
> > > more contacts possible. If you want to fare better, adapt, and keep
> > > improving.
> > >
> > > Does FT8 take over for the operator? It could, if someone chooses to
> > watch
> > > the New England Patriots get whomped and just click a mouse now and
> > again.
> > > But an avid contest op will watch the decode screen every cycle, notice
> > how
> > > strong stations are (for clues when to go to ssb or cw), note who is
> new,
> > > scan for a new mult, make decisions what antenna to select right now
> and
> > > next, decide if the current qso really is complete, etc. An avid op
> will
> > > acquire a feel from experience for what part of the day to try beaming
> > > north, or to go on SSB for a while.
> > >
> > > Want more challenge? Reconfigure your station to allow having one
> session
> > > going on 6M and another on 2M at the same time. That will get the
> little
> > > grey cells going to do it and in learning SO2R think. How does using
> real
> > > time texting to "arrange" a contact do that?
> > >
> > > A traditionalist may suggest penalizing the use of digital modes thru
> > rules
> > > revisions. Hmmm. so the amateur that puts in thought and maybe a lot of
> > > resource into trying and maybe even adding EME capability (as many MM
> > > stations have done) to try to work more multipliers should be shown the
> > > door
> > > now? I thought the point of contesting was to encourage technical
> > learning
> > > and skills, not discouraging it. It is our own choice to use or not use
> > > EME,
> > > or FT8, or spectrum windows, chat rooms, rover circling, remote radio,
> or
> > > other new ideas, but should not discourage those that are trying them.
> > Find
> > > your own personal comfort zone and enjoy your operation.
> > >
> > > 73, and keep on growing,
> > > Chet, N8RA
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > VHFcontesting mailing list
> > > VHFcontesting@contesting.com
> > > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/vhfcontesting
> > >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > VHFcontesting@contesting.com
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> >
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