Hello to all VHF contesters....As was noted, the ARRL September VHF
contest is this weekend, so plan to be there.
MAYBE FT8 will get you more grids and maybe not. If you get a good SSB
opening, you can easily work 100+ contacts per hour. A fair
operator(that is me) can work about 150 contacts per hour, while a
really top notch operator can work 200+ contacts in an hour. You will
never do that on FT8. It is also true that if you make a lot more
contacts on SSB in an hour, you will work a lot more grids in that
hour. It would be very wise for everyone on 6M to begin on SSB at the
first of the contest, and then go to FT8 only if 6M is "dead to SSB".
When it is clear that the band is "dead", then go to FT8 and work what
you can, but everyone should keep their ears open for a return of SSB.
I run a ICOM 756Pro3 for 6M--it has a feature called "Dual Watch". I
can set my secondary VFO to 50.125 for SSB and the primary VFO to 50.313
for FT8. That allows me to hear if any SSB activity pops up. A single
button push switches the two VFOs so that I can run SSB as long as it
lasts. Another suggestion that has been made is for everyone to check
for an SSB opening at the top and bottom of the hour. If you can't do
Dual Watch, that seems like a reasonable suggestion to me.
When 6M is "dead to SSB", I will be on FT8 or meteor scatter(MSK144)
later at night. Don't dismiss meteor scatter at night. It is a mode
that will reliably put 20-30 grids in the logs over the evening hours.
Use PingJockey to coordinate schedules and to post your CQ frequencies
so everyone can find you.
GL to everyone in the contest....73 Marshall K5QE
On 9/6/2022 8:39 PM, David Olean wrote:
I would agree with Gerry. I hope to be lurking around in the Sept
Contest and will be on 222 & 432 CW and SSB. I could get on six
meters but it is almost all FT8, so I am inclined to let it be. Too
bad because the four seven element yagis and the 3CX3000A7 work so
well. It was a killer setup!
The cost of a portable setup for me is not trivial, with diesel fuel
at over $5 per gallon, so I do not plan a full time operation at all.
Look for me on 222 and 432 on CW or SSB. I still do not have my 144
yagis running yet. I did manage to get the tower for it started. I
plopped a Rohn 45 section on the concrete ! Maybe I can prop a 144
yagi in a tree for the weekend?
My plan is to be analog only, but I sure like to use meteor scatter.
It is a lot more fun than FT8 and is an effective way to spend late
evenings and very early mornings.
73
Dave K1WHS
On 9/6/2022 1:01 PM, Gerry Hull wrote:
It seems to be a failing battle, but I'd love to make some SSB and CW
QSOs
using traditional SSB and CW.
Yes, yes, FT8 gets you more grids.
But how fun is it?
I'll be on 2m mostly at W2SZ, FN32jp at 3491 ASL, running 1500w to some
very-long-boom
yagis. We can work OH on an average day on SSB/CW tropo, and if any
enhancement we
can do a lot better.
Yah, we will be on FT8 as well. However, I know a lot of you love the
traditional analog modes
as well. Plus, it takes like 5 seconds to make an SSB QSO!
Look for me 144.170 +/-. I'm happy to take skeds for other bands,
as we
are on DC-Daylight
as usual.
73,
Gerry W1VE/VE1RM
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