Hello Dave et al,
I will echo Dave’s comments re. FT8. I’m to the point of pulling down my 6/2M
quad. Spent a bit of time listening around 50.125 and hearing nothing while
50.313 is alight with FT8, watching DX Maps. I do admit to not having even
tried to setup a digital station as it holds little interest for me. I just
enjoy listening on SSB/CW, seems that digital takes all the fun out of it, at
least for me. My $0.02.
Shawn
N7LQ
> On Apr 16, 2025, at 12:34, David Olean <k1whs@metrocast.net> wrote:
>
> Hi Ron,
>
> That is a very interesting perspective on analog vs. digital modes. I agree
> that operator skill is a major driver of what we are seeing on the ham bands
> these days. From my perspective, FT-8 does nothing for me other than
> convenience. It allows me to make contacts while I am also drilling holes in
> a chassis, or machining metal on a lathe. I sure can't do that while
> operating CW. In using FT8 for a few years on VHF, I am still waiting to
> make a contact that I could not do via CW. I think my ears are trained to
> dig CW signals out of the noise after years of CW EME.
>
> I also remember years ago in the 1960's, when I did not know CW very well and
> was exclusively an AM or SSB op on VHF. I would listen to CW tapes of meteor
> scatter QSOs made by K2RTH. (K2R6) Bruce would chug along at 35 wpm and copy
> short bursts on MS and pick out calls or RS2 etc. I heard just gibberish.
> That experience led me to learn to be a better CW op. I was never good at 35
> wpm. I struggle at 25 wpm, but I sure got good at picking weak signals out of
> the noise. It's all about rhythm. Each grid square or RR 73 has its own
> cadence and it is hard to describe to people without that skill. If I did
> not know the code and have some experience with it, I would be on FT8 100% of
> the time to pick off DX. The difference between AM and SSB was in the
> neighborhood of ten dB. CW vs SSB is about another ten dB maybe. So FT8 is
> another world when you compare it to what SSB can do. You get another ten dB
> just on your end of the path.
>
> Q65 is a different beast and it really provides a huge improvement over CW no
> matter how good your "ears" are. It is a game changer and adds another ten dB
> to the equation. So also is FT8 a game changer for the less skilled ops
> with no CW background. Also consider that old hams are losing their
> hearing.It happens to almost all of us at some point. In that case FT8 is a
> great way to continue with the hobby. There is no denying that!
>
> I would agree that the instant gratification contingent will gravitate to FT8
> and stay there. No tuning is needed. No CW ability is needed. You do not need
> to copy through noise, and you can operate a milling machine or build a
> Revell plastic muscle car while you make contacts. I love the feature of the
> digital modes in that I can go out of the ham shack on the hill, water a pine
> tree, and then skoot back to the chair with no one the wiser. That is
> convenience.
>
> I just love hearing signals and will never tire of the sound of DX. This past
> Monday, I marveled at how watery N2NT sounded coming in on my omni antenna
> from almost 300 miles away. The flutter and fading is what floats my boat,
> and I will not give that up. I just am sad when people take the easy way out
> and forego SSB and CW for the convenience of FT8. It is what it is, but I
> don't like it. Please check the calling frequencies for SSB or CW every once
> in awhile. You might be surprised and hear someone!
>
> 73
>
> Dave K1WHS
>
>
>> On 4/15/2025 6:06 PM, Ron Klimas WZ1V wrote:
>> I guess that's a matter of perspective.
>> I looked back at all my contest logs since the Analog Category started.
>> They revealed that SSB-CW activity has remained pretty much the same
>> now as it was 3 or 4 years ago. Activity is dependent on band conditions
>> more than any other factor. I would also go as far to say that one's
>> location, station capability, operator skill and patience are much
>> bigger determining factors than just saying the contest rules are to blame.
>> Everyone's using those same rules so it's a level playing field.
>> What's really happening IMO is there are operators that just don't
>
>> want to struggle straining to hear weak signals in the noise for hours.
>> They prefer to stay on FT8 and let the computer pull out the signal.
>> By the same token, when band conditions are poor, more people
>> move to FT8 sooner because their analog CQ's are going unanswered.
>> Because the software can decode weaker signals in the noise than
>> most humans can perceive, the weakest FT8 CQ's get answered.
>> Why walk 3 miles to the srore in the rain when you can take yoir car there ?
>> Then again, if it's a sunny day it might be nice to go for a walk.
>> Just my 2 cents, I've done both many times.
>>
>> 73 Ron WZ1V
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: CHRIS FAGAS via NEWSVHF <newsvhf@mailman.qth.net>
>> To:
>> Cc: vhfcontesting@contesting.com, newsvhf@mailman.qth.net
>> Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2025 17:00:12 -0400
>> Subject: [NEWSVHF] WB2VVV 144 MHz Spring Sprint
>>
>>> 144 MHz Spring Sprint - 2025
>>>
>>> Call: WB2VVV
>>> Operator(s): WB2VVV
>>> Station: WB2VVV
>>>
>>> Class: Single Op LP
>>> QTH: FN41
>>> Operating Time (hrs): 1.1
>>>
>>> Summary:
>>> Total: QSOs = 21 Mults = 10 Total Score = 210
>>>
>>> Club: North East Weak Signal Group
>>>
>>> Comments:
>>>
>>> Operated ANALOG ONLY with LOW POWER for a little over an hour from my Rhode
>>> Island FN41cr QTH. Made 21 QSOs and worked 10 different Grids.
>>>
>>> I really like the way CQ has split their VHF contest into 2 dates, one for
>>> ANALOG and one for DIGITAL, and I look forward to operating on the ANALOG
>>> date -
>>> when everyone operating will be operating ANALOG. OTOH, ARRL has created an
>>> ANALOG ONLY category within its three VHF contests, but this does not boost
>>> ANALOG activity one bit. Instead we are watching the ANALOG activity drop
>>> every
>>> contest. Presumably DIGITAL activity is increasing, but I wouldn't know as
>>> I have
>>> no interest in DIGITAL modes.
>>>
>>>
>>> Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
>>> ______________________________________________________________
>>> NEWSVHF mailing list
>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/newsvhf
>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>>> Post: mailto:NEWSVHF@mailman.qth.net
>>>
>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>>
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