I did a presentation in Dayton (well, the first year in Xenia) in 2017, after
RTTY Roundup announced FT8 would be allowed.
I recommend against mixing the mode in with other modes, and recommended having
separate contests for FT8 and the other more automated modes in HF contests.
VHF contests are a very different animal and I don't do much VHF contesting -
they've had different rules for many years and sponsors should listen to VHF
contesters.
I had a number of reasons, most of which got proven in the RTTY Roundup where
FT8 was in the mix. And, of course, RTTY Roundup went to no FT8 and now there
are separate digital contests.
I've used every digital mode when they first came along (I was W1AW/3 on JT65
back in 2014, with a whopping 12 hour) and I use FT8 today - I'm not against
digital modes or FT8 at all. As modes/decoding go, there is not much difference
in operating RTTY with a decoder and the other digital modes.
But, from a contesting point of view the software used (WSJT-X) has some
automation features already built in and other versions support more
automation. I don't think that should be mixed in - with traditional forms of
contesting that have always prohibited any level of automation and the software
(decoders like MMTTY and logging software like N1MM Logger+) have built QSO
automation in.
I think the RTTY Roundup experience showed much of this and having
digital-focused contests has been pretty successful and the right way to go -
but of course, it is up to the contest sponsors. For FD (which is not really a
contest) and state QSO parties having all modes together will probably make
sense. But for the bigger, more competitive contests I don't think it does.
73 John K3TN
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