Tim, My take on the popularity is explained this way. FT8 has an SNR
advantage over CW of around 5 dB, PSK31 - about 10 dB and SSB of more
than 15 dB. So for a given set of link conditions, FT8 result in a Q in
the log more often than the other modes.
Add in the poor prop conditions and lousy antenna situations and you
have a handy way to up the odds of a DX contact for the average Joe
Ham. And the average Joe Ham on FT8 (my guess) is more likely a SSB op
where the compare is more impressive than the CW-VS FT8 meaning that
coming from SSB, FT8 gives a pretty big relative improvement in working
the weak ones.
I think FT8 is like any other mode - it's got it's areas of merit and
it's areas of difficulty. FT8 brings a nice low SNR capability, the
occupied BW is tiny and the software minimizes required operator skill.
On the other hand, the conversation contents and pace is 100% scripted.
Like classic modes RTTY, AM, SSB & CW, FT8 has it's place. FT8 is a
great knife to bring to a knife fight. But it's not the be all, end all
of modes. [Pactor 4 is, of course. ha ha.]
See you in the RTTY WPX next weekend.
73/jeff/ac0c
alpha-charlie-zero-charlie
www.ac0c.com
On 03-Feb-19 9:05 AM, Tim Shoppa wrote:
Mike, you are buying into a myth that both supporters and detractors of FT8
perpetuate. The myth that FT8 is superior for DX'ing, to other modes.
2018 was my "year of FT8". I participated in several on-air WSJT new
feature tests including DXpedition mode testing. I spent the vast majority
of my on-air hours, outside of contests, on FT8. I CQ'd a lot on FT8 and
also chased DX on FT8.
You ask: " Productive in what way? To work new ones? ". I specifically
checked by 2018 log statistics for new band slots. I worked 4 new band
slots on 160M in 2018 - zero on FT8. I worked 13 new ones on 80M in 2018 -
none on FT8. I worked 5 new ones on 40M in 2018 - none on FT8. And so on.
You also ask: "How many countries did you work on FT8 that you did not or
could not work on any other mode." My answer: I worked 4 ATNO's in 2018.
None did I need FT8 to confirm.
Now, I did work 13 of DXpeditions in 2018 for new digital mode DXCC credit
in 2018. If I look at these stats, 8 of them I worked on RTTY, and 5 I
worked on FT8. But the ones I worked on FT8 completely neglected RTTY -
they never did any RTTY at all or made only a handful of RTTY Q's. I'm sure
I could've completed a RTTY QSO with any of those 5 if they had made an
effort on RTTY.
No matter how I slice it or dice it, FT8 is not a superior mode. Both the
detractors and supporters of FT8 are suffering from the myth that FT8 makes
DX'ing easier. It does not. I tried hard to max out FT8 using any
quantitative measure in 2018 - just look at the number of hours I invested
- and FT8 came up short in every single measure, including the
hard-DX-oriented measures you propose.
Tim N3QE
On Sat, Feb 2, 2019 at 2:28 PM W0MU Mike Fatchett <w0mu@w0mu.com> wrote:
FT8 was not created to be a rate mode. It is a weak signal mode. For
those of us a long way from the East Coast and salt it allows us to work
stations that we probably had very little shot of working without FT8.
Productive in what way? To work new ones? Check! DXing is not
necessarily about rate, I thought that is what contests were for.
How many countries did you work on FT8 that you did not or could not
work on any other mode. That would be my definition of productive.
Productive to me is working new ones with the least amount of time
expended.
W0MU
On 2/1/2019 9:12 AM, Tim Shoppa wrote:
There are some untrue things being assumed here, as if they are
advantages
to FT8 that make FT8 be a more productive mode for DX'ing.
In fact FT8 is the least productive of all modes I used in 2018. And I
was
on FT8 a lot in 2018. I tried hard to be productive in FT8 - measured in
Q's per hour, or DXCC , or any other quantitative measure. And FT8 was
far
and away the least productive mode for me.
You will note I am no stranger to digital modes - I am often in top 3 of
CQ
WW RTTY in USA SO HP(A). So please take for granted that I am competent
at
digital modes and my poor FT8 results are not because I'm a poor digital
mode operator.
In below calculations I use "half hour off time" calculations, in
calculating on time for each mode. "Half hour off time" calculations are
super commonly done in contests.
In 2018 I was on CW for 481 hours. I made 32610 QSO's for a rate of 68
per
hour and worked 185 DXCC.
In 2018 I was on SSB for 107 hours. I made 7344 QSO's for a rate of 69
per
hour and worked 104 DXCC.
In 2018 I was on RTTY for 250 hours. I made 13319 QSO's for a rate of 53
per hour and worked 117 DXCC's.
In 2018 I was on FT8 for 376 hours. I made 6460 QSO's for a rate of 17
per
hour and worked 110 DXCC's.
BY ANY QUANTITATIVE MEASURE, FT8 was my least productive mode by far.
I DO NOT HAVE A SUPERSTATION. In fact I just have a single wire antenna.
But I have worked hard on developing my operating skills in all modes in
my
40 years of being a ham.
If I had to choose one mode in 2019 to exercise and improve my skills, it
would be phone. I can get on for a half hour in Tuesday night phone fray
with 100W and make Q's at a rate of 40-60Q's an hour (rates completely
unachievable with FT8). While I have greatly improved my phone skills in
the past couple years, I still think there's lots of room for
improvement!
Tim N3QE
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