If we CW operators would all stay on a very tight frequency passband
and call CQ every 15 seconds I bet there would be a lot of
interesting things happening to us also. Especially if we do it 24/7
or at least every hour that we are not asleep.
However, PC-automation has it's advantages, some are at work while
working DX and others are gardening. Some even sit by the radio/PC
and watch things happen :-)
Bottom line is, we need to activate our transmitters more and not
just listen for others. A perfect example is Bill KH7XS who opens up
almost any seemingly "dead" band to Europe, at any time, just by
calling CQ for a while.
CW is not only great fun as you say Dave, CW is King!
73
Peter SM2CEW
At 16:39 2019-07-31, daraymond@iowatelecom.net wrote:
Interesting observations Jeff. I will remain on 160 CW as I have in
years past. I enjoy the visceral satisfaction that comes with
pulling out the weak signals and having direct, unencumbered
interaction with the station to which I'm communicating. . .or
trying. . .hi. CW is still great fun.
73. . . Dave, W0FLS
-----Original Message----- From: k1zm--- via Topband
Sent: Wednesday, July 31, 2019 7:20 AM
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Topband: Summer Update & a Surprise
Hi Gang
It is mid summer here and E season on 6M has been fun to play with
while 160m is pretty S L O W as it usually is.
On these pages there has been alot of chatter regarding FT8 - (which
basically took over 6M DX'ing starting in July 2917 - all DX is now
on 50.313 FT8 - which is why I had to adopt this mode in order to
continue DX'ing on 6m). It was either do that or give up operating
on 6M during E season.
I do hope that CW continues to thrive on Topband - but this past
season there was TONS of DX on FT8 and in my opinion LESS DX on CW
than in prior years. It is quite possible to work in JA on 160m
from here on FT8 with 100w out - which would have been quite rare
indeed on CW as I recall (I do not think I ever worked JA with 100w
from here - but who knows?)
Today as I write this - I am listening to 28.074Mhz on a totally
DEAD 10m band. If I tune the entire CW portion and the whole SSB
portion, there is NOTHING - repeat NOTHING there - no signals
whatsoever to be found.
Yet on 28.074Mhz - I just worked a whole page of Europeans on FT8 -
to my almost total INCREDULITY!!
I am not sure how I feel about all of this - but one thing is SURE -
the DX world has changed - and there is no looking back.
I love CW on Topband and used to love CW on 6m - but that no longer
xists -so I do hope the 6m migration to FT8 does not repeat itself on Topband!
To all a good summer and CU on CW again starting in September.
73 JEFF VY2ZM
.
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