Hi Bob
And I can tell you,,,,I feel same,,,,PLUS it has also destroyed the fun on
50 mc. NO CW or SSB to be heard ( except TZ4AM and TT8SN still on CW/SSB).
Both 5V7RU/ ty5RU and J28MD ONLY FT 8 unheard mode. NOT even
a try on CW,even that conditions are perfect.
This is VERY SAD and will impact of activity in future for many of us.
Take care and stay safe
Hans SM6CVX / NO Ft 8 ever
> 5 nov 2022 kl. 19:39 skrev kq2m@kq2m.com:
>
>
> On Tuesday I heard but could not work VK6IR, but I did work VK6GX on Thursday
> for my first zone 29 qso on 160 since VK6HD about 3 decades ago.
> My antenna is a modest 160 Inv L with elevated radials. When the band has
> very good cndx I can work almost anything that I can hear. But on the
> marginal days there is quite a bit of long-haul DX that eludes me. ;-) (I'm
> still missing zones 22, 23, 24, 26, and 27)
>
> What is maddening to me is that it used to be that FT4 / FT8 was used by some
> DXpeditions AFTER they had already worked 160 CW. Now, to my great
> disappointment, more and more DXpeditions are routinely using FT4 and/or FT8
> IN PLACE of 160 cw, even though they are perfectly capable of operating 160
> CW. Sadly, this trend seems to be getting more and more pervasive.
>
> Recently, 5V7RU has ONLY been on FT4 / FT8 on 80 and 160, with NO cw at all
> on those bands.
> This follows the previous country they were in where they operated 80 cw but
> no 160 cw.
>
> J28MD has operated 160 cw very briefly and typically avoids it, instead
> preferring FT8.
>
> I get it.... It is far easier to work stations on FT4 or FT8 than on cw.
> And using those unattended modes allow qsos to be made
> while the Dxpedition operators sleep. But that does not make me feel better
> about it.
>
> I am not interested in the digital modes, preferring the traditional modes of
> CW and SSB. I understand that others feel differently,
> which is fine. But it bothers me that DXpeditions are now avoiding CW on
> 80/160 because they just don't want to bother.
>
> 73
>
> Bob, KQ2M
>
>
>
> On 2022-11-05 12:45, Tom wrote:
>> On thursday night conditions here in w1 land were outstanding! J28MD
>> (cw) and 5V7RU (ft8) got in the log and I heard HS0ZOY (ft8) at his SR
>> at -5 for about 5 minutes. first HS I have ever heard.
>> hope i get a chance with T88.
>>> On Nov 5, 2022, at 12:00 PM, David Raymond <daraymond@iowatelecom.net>
>>> wrote:
>>> Greetings Topbanders. . .
>>> I've spent a considerable amount of time on watch this past week for J28MD
>>> on Topband (CW). While they've spent a fair amount of time on TB I haven't
>>> yet had success yet in spite of my ongoing efforts. I believe it was this
>>> past Tuesday night when Joel, W5ZN, said they appeared briefly out of the
>>> noise (about 10 minutes or so and did have success with his BSEF-8 and Hi-Z
>>> 8 arrays in diversity) then disappeared the rest of the evening. Wednesday
>>> night's opening to NA was much longer starting on the East coast and slowly
>>> sweeping westward with quite a few NA making it in the log (EC + 5's, 8's,
>>> & 9s', VE). Unfortunately the prop just never quite made it this far west.
>>> They barely peaked out of the noise here in Iowa Wednesday evening (NA
>>> time) just enough to get me excited and dump my call a few times hoping for
>>> even a marginal QSO. . . but no cigar. It's a little frustrating to see
>>> that they always QRT about 30 minutes or so prior to their SR but they get
>>> credit for being on faithfully on CW and FT8 as well. I know they're
>>> getting close to wrapping up but hopefully they'll be on (CW) again this
>>> evening.
>>> It's been good to have some DX operations QRV and bring some much needed
>>> life to TB (which sure hasn't had much). . .TY0, 5V, and now J28, A3, and
>>> T88. The prop has been very poor. CQing here in the evening brings no DX
>>> responses and only a handful of EU EBN hits so far this season. Thankfully
>>> mornings have activity from our very stalwart VK friends (VK3HJ, VK2WF,
>>> VK6GX, VK6IR, VK6LW, others) but only a handful of JA QSOs so far this
>>> season (8 to be exact). JA1LZR gets kudos for being QRV almost every
>>> morning (NA time), but without much prop, I think only limited success.
>>> I have yet to hit the VK4CT RBN CQing here in the mornings. I don't think
>>> this is totally attributable to the increased SFI. . . prop from here was
>>> only marginally better two seasons ago when the SFI was very low.
>>> All that said, I encourage everyone to get on and make some noise.
>>> 73. . . Dave, W0FLS (in Iowa)
>>> _________________
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