Re: Topband: A Bit of Zone 2 History Was Made Last Week

[W0MU Mike Fatchett <w0mu@w0mu.com>]

FT/X is never going away. Just like Remotes and packet, contesting, 
SSTV, insert your most dislike part of the hobby.  It is called change.  
Disparaging other people in our hobby is not helpful to the hobby 
especially to new people coming it.  What would they think if they over 
heard this conversation?  Sadly many only care about themselves and what 
they can work as long as it is using the modes and bands they like.
If you can't beat em, join em.  Who knows you might even have some fun 
or a least work a new one or two.
Cheers

W0MU


On 11/10/2019 7:56 PM, Larry via Topband wrote:
> gang,
> you are missing the point. this thread has turned into a discussion of FT8 vs 
> CW. again.
> the original message is about jeff and miriam taking the time, effort and no 
> doubt expense to give the deserving few a new zone. some day you may be lucky 
> enough to need only one zone for WAZ. you may not be whining if it was zone 2.
> imagine the delight for steve, VK6IR who completed his 5BWAZ!
> this is what ham radio is all about. my wife and i were fortunate to visit 
> VY2ZM/VY2NA and finer people can't be found. i suggest that you find the time 
> to write and congratulate them for their efforts rather than bitch about what 
> mode they used.
> just a thought,
> 73,larryn7dd
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Michael Walker <va3mw@portcredit.net>
> To: Eugene Popov /RA0FF/ <ra0ff@mail.ru>
> CC: k1zm@aol.com <k1zm@aol.com>; topband <topband@contesting.com>
> Sent: Mon, 11 Nov 2019 1:15
> Subject: Re: Topband: A Bit of Zone 2 History Was Made Last Week
>
> It is clear that the 160M is just full of grumpy old farts.  That is ok, we
> are getting used to it.  :)
>
> You'd think someone is making them use FT8.  No one said you had to use
> it.  If you don't like it, just spin the dial or turn the radio off.
>
> I have a pretty good hearing 160M station.  I see maybe 5 guys on CW.  For
> you 5, that is awesome!!
>
> I see double to triple  that on FT8.  If you want the screen shot that
> shows the activity, just ask me and I'll send it to you.
>
> For all you guys b*tching about FT8, how many actually turned on the radio
> an called CQ?  This week?  This month?  This year?
>
> I'm trying to work new countries on 160M CW.  I might hear 1 a month in
> CW.  Maybe.    Not true in FT8.  The one and only exception is if there is
> a contest.  Then, you guys don't get on because the band is then too
> crowded.
>
> Sounds like you need a new hobby, unless your hobby is complaining.
>
> 73 all.  Maybe I'll work you on the air.  Feel free to yell at me if you
> hear me.  LOL
>
> Mike va3mw
>
>
>
> On Sun, Nov 10, 2019 at 7:10 PM Eugene Popov /RA0FF/ via Topband <
> topband@contesting.com> wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> > Unfortunately, I learned very late about work plans from the 2 zone. I
> > heard a short, quiet squeak in the CW, and later decoded the signal
> > on 1840. Unfortunately, all the work was for JA friends, RX was only in
> > 1908.
> > May be later on 1840, but I’m no decode...
> > For me, the 2 zone is the only one that is needed for 160m. Usually, guys
> > coming to CQWW’s work only for Europe, no chance for us (Far East Asia).
> > But I continue to hope and listen band :)
> >
> > 73! Eugene, RA0FF
> > http://wwwq.qsl.net/ra0ff /
> > https://twitter.com/ra0ff/
> >
> >
> > > Пятница, 8 ноября 2019, 21:50 +11:00 от k1zm--- via Topband <
> > topband@contesting.com>:
> > > 08 Nov 2019
> > >
> > >
> > > Hi Gang
> > > Jeff and I just got back from a one week "mini dx'pedition" to ZONE 2.
> > Three ferries and about a 2400km roundtrip drive to 50.112 North from PEI
> > was made with the express purpose of giving ZONE 2 to our JA 160m friends.
> > > Prior to our trip, only one single JA station had ever managed a qso with
> > ZONE 2 on Topband and that was JA7HMZ about 35 years ago - so this zone was
> > much needed by most 160m JA dx'ers.  Quite of few of our 160m JA friends
> > have been stuck at 39 zones on 160m for many years - so this was our chance
> > to help them get ZONE 2 for #40.
> > > So without too much bandwidth - here is our report:
> > > QRV 31 October to 04 November 2019
> > > Roughly 350 stations worked on Topband - in 42 DXCC countries (we could
> > have worked more but we took lots of time off in order to sleep and then
> > get up for the JA window from about 0715z - 1110z.)
> > > We tried some CW but signals were very very weak and FT8 proved the only
> > possible way to complete contacts to JA.
> > > It was pretty exciting to work these (6) JA friends:
> > > JF8QNF
> > > JA8EAT
> > > JA7NI
> > > JA1BK
> > > JA8WKE
> > > JA3FYC
> > > We decoded no other JA signals on our side- but we know we were decoded
> > by these other JA stations:
> > > JH7PFD (two decodes)
> > > JE6KYA (one decode)
> > > JA1EOD (several decodes).
> > > Epilogue:
> > > We think that each JA qso that was made completed WAZ 40 on Topband for
> > these JA friends. (meaning ZONE 2 was most likely their last one needed).
> > > Steve VK6IR called us on ON4KST chat saying he had been chasing ZONE 2 on
> > 80m for 5BWAZ for 45 years and asked if we could work him on 80m.  We did
> > not know about 80m since the antenna had not been tested  for that band
> > but, after checking it with my analyst, I found it resonated at about
> > 3778kHz.  Steve said he could not do SSB there - so I asked him if he could
> > do digital.  YES! was his reply and we managed a qso on FT8 a few minutes
> > later.
> > > After we uploaded our LOG FILE to LOTW (completed on 06 November) -
> > within minutes there were 37 DXCC entities instantly confirmed via LOTW -
> > including VK6IR and all (6) lucky JA friends we had worked.
> > > So we are happy we helped some of our JA friends with WAZ 40 - and, at
> > the same time, we are a bit  disappointed that we could not do more.  The
> > A/K were lousy on nights one and two - things got better on night 3 when we
> > worked the first 4 JA's - nights 5 and 6 produced one JA qso each - meaning
> > JA8WKE and JA3FYC.
> > > One amusing final fact - it was roughly a 2400km trip to there and back -
> > so this works out to about 400km per JA qso.
> > > KOWABUNGA!  but we had a great time trying this - and are pleased we had
> > some limited success in doing so.
> > > We wish to mention our special thanks to Don Toman (K2KQ) and to Frank
> > Donovan (W3LPL) for their kind assistance with our antenna planning.  Their
> > input and suggestions were invaluable in making this happen!
> > > 73/88 de  Miriam (VY2NA) and Jeff VY2ZM
> > > Email:  K1ZM@aol.com
> > > _________________
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