I like the idea of assigning higher points to the analog modes to help
encourage more activity there. But I think splitting the contest up into analog
vs digital in time slots has some challenges. If the time slot for the digital
has great band conditions, then you are stuck on digital and not able to
utilize the more efficient phone contacts. The reverse is also true when the
bands are dead and you are in the analog time slot. The digital modes are
actually better in those cases. So allowing all modes to be used any time, but
awarding higher points for the analog ones would possibly encourage more people
to consider the analog modes and use the best mode for the conditions. If you
make a digital contact, and later make the same contact on one of the analog
modes, it only counts once, but the higher points prevail.
The other issue is the rovers. Many of them choose a route to run over the
duration of the contest. They are not circling back to the grids they have
already been in for the most part. So the time slots may prevent you from
working them in a grid because the conditions do not warrant making the contact
on one mode or the other. This may discourage rovers from going out, or only
doing the digital part because they are more assured of contacts in the digital
modes because they help make up for some of the limitations of rover antennas.
The converse is also true. Some rovers only do analog and you time slot the
contest for them and potentially discourage them from going out.
For me, the CQ contest split over two weekends, and one of those being a
holiday in the US, was just dismal. It effectively divides the two groups even
further and doesn’t do anything in my opinion to solve the challenges.
This is an ongoing debate and there probably is not an answer that will solve
it for everyone.
Jeff
K9KLD
> On Sep 17, 2025, at 8:27 AM, David R Buckwalter via VHFcontesting
> <vhfcontesting@contesting.com> wrote:
>
> If you allow working a station both Digital and Analog on each band, all you
> will do is create “Mode Hopping’ …… “QSL the FN99, switch to FT8 and call
> me right here again, then we can move up a band and do it again”.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From: Ed Parish <k1ep.list@gmail.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2025 7:30 AM
> To: Terry Price <terry@directivesystems.com>
> Cc: K3SK@buckwalter.co; NEWS <NEWSVHF@mailman.qth.net>; VHF Contesting
> <VHFcontesting@contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [NEWSVHF] [VHFcontesting] Here's a Proposed Solution for
> Digital/Analog Operating
>
>
>
> Well, if you go for a 48 hour contest, 24 analog and 24 digital, how about
> splitting it 12/24/12 to encourage people to work both modes and stick
> around? Instead of having people on for the first 24 and QRT or just get on
> for the second 24?
>
>
>
> Ed Parish, K1EP
>
> k1ep@arrl.net <mailto:k1ep@arrl.net>
>
>
>
> On Tue, Sep 16, 2025, 20:38 Terry Price <terry@directivesystems.com
> <mailto:terry@directivesystems.com> > wrote:
>
> Well, I said make the contest a full 48 hrs, 24 digital and 24 analog.
> Comments about too many modes is kinda correct, you don't know where to go.
> You call CQ on SSB/CW and you miss FT8 folks, go to FT8 you miss analog
> folks. That's why I think having two segments really fits well. Both modes
> get evening, morning and day. If someone is opposed to digital, they
> operate whichever segment is analog. This also would reduce the "Sunday
> afternoon blues" when you'll do anything to work someone.
>
> So right now, there is SOLP and SOHP and analog only, for the folks that
> only want to work digital, there is no digital award only that I am aware
> of. Yes, it may be creating another category but it's not just so "everyone
> wins" Digital isn't going anywhere and to think the league will remove
> digital from VHF contests is not realistic. Anyone who has contested for a
> while knows that FT8 is NOT a contest mode, yes you can dig out folks that
> are too weak for cw or folks that don't operate cw, but neither is Q65,
> MSK144 for that matter but folks don't abuse those.
>
> I for one see nothing wrong with an analog only, digital only and for us
> guttens' both modes - and awards, I personally would love a 48 hour VHF
> contest as long as there is activity to keep me awake. I couldn't make the
> CQ VHF analog but I did operate the digital and if the results are correct
> I was #1 in the US. I operated two K3's, one on 6 and one driving a
> transverter for two. The challenge was keeping both going and trying not to
> miss anything. It wasn't the same fun as analog and recognising someone by
> their voice or fist but it wasn't that bad.
>
> I've been contesting since 1978 when I worked with WA8LXJ in Kentucky. I've
> singleop'ed, multiop'ed, and roved. I loved roving but getting folks to QSY
> is difficult on FT8 and you miss a lot when folks are hanging out on FT8
> all the time so dividing the contest into two sections would also help
> rovers and hopefully spur more to get on. Is the idea perfect, of course
> not, what in life is perfect?
>
> Terry
> Terry Price - W8ZN
> Directive Systems and Engineering
> 703-754-3876
>
>
> On Tue, Sep 16, 2025 at 4:43 PM David R Buckwalter via VHFcontesting <
> vhfcontesting@contesting.com <mailto:vhfcontesting@contesting.com> > wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> Here is my 3-1/2¢ on using analog and digital modes for the ARRL VHF
>> contests.
>>
>>
>>
>> There is an easy solution. Just read on ===
>>
>> First, it is not just about FT8. Some operators use other digital modes as
>> well. This past weekend’s contest I logged CW, SSB, FT8, MSK, Q65 and
>> JT65 contacts.
>>
>> Separating the contest for either analog or digital format is dumb. There
>> are already too many things going on in life to worry about dedicating
>> another weekend for contesting. Splitting the same weekend into slots
>> for
>> analog and digital is a bad idea. Which format gets the morning tropo time
>> slot? What format gets the daytime Sporadic E? Does MSK144 for meteor
>> scatter get assigned to the mornings, evenings, night, or afternoon? What
>> about those like myself that add multipliers using digital modes to work
>> EME? Do we get to use digital when the moon is available at our location?
>>
>> Over the past 3 to 4 years there has been much discussion on this subject
>> and the one significant point made is Analog operators (SSB & CW) will not
>> work digital stations. In most cases the analog stations don’t even own
>> digital equipment or software. However, whether they choose to or not,
>> Digital operators have the ability and many do work ‘Mixed Mode’, both
>> digital and analog.
>>
>> Considering this, the most logical thing to do is change the rules for
>> scoring and operating categories. Keep the current operating categories
>> including ‘Analog Only’. Then, add a new ‘Digital Only’ category. Create
>> a
>> points incentive for analog contacts. As an example, use the current point
>> values for digital modes, then add 1 point to those values for each analog
>> contact. A 144MHz now 1 point, will be 2 points if an analog contact is
>> made, a 222MHz contact is now 2 points and will be 3 if it is for an analog
>> contact. This provides an incentive for ‘Mixed Mode’ stations to seek out
>> and work analog contacts. Still permit only one valid contact per band
>> with
>> any station. If a station is previously worked digital and then is later
>> worked analog, allow the higher point analog contact, letting the previous
>> logged digital contact to become the ‘DUPE’. ‘Digital Only’ are
>> competing
>> with other ‘Digital Only’ even if they work a ‘Mixed Mode’ station. It’s
>> the same for ‘Analog Only’ stations. There is no downside to this method
>> of scoring.
>>
>>
>>
>> Yes, I know the logging software will need to be revised. But that’s got
>> nothing to do with making everybody happy and increasing activity.
>>
>>
>>
>> FWIW – I have been VHF contesting since 1980
>>
>> Dave - K3SK - FM07
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
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