[CQ-Contest] FT4 - Robotic Contesting

[Sterling Mann]

In the beginning, there were people. And people raced on foot. And then man
domesticated the animal, and raced that. And then man got creative, making
cars, planes, boats, trains, rockets, and so on and so forth...and raced
them all.

Ham radio is the same. In the beginning there was CW. And then phone. And
then RTTY. And then BPSK. And so on and so forth, until now with FT4.

What I'm getting at is that FT4 contesting will still be just as much fun
as CW, SSB, and RTTY, and just as competitive. But, I think now after
reading a negative opinion or two on CQ-contest, QRZ, eHam, reddit, and
elsewhere, is that the contesters ingrained in CW, phone, or RTTY
radiosport will be hard pressed to believe me. Meanwhile contesters of
modern-day modes will have as much fun with FT4 as those who have been
contesting with CW for their lifetimes and it makes me sad that they'll be
unlikely to share that experience. So, I challenge the naysayers to give it
a try. I promise you that the "robot" you QSOing with will be no different
than the N1MM automation that manage 99% of a contact already.

-Sterling N0SSC

On Thu, May 2, 2019 at 7:08 PM Mike Smith VE9AA <ve9aa at nbnet.nb.ca> wrote:

> Hey guys n' gals,
>
>
>
> I am not against FT# contesting, but I certainly won't pretend to
> understand
> it. (nor am I a Luddite)
>
>
>
> IMO, if you remove too much of the human element from the picture, the
> 'rush', the 'reward', the 'competition' (if you want to call it that) is
> lessened.
>
>
>
> IE: I derive the greatest pleasure from CW, then SSB, and much much less
> for
> RTTY. (I don't do very much RTTY - and that is one reason) Watch my
> computer
> work someone elses computer with a few mouse clicks and some guessing as to
> the callsign and exchange depending on QSB/QRM etc.?  Some editing of
> function key files to tweak my exchange "better" than maybe Joe-Blow down
> the road who sends everything except his hat size. Being quick with the
> mouse.(timing)  Much less than SSB or CW, but at least there's some human
> interaction.
>
>
>
> When the JT modes hit 6m, it created a situation for the CW/SSB ops, that
> lessened the overall appeal of 6m as "everyone was up the band on the JT
> modes".
>
>
>
> Again, not against it, but don't "get it".  Maybe it's that
> generational/instant gratification for very little outlay of energy
> mentality. Maybe it's just the soup de jour.  I dunno.
>
>
>
> Even though I am admittedly not a huge proponent of RTTY (as explained
> above), I don't think RTTY contests and awards should be watered down by
> including FT#, PSK31 or whatever.  There is still some human element in
> RTTY, however small that might be.
>
>
>
> Respectfully,
>
>
>
> VE9AA Mike...CW and SSB forever !
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Keswick Ridge, NB
>
>
>
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