[Fourlanders] Digital Mode on VHF Contest Article

[Jim Worsham]

I know that KK6MC is an experienced VHF contest op so he probably didn’t mean to say that but I agree that he kind of did.  Other than that glitch though I thought that it was a great writeup.  You work the mode that matches the band and conditions that will put the most Qs in the log at that moment in time.  If band conditions change to favor a different mode then change mode.  I guess just like some folks VFO is stuck on 50.125 their mode button doesn’t work either.  Meteor Scatter is another thing.  With MSK144 I can’t think of any reason to run MS with SSB or CW anymore.  Folks just need to get over that.  Someone (Johnny?) should probably email N9ADG and KK6MC to let them know that the writeup might cause some confusion.  ARRL is good about printing corrections and clarifications if you point them out.

 

73

Jim, W4KXY

 

From: Fourlanders <fourlanders-bounces at contesting.com> On Behalf Of John Kludt
Sent: Wednesday, March 7, 2018 1:06 PM
To: Sherman Banks <w4atl at shermanbanks.net>; 4Landers <fourlanders at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [Fourlanders] Digital Mode on VHF Contest Article

 

Sherman,

 

Brian seems to imply that you can work folks on SSB and then again on CW for "extra points."  I don't think that is correct at least in the ARRL contests.  We have always played once you have worked them you have worked the.  See ARRL rule 7.2

 

7.2. Stations may be worked for credit only once per band from any given grid square, regardless of mode

 

Johnny

-----Original Message----- 
From: Sherman Banks 
Sent: Mar 7, 2018 11:02 AM 
To: 4Landers 
Subject: [Fourlanders] Digital Mode on VHF Contest Article 




An in depth article on the changing operating techniques used during VHF contests. From the ARRL Contest Update.

 

The Digital Modes and the 2018 January ARRL VHF/UHF Contest

James Duffey, KK6MC

These observations are meant to provoke some productive and objective thought and discussion on using the digital modes in VHF/UHF contesting and are not meant to criticize any specific individual. Digital modes are here to stay in contesting and we need to figure out how best to use them to benefit everyone in the contest.

The January ARRL VHF/UHF contest had significant FT8 and MSK144 activity. Many new calls were heard on FT8 that had not previously been heard in VHF/UHF contests. Both activity and number of QSOs made on 6 meters were up from previous years. Nearly a third of QSOs made on 6 meters were reported as digital. Yet, there were complaints about the digital activity. These complaints included:

*	FT8 is not suitable (or is useless) for VHF/UHF contesting
*	The use of the digital modes detracts from QSOs made on CW and SSB
*	HF signal reports were being used in a UHF/VHF contest
*	'Newbie' ops were not using WSJT-X in the proper FT8 contest mode
*	FT8 operators did not use or know proper contesting procedure or etiquette

I think that these are all symptoms of using a mode that is less than a year old and that many of these issues will be addressed as the mode matures. But we can productively direct how these problems are resolved if we deal with them objectively and rationally.

Some of these complaints are easily addressed through education, for instance spreading the word that one should use the contest mode on FT8 during a contest. Others are harder, such as dividing time between analog and digital modes.

Even though the January contest did not have widespread Sporadic E (Es) propagation, many ops found out that marginal, weak, and short-lived Es openings could be worked using FT8, and they were rewarded with additional points and multipliers. And, despite the difficulties in getting MSK144 to recognize the /R suffix for a complete exchange, at least one rover found MSK144 to be a good roving mode and gave out rare grids to several ops. There were also several meteor scatter QSOs made while in motion by rovers.

However, I find it odd that after years of collectively wringing our hands over steady or declining participation in VHF/UHF contests that some are now criticizing the increased activity that the digital modes, primarily FT8, are bringing to contesting. I realize that there is more to the sentiments some express than that, but to me, any increase in activity is good, particularly for the January contest when propagation is often flat.

I think that there are three primary reasons that FT8 and MSK144 are popular:

1.	FT8 offers many of the advantages that CW offers on VHF. To people who have entered the hobby over the past 25 years without knowing the code, this is a powerful attraction, and one not to be taken lightly.
2.	Using both FT8 and MSK144, even a modestly equipped station on 6 meters can work other similarly equipped stations out to the limits of one-hop Es (approximately 1300 miles). In some areas it is possible to work all contest participants within this radius. This is not easily possible on either CW or SSB with a modestly equipped station.
3.	A lot of ops use FT8 on HF and many of those skills translate directly to 6 meters, although not necessarily to VHF/UHF contesting. With the proliferation of HF+6 meter rigs, this familiarity provides a large pool of potential VHF contesters. It's up to us as experienced VHF/UHF contesters to educate these potential new VHF ops on how to operate contests. Materials to help educate these "newbies" on VHF contesting practices, both digital and analog, should be disseminated on local contesting, VHF, DX, club reflectors and newsletters. We should spread the word far and wide on how to set up FT8 in contest mode for contests, and show them how to do so.

It does not do much good to complain that FT8 ops would do better on CW if they don't know CW. And there are a lot of ops on FT8 that don't know CW. But if conditions support it, they should go to SSB, and we should spread the word that when the indicated SNR on FT8 is over a certain threshold, say +6dB for SSB and maybe -14dB for CW, the band is probably open and they would have higher rates on CW or SSB depending on the operator's skill.

During VHF/UHF contests, operators are accustomed to switching modes to pick up more points, since CW and SSB don't prevent contacts with the other mode. Using FT8 in this way in a contest is more difficult since its band segment cannot support CW and SSB signals without inducing interference to the other FT8 operators in the band. Operators using FT8 must choose how to spend their time.

Neither CW nor SSB are good alternatives to MSK144 for meteor scatter QSOs during a contest. MSK144 has proved very productive and is here to stay. FT8 can also be used to make meteor scatter contacts, and hence there are now more operators that can utilize this type of propagation. I think that this is good. Matching the propagation mode to the appropriate digital modes is an operator skill to be learned.

The assertion that the digital modes take activity away from the conventional modes is a real effect and one I have observed first hand. I am not sure how best to deal with this, but educating today's FT8 operators on the conditions when contacts can be made on SSB or CW would be a start. They can go to the analog modes after their FT8 QSO is complete, after a minute or so. After doing this a few times, hopefully it will become second nature. The conflict between MSK144 and other modes is not as easily resolved as the time commitment required for meteor scatter is longer. I have heard ops explain that they work FT8 because that is where the activity is and there is nothing to work on CW or SSB, and at the same time rovers in those same areas will complain that there is no one to work on CW or SSB because all of the ops they usually work are on FT8. Emphasizing FT8 over CW or SSB because of lack of analog activity is a self fulfilling prophecy.

FT8 operators should be encouraged to monitor various forms of assistance so that they can be alerted when CW and SSB contacts are available. For example, an operator can keep an APRS window and local VHF chat room/activity windows open to alert that there are other sources of QSOs and points.

I think the digital modes offer great contesting opportunities for the entry-level operator and modestly equipped stations. Education and guidance are still needed to turn digital operators into VHF/UHF contesters.

Constructive thoughts and comments are welcome.

That's all for this time. Remember to send contesting related stories, book reviews, tips, techniques, press releases, errata, schematics, club information, pictures, stories, blog links, and predictions to contest-update at arrl.org <mailto:contest-update at arrl.org> 

73, Brian N9ADG

 

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