Although I don't want to have to do it I will be on FT4/FT8 when no one is on CW/SSB. I just want to maximize my score. Should be interesting to see how my station works this year. I raised the 5 element 6 meter beam up to a tree limb and it's up about 45 feet now. Before it was on a 10 foot pole in the backyard. I still have to use the Armstrong method to turn it. I also have a bigger amp now - an Acom 1000 - so I will be running 900 watts instead of 500 I ran with the KPA500. Hope to work many of you this weekend.
Jeff
I’m also an old school contester and been in many VHF contests since the 70’s. I much rather make a few QSO’s with the new Technology than sit on a quiet CW/SSB band with white noise! Lots of changes over the years!! Just my opinion!
John / W4IX
On Jun 11, 2020, at 8:01 AM, Neal Sulmeyer <Neal@k4ea.net> wrote:
I'm with all of you on this. FT-8 is NOT a contest mode. you are rate limited at 1 QSO/minute or FT-4 at 2 QSOs / minute. No skill required other than ability to click on your screen. However, I understand the ARRL's view to attract more hams into contesting.
Another issue is that the WSJT/JTDX and other programs do not search you contest log (i.e. N1MM) so if you worked a station on on SSB or CW it will not show as a dupe in WSJT/JTDX potentially wasting huge amounts of time.
Since I will be at my new remote stations in Cloudland this weekend and my 6 and 2 antennas are still at my home QTH, when I do get on it will remote from my remote station to my home station (lol!) I also have some serious latency issues with the internet connection in Cloudland so my ONLY RELIABLE mode is FT-8/4. Sad, but that's the facts.
If you don't know, Charlie, NF4A is our division representative on the CAC. Be sure to express your opinions to him. I'm not sure how much sway he has, but it is worth the effort.
Neal, K4EA
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On Wed, 06/10/2020 04:03 PM, Hal Kennedy <halken@comcast.net> wrote:
I'm with Cort and Lee....although I will participate. Ill be on CW and SSB._______________________________________________
I don't see FT-8 as a contest mode. Contesting is about getting stations in the log as fast as you can, as accurately as you can. With FT-8 the speed is the speed of the protocol...the accuracy is 100%. This is contesting? Granted there is some skill involved with knowing when the band will open, etc....but if you jump-out the transmit time-out, you can turn the computer on and come back 24 hours later and see how "you" did.
I use FT-8 for help with grids and DXCC - it is a weak signal mode. It's not a contest mode.Now off the soapbox....
73Hal N4GG
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