Topband: FT8 qrm

[Gary Smith]

To me, the reality is FT8 is no matter how 
someone spins it, using a tiny part of the 
spectrum. A reality is few there are using 
power with FT8, my Cook Island contact 
with FT8 was with something like 40 or so 
watts and to many using FT8, that is high 
power.

As I see it, here's what'll happen when 
people start landing in the middle of the 
FT8 spectrum and jumping all over those 
there using it; you'll see the FT8 power 
increase as is necessary to maintain 
communications & you'll have 1500 watt FT8 
signals that will be in multiple 
simultaneous transmissions that you can't 
notch out with the manual or auto notch. 
It will ruin your contest to stay there.

Bottom line is the guy parked there on CW 
(my favorite mode) will either stay there 
to make some kind of point and forfeit the 
contest (a'la cutting his nose to spite 
his face), or they'll do the smart thing 
and move a couple KHz away to a clear 
frequency and enjoy the contest without 
irritation.

73,

Gary
KA1J


> I think you are missing the larger issue here.  It is not *just* 2.5
> Khz out of 1800-2000.
> 
> Consider that many folks have directional antennas that are cut for
> the lower part of the band - typically covering 1800-1860 at best.  So
> - that 2.5 Khz starts to represent at least 4 percent of the available
> usable band - possibly more. Some DX cannot operate below 1805 or
> higher, which makes the band that much smaller, and that 2.5 Khz
> starts to represent an even bigger chuck of prime spectrum. For FT-8
> users expecting a QRM experience this weekend, I wish them well...
> 
> Tom - VE3CX
> 
> 
> On Wed, Nov 29, 2017 at 11:05 AM, Greg <n4cc at windstream.net> wrote:
> 
> > Jeez -- enough already...how difficult is it to avoid 2.5 khz of
> > bandwidth that is not even in the DX portion of the band!  Leave FT8
> > alone and fight the QRM below 1835.  73, Greg-N4CC
> >
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