Topband: FT8 - the end of 160m old school DXing? (long)

[Mark K3MSB]

As I’ve said before, I don’t believe it’s a case of FT8 being “good” or
“bad” for ham radio.   The problem is a level playing field for competition
purposes.

Personally, I don’t believe statements such as “Your DXCC is your own” or
“Your DXCC is what you make of it” etc.  Rubbish.    All serious DXers are
always looking to see where there are in the pecking order of
accomplishments.  If you’re a serious DXer and don’t care where you stand
among your peers,  then while you may be out there, I figure you’re few and
far between.

The ARRL could easily & significantly mitigate this by allowing band
specific DXCC awards with mode endorsements; stated alternately,  160M
DXCC-CW,  160M DXCC-FT8,  40M-Digital, 17M-SSB etc.

I’ve been a software engineer for 35 years.   While I appreciate the
complexity aspects of such a change to the DXCC award program,  I believe
the only real factor standing in the way of making such a change is the
ARRL’s desire to do so.    It’s not rocket science.    Make your voices
known.

For those that claim that mode is not important,  then ask the ARRL and CQ
to get rid of mode specific contests.   We’ll just have a single CQ WW
where you can use SSB, RTTY, Digital etc, one ARRL DX Competition where any
mode goes.    See how far the contest community will let that one go.

73 Mark K3MSB