Topband: Straws in the Wind ....A 160m Dx'ing Sea Change is Upon us!

Fri Mar 30 09:27:02 EDT 2018

Jeff, and others:

 From K1JT on the WSJT web pages and instructions:

Please note: DXpedition Mode is not yet ready for production use. Until 
WSJT-X v1.9.0 is fully released, this mode should be used only in 
controlled test situations.  Please remember to send us your test results.

As one of the beta testers and one of the two stations running the next 
test on 7 April (W1/KH7Z) the problem with RR73 being sent before a good 
QSO is logged has been fixed.   There are other errors we ascertained in 
March that are addressed in the next test.

The KH1 team has been working for close to 6 months with the WSJT 
developers to make a more efficient DXpedition version of the software and 
the current plans for our Baker Island DXpedition is to use FT8 as a 
replacement for RTTY on 17 20 and 30 mtrs.   We will also operate RTTY to 
give those who need a digital QSO but haven't migrated to FT8 yet a 
shot.   We have a dedicated digital station with its own antennas.   It 
should be noted, there is no 160 mtr antenna at this digital station, the 
160 meter antenna developed by AA7JV is at the cw tent.  It is our 
intention to use cw as the primary mode on 160.

As for 6 meters, your observations are correct.   On July 6, I worked SO1WS 
on cw followed by 9K2GS in JT65.   Then FT8's new version came out and all 
my e-skip dx contacts were on FT8.   The bands were empty at the low 
end.   Even JT65 seemed to disappear overnight.

The past week while 160 appeared empty the FT8 frequency was full of 
stations making QSOs.   I worked a good number of Europeans on FT8 never 
using more than 100 watts.   Just for fun I worked 5B4AMX calling first 
with 5 watts and finally snagging him with 20 watts.   A QSO on 80 mtrs 
with A71AM on FT8 was accomplished on one call with 100 watts.  Yes, change 
is in the air, and I hope CW remains the primary mode for DX.   BUT, it's 
up to the dx isn't it?

Spark was replaced by CW.   AM by SSB.   Not without debate.

FT8 is here to stay for weak signal work.   I'm surprised to see all the 
USA/USA QSOs on 160 but activity on 160 is a good thing period in my view.

Tune into 14105 on 7 June at 14:00 UTC and see what he hope is the final 
test of the DXpedition WSJT software.  I'll be running W1/KH7Z.

And we hope to work as many of you from KH1 on 160 cw.   While June is not 
optimal, it's the timeframe chosen by FWS and we expect to make lemonade 
from lemons.

Don
N1DG
www.baker2018.net

At 07:50 AM 3/30/2018, you wrote:
>Hello GangÂ  I am probably not the only one who has been paying attention 
>lately, but I may be the first to comment directly on what has been taking 
>place right before our eyes the past two nights on 1.836kHz - and its 
>possible implications going forward for future Dx'ing on 160m. Pls read 
>on. Â  I am sure most readers of these pages are well aware of the current 
>dx'pedition to Malawi operating as 7Q7EI.Â  Norbert DJ7JC has been a real 
>trooper working the lowbands and has had quite a bit of success doing so - 
>so well deserved kudos & thanks to Norbert. Â Norbert has managed to make 
>quite a few NA stations happy with a NEW ONE on Topband and we all very 
>much appreciate his efforts - well done Norbert - thank you!Â  Â  So what 
>I am about to comment on next IN NO WAY is an negative opinion on Norbert 
>- it is just an observation as to what is now occurring and its possible 
>implications for all of us who like to work DX on 160M!. Â  On or about 27 
>March, Norbert tried 160M CW operating on 1830kHz - in his grayline period 
>- and was heard by a number of stations including NO3M and me here at 
>VY2ZM.Â  Others were in there too perhaps - Kaz K8KS may have been another 
>and a few more as well.Â  I also heard some EU stations in there calling 
>among the NA stations. Â  About 0228z, Norbert asnwered me as UY2ZM - went 
>QRZ a few times but QRNN on his side prevented a legitimate qso.Â  I heard 
>him fine but I know he did not copy my callsign correctly - and later he 
>even said so over ON4KST noting "I heard a few callers, mainly from EU but 
>logged no NA or EU qso's on Topband - so I went back to 80M CW as the sun 
>came up." Â  The next night Norbert came on ON4KST Â chat and announced 
>that he was going to try 1836 using the new FT8 Dx'pedition mode now in 
>beta trials following its release by K1JT.Â  I am told that the 
>dx'pedition version of FT8 will also be used experimentally by the 
>upcoming KH1 Dx'pedition. Â  Dx'pedition Mode - offers some unique promise 
>when and if it ever is fully conceived including: Â  1) A shortened qso 
>sequence using only 2 of the traditional FT8 required QSO elements 2) The 
>promise of simultaneous qso's between Multiple HOUNDS and the FOX (in this 
>example the FOX was 7Q7EI) 3) The potential, as a result, of up to 300-400 
>qso's per hour may be possible one day - which would improve the overall 
>qso totals of any dx'pedition - IF this ever becomes REALITY. Â  So on 
>night two Norbert came up on FT8 dx'pedition mode - first on 80m and I 
>managed to work him fairly quickly here at VY2ZM. Â  Others worked him as 
>well - as we all struggled to learn exactly how to operate this new flavor 
>of FT8.Â  It is a bit tricky and I invite anyone reading this who may be 
>interested to take a look - because Dx'pedition mode uses special settings 
>within WSJT-x - and one must configure things exactly right - or it just 
>does not function as one might expect traditional FT8 to function in order 
>to complete qso's. Â  Nearer to his SR, Norbert went to 1836 and I think 
>he may have worked a couple of NA stations - I tried but without success 
>because I did not pay close enough attention to ON4KST - and I came to 
>160m too late in the game to have a good shot as he went into daylight on 
>his side. Â  So what is going on here exactly? Â And why did I choose to 
>make this post to Topband? Â  The answer is fairly simple and stems from 
>what I observed this past summer on 6M during the Sporadic E season.Â  I 
>happen to like toÂ work 6M E during the summer and was all set around the 
>end of June for what I hoped would be a great E season on 6M CW into 
>Europe.Â  I worked a couple of stations on CW in late June but during the 
>first or second week of July, K1JT released the production version of FT8 
>and almost immediately everyone realized its potential (particularly those 
>in the Mid and Far Western USA) - where it was immediately called a "GAME 
>CHANGER" by K7JA and others on the Left Coast. Well - it SURELY WAS A GAME 
>CHANGER - because I did not hear a single CW DX station out of Europe on 
>6M for the rest of the summer E season after that - everyone had qsy'ed to 
>50.313 to work FT8 - because it WORKED so well on 6M - even on E skip 
>paths.Â  And since I did not have FT8 capability - I was TOTALLY SHUT OUT 
>and had NO 6M E season of Dx'ing - BUMMER! So how does this apply to 
>Topband?Â  Pls read on..... Last night was NIGHT 3 into NA on the lowbands 
>from 7Q7EI - and Norbert was back - first on 160m on 1836 from about 0130z 
>- until around 0320z - again on FT8 - in dx'pedition mode.Â  By now, most 
>of us had downloaded the dx'pedition mode version of WSJT-x and had sort 
>of figured out how to do the parameter settings correctly - so quite a few 
>QSO's ensued. I happened to be one of the lucky ones on 160M - there were 
>quite a few others. Watching my screen though (along with KAZ K8KS) it was 
>clear that K1JT still has some clean up work to do to refine the 
>dx'pedition mode software - because the promise of 300 qso's per hour is 
>not yet possible - but I think the throughput rate will one day improve 
>materially.Â  (:Last night the throughput was SO SLOW that some suggested 
>to Norbert that he stop using dx'pedition mode in favor of the more 
>reliable current release of FT8 that is on the air today.) Norbert also 
>elected to stay on FT8 - despite many requests from those constrained by 
>CW only capability to move over to CW mode - so those without FT8 
>basically sat on the sidelines last night watching all of this 
>transpire.Â  My thoughts at the time were - "Here we go again!Â  This is 
>6M E season "DEJA VUE all over again - the 6M E migration to Ft8 was now 
>happening all over again - but this time on 160M - and it suggests a real 
>possibility of it becoming the choice of major dxpeditions going forward - 
>meaning - FT8 is likely to be used on 160m far more regularly going 
>forward andÂ  CW mode utilized much less perhaps (maybe!).Â  My crystal 
>ball is no better than yours - but if FT8 dx'pedition mode gets perfected 
>by K1JT and becomes more EFFICIENT one day than CW mode - you can be SURE 
>that it will become very popular and it will get used far more (at the 
>expense of CW) by the rarer Dx'peditions when they choose to QSY to 
>Topband! You can take that to the BANK! Â  At one point, Norbert who was 
>on CHAT all night long - lamented some of the comments he was seeing by 
>others on CHAT.Â  Basically, while he was more than courteous, it was 
>clear that he felt like "HEY!Â  I am the FOX here.....I get to choose to 
>operate whatever mode I think will work - and those sitting in their 
>comfortable chairs back at home (and not sitting in the heat here on the 
>shores of Lake Malawi - really do not get to decide this.!!Â  Again, I am 
>the FOX here.......) Â Basically, Norbert was right on here - IMHO.... 
>Â  Some more observations: Â  1) Experimental FT8 qso's are not completing 
>reliably as they should - at least not yet all the time - for example: Â 
>K8KZ was clearly seeing 7Q7EI calling him on his screen for at least 20 
>mins before the software linked up at Â each end to sent the RR73 message 
>- the signal that the QSO was complete. Â  And Norbert was clearly 
>"seeing" K8KS for the same 20 mins - before they linked up to finalize and 
>log the QSO.Â  I had similar problems on 160M when working Norbert - so it 
>is clear that K1JT has some more work to do,. But, we do have to realize 
>that this is still only a BETA/experimental release - and YES - it does 
>have some glitches and bugs yet to be ironed out. Â  But it does work 
>(after a fashion) and I am sure it will get better - and WHEN IT DOES 
>become a fully functional PRODUCTION RELEASE, I do think we will witness 
>some MAJOR operating changes going forward when working future 
>DX'peditions and even when casual dx'ing on 160M - which is happening 
>every night on 1840 today.Â  I am seeing Wal W8LRL most every night - and 
>am dabbling in it myself as is my XYL Miriam VY2HH - so old dawgs (like 
>me) are being forced (sometimes kicking and screaming) to learn new 
>tricks. Â  One final comment: Â  This all took place on 1836 and I think 
>on 3569 down on 80m these past few nights.Â  Traditional FT8 (according to 
>the ARRL 160m bandplan) takes place on 1840.Â  So I am hopeful that the 
>migration to the new mode continues to take place in an orderly fashion 
>because FT8 and CW really will not mix well - should FT8 start showing up 
>below 1830 that will cause problems Â - (just my opinion) - but reality I 
>think. Â  So - I think that is the lot for now.Â  Not much more to report 
>- but for sure - "A change is coming to Dx'ing on 160M - there is NO DOUBT 
>about it - I do not think this is a passing FAD.Â  "DIGI-WIGI" or its 
>other name "JINGLE BELLS" looks like it is here to stay!!! Â  73 
>JEFFÂ  K1ZM/VY2ZM Â  Â  Â  Jeff Briggs DXing on the Edge: The Thrill of 
>160 Meters Available worldwide throughÂ BookBaby,Â Array Solutions,Â DX 
>Engineering,Â Royal Society of Great Britain, &Â Amazon 
>Â  Â  Â  Â  Â  Â  Â  Â  Â  Â  Â  Â  Â  Â  _________________ Topband 
>Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband

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