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

[Joe Subich, W4TV]

> When was the last time a mechanical RTTY machine responded back
> without it's human pushing the green keys?
Mechanical RTTY machines have had answerback (WRU) capability for more
than 50 years:
      <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teletype_Model_33>

73,

    ... Joe, W4TV


On 3/30/2018 2:21 PM, Anthony Scandurra wrote:
> "Maybe someday there will be unmanned solar-powered stations on remote DX
> entities."
> 
> This was actually proposed at the 2017 IDXC in Visalia by a well-known and
> prolific DXpeditioner.  I was the only person in the room who stood up with
> a dissenting opinion about it.  However, I did have several people come up
> to me after the presentation was over to tell me they agreed with me.
> 
> Reducing the human element ruins the accomplishment, in my opinion.  I
> think many others agree with that sentiment.
> 
> I am all for technological advancement, but, for instance, when SSB
> supplanted AM, the human element was not reduced.
> 
> Digital mode proponents will say that there is still a human element to the
> process (despite what some naysayers have proclaimed), and I agree.
> However, the REDUCTION of the human element reduces the FUN part of it.
> One can argue that you cannot copy RTTY without electronic means, either.
> That does not fully compare with how the JT modes work. The JT modes, more
> than any others, reduce the human's role in the QSO.  When was the last
> time a mechanical RTTY machine responded back without it's human pushing
> the green keys?
> 
> 73, Tony K4QE
> 
> On Fri, Mar 30, 2018 at 1:51 PM, Brian Pease <bpease2 at myfairpoint.net>
> wrote:
> 
>> When 90% of band activity is taking place in ~1% of the available
>> bandwidth, it gets one's attention, doesn't it.
>> Personally, I have always considered DXpedition, and especially contest,
>> CW exchanges to be a bit silly, with nearly everyone getting a 5NN signal
>> report.  With today's technology I think eventually a computer will be
>> able  sort out a CW pileup nearly as well as a human, and do it 24/7 while
>> perhaps giving more accurate signal reports.  Maybe someday there will be
>> unmanned solar-powered stations on remote DX entities.  It is certainly
>> much easier than self-driving cars, which should be sorted out in a few
>> years.
>>
>>
>> On 3/30/2018 1:02 PM, Ed Sawyer wrote:
>>
>>> My thoughts on FT8:
>>>
>>>
>>> -          How is it actually a Q from our normal perspective?  The
>>> comments
>>> Jeff made on the fact that 2 operators (on both sides of the circuit)
>>> could
>>> see evidence of each other for 20 minutes before the "computers" finally
>>> made the connection - is proof that the operator is not making the QSO.
>>>
>>> -          There is a floating robot in the Pacific making FT8 QSOs with
>>> people right now - unattended.
>>>
>>> -          3Z9DX has stated that they will leave an FT8 station going 24/7
>>> (which means unattended) on T31.
>>>
>>> -          Are these what we want to count as QSOs?  What about in
>>> contests
>>> - FT8 is already infiltrating VHF contests.  Should they be considered
>>> valid
>>> contest Qs - while you sleep?
>>>
>>> -          I agree with Jeff and others that for people that that consider
>>> topband a PTA to operate and/or are not CW operators - 160M looks like the
>>> perfect place to drop a robot and go concentrate on something else.  But
>>> isn't this a slippery slope?  What about 10M/12M since the sunspots are
>>> low.
>>> Or 80M because the static crashes in the tropics are terrible - etc.
>>> Before
>>> you know it the whole DXpedition is an FT8 robot while the "crew" is
>>> lounging about the pool with the XYL/YLs.
>>>
>>> -          If we continue to facilitate such nonsense, they we deserve
>>> what
>>> we get in my opinion.  If we decide that the band counter is so important
>>> we
>>> don't care how we have to get it, then its time to look in the mirror
>>> folks.
>>>
>>> -          On the other hand, maybe some people are happier with the
>>> computer doing the heavy lifting of digging out the QSO.  Personally,
>>> count
>>> me out of that list.
>>>
>>>
>>> Ed  N1UR
>>>
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