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

[VK3HJ]

Having gone from 100% phone operations to more than 90% CW in the past ten 
years, I have my opinions on mode use, but I'll attempt to keep them 
relevant.

I have played a bit with RTTY and PSK, and have made a few Hellschreiber and 
Olivia contacts. Digital modes are technically interesting, but not 
attractive to me, at this time. I'll never say never! The above modes can be 
used to converse, compared with the very technically clever JT modes which 
are so pared-down, that only the very bare essentials are passed. That 
appeals to some, even many amateur operators, for various reasons already 
discussed. I will not criticise those who enjoy operating that way.

After an unproductive session on Top Band last night, I went to 40 m for an 
"easy" DX CW QSO before retiring to bed. I don't feel the need to field 
pileups of "short QSO" every time I transmit, and really do enjoy a few or 
several minutes of exchanges with the other operator. Nor do I feel the need 
to log "x" number of QSO every time I light my station.

On most, if not all of our DX bands, there is adequate, if not plenty of 
spectrum to separate the various modes and type of digital modes into their 
sub-bands to reduce or hopefully eliminate conflict. One good thing about 
the new very narrow-band digital modes is that one can fit a bunch of 
activity into a few kilohertz of spectrum.

My point is, how about we keep mode sub-bands harmonised internationally, so 
each can co-exist without upsetting the neighbours? We don't need an IARU 
Conference every time a new mode is invented. There are plenty of interest 
groups that can coordinate internationally, given the almost universal 
common medium of the Internet.

This year, I resolve to become proficient in the use of my Vibroplex Bug!

73,

Luke VK3HJ