Topband: 160

[Mark K3MSB]

Semi-Interesting post,  but not really applicable to the issue at hand.

>> To me, the guys who really have a beef are the guys from after WW2 until
the computer era

I have 4 patents in software engineering.    I've been doing software since
about 1978 when I worked as a research assistant in my undergrad years.
I'd be delighted to put my experience in software engineering and computers
next to yours or anyone else's on this list,  but I'm pretty sure it's
quite beyond the button-monkey level of knowledge required to use FT-8.

>> Hank Aaron didn't devalue Babe Ruth.

No he didn't, but I suspect he tried VERY hard to beat his record.   Both
Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron used a bat, ball, and gloves.    That was a pretty
level playing field.     Perhaps one day we'll have robot ball players
mixed in with humans.    Do yo think that will fly?    Of course, closer to
home,  we're now seeing where transgender issues are effecting competitive
sports.     Competition needs to be equal,  and there's nothing to prevent
different levels of competition,  but equality and fairness must exist
within the same level.

As I mentioned in a related post while I was /HH6 in May,  my FT-8 oriented
friend initiated an FT-8 sequence,  went to the bathroom,  and after coming
out pointed out he made a QSO while in the bathroom.  He specifically did
that to show me it could be done.     And FT-8 people want respect for
that?    Sorry Charlie,  not from me.

Mark K3MSB


















On Sat, Aug 3, 2019 at 11:36 AM <kolson at rcn.com> wrote:

>
> "The dogs bark, but the caravan rolls on" -ancient proverb
>
> As I understand it, some of this discussion is based on the romantic idea
> that we old timers had it tough but today it's all easy and without real
> challenge. This charge is nothing new, so a little history might be in
> order. The history of Ham Radio since the advent of the home computer has
> been the gradual replacement of operator intervention with computer
> initiatives in our operating activities. Let's look at some.
>
> FT8:
> Is ultimately just another digital mode, the only real difference is that
> more of the automation is built in from the start. But, in principal, any
> of the digital modes (indeed any mode at all) can be made as automated as
> one desires these days. For those under 45 (hi hi), to operate RTTY back in
> the day required a thing called a Terminal Unit to translate the mark/space
> signals to voltage levels to feed a Teletype machine (which was basically a
> big, noisy, heavy duty typewriter). But that hasn't been the reality for
> RTTY for a long time. RTTY is now as easy as downloading a program, only
> marginally more difficult than operating FT8. After all, the packet cluster
> can give you the who and where and the program tunes your radio to the
> proper frequency. You press "send" until you get a reply (if you are
> working a rare DX counter operating split there can be some more to it) and
> the computer logs it after you make the contact and can even send the
> logging in to LOTW for credit.
>
> DXing:
> Originally required hours and hours in front of the radio, tuning and
> looking for the DX. Now there were things like DX nets, and
> newsletters/bulletins and the like to help a bit and DXpeditions were
> publicised in magazines and word of mouth. But with the advent of the
> computer and packet radio, all that changed. Decades ago, a friend of mine
> developed a computer program to track your DX totals and generate mailing
> labels for the QSL's. He interfaced that with the Packet and when a new
> coun... err... entity came on the air, his computer would send "DX" (in CW,
> of course) and he could walk back to the shack, work the counter and go
> back to the ball game. Quite a culture shock for the guys still tuning
> around on their National HRO's. Now the DX cluster is an entrenched reality
> along with Skimmer etc. No sitting in front of the rig necessary. And
> QSLing in the day was a royal PITA, now you just print out the labels and
> download the LOTW credits.
>
> Contesting:
> There is a film (now video, produced by a NFL films dude!) from decades
> ago on YouTube that shows the DX contest from the perspective of a bunch of
> the Frankford Radio Club participants. Again, if you are not over 45 it may
> be a bit of a mystery what's going on. There is no Packet cluster, so DX
> callouts happened on 2m FM! And you will see lots of paper. They are Log
> Sheets (where you wrote down your contacts) and Cross Check sheets (where
> you kept track of you contacts by listing them alphabetically so you
> wouldn't work too many duplicate contacts). After the contest, you would
> have to "redupe" your log to try and catch dupes that got past in the heat
> of battle, this would take a week or two of intermittent effort. And a
> fabulous talent for a contester to have was a good level of call recall (hi
> hi), the more guys you rememberd you worked the less you had to refer to
> the Cross Check sheet. Of course, all this is gone, replaced by our
> computer running a program like N1MM (or CT in th
>  e olden times).
>
> I could go on (but mercifully won't), the point is that this is all part
> of a natural progression, an inevitable part of human innovation. To me,
> the guys who really have a beef are the guys from after WW2 until the
> computer era. You could argue that we have devalued their accomplishments
> (you can also argue they had more fun, but that's another post). But I
> would argue that everyone's accomplishments stand on their own according to
> their time, circumstances and operating preferences. Hank Aaron didn't
> devalue Babe Ruth. I would also argue that the world keeps turning and the
> caravan is inexorable...
>
> 73, Kevin K3OX
>
> _________________
> Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband
> Reflector
>