Topband: 160: Digital only DXCC needed

Tue Aug 6 12:54:33 EDT 2019

THANKS Dan . I agree 100 %.

I said already last year.  FT 8 and K1JT will kill our hobby.

It takes away all efforts, challenge and personal touch.
I saw yesterday 2 Hams saying,they will sell their equipment and go QRT for ever in our hobby.

The ONLY possible hope, is ,if ARRL change the rules,and NOT include this FT 8 in mixed band dxcc:s.Make a special FT 8 award.
That might help.And that dx-expeditions will be ONLY CW/SSB/RY 75 % and may be FT 8   25 %.Fair ?

As yourself, I will never touch this mode, and I can also NOT get any fun in having
my PC make these connections.

We are probably some 50 % of all active Hams  feeling the same, BUT answer from ARRL 
( to me at least ) , was a very arrogant,,,take it or leave it.

Already authorities has started to ask for Amateur frequencies to be given to other
activities.

I am happy ,I was active 1960 up to this day,and have had so much fun,,,BEFORE

Take care,and ONLY by sharing our feelings,we might find a way to change this
unfortunate changement. I know, MANY MANY SM Hams ,that still TRY to stay by 
human to human connections like CW/SSB/RY, but for how long ??

And even more.New Hams will not know CW.How many years will they enjoy 
this PC to PC connections. Probably only few years,and then QRT.That will 
be the end of our hobby.
Thanks for the QSO on 6 meter CW some years ago,,,by the way,,,

Regards

Hans  SM6CVX
> 6 aug 2019 kl. 18:32 skrev dan at np2j.com:
> 
> I have been reading the posts starting with Jeff K1ZM's first post on the 160/FT8 issue.
> Jeff and I had some personal discussions about this during the V84SAA DXpedition.
> I have waited to comment because I am sad that the Hobby I love is dying.
> 
> From personal experience the last couple of years I can tell you that Digital has totally killed CW/SSB activity on Six meters. Two years ago I could get on Six when band was open and start a pileup in a few minutes by calling CQ and run station after station.
> 
> The first time I got on Six meters was June 6, 2017 I worked over 200 Eu stations in a few hours. That Summer I had many good runs into Europe, whenever there were Digital spots I could make CW contacts. (I think the so called advantage of FT8 pulling signals out of the noise that can't be worked on CW is a myth) Quite often I would "open the band" by calling CQ.
> Move on to last year 2018 and I would have to call CQ for quite a while to make a contact and then only a few people calling. This year I can call CQ for an hour and not work anyone. Sad.
> 
> The same thing that has happened to Six meters has spread to the other bands including our beloved Topband. Three years ago I could call CQ on 160 and get a nice little pile-up going, work 50-100 guys in a hour or two. Two years ago the pile ups shrank to nothing, and last season I could call CQ for 10-15 minutes and NO ONE calls! The only time anyone is on is for a Contest or when a DXpedition is on.
> 
> Many DX stations and worse still, DXpeditions are running mainly/only FT8 on 160.
> 
> Personally I have less than Zero interest in clicking a mouse and having a computer do all the communicating. I can not see what satisfaction you get by making a "Contact" in this manner.
> 
> 
> But the fact that little skill is needed for these "contacts", nor little in the way of equipment (No big antennas, no Amps, etc) nor the fact that it is totally boring, these are not the reasons I say that Digital modes are the DEATH OF HAM RADIO.
> 
> Please don't tell me "They said the same thing abt SSB" it is NOT the same! SSB did not take the Human out of the loop.
> 
> First off: What happens to all the Amateur Radio equipment manufacturers that make CW keyers, paddles, microphones, headphones, etc??? Don't need any of those things to make digital "contacts"
> 
> Since Digital is so superior, no need for High power Linear Amps, no big towers, no big antennas, so all those companies will go by the wayside eventually also.
> 
> AND MOST IMPORTANTLY:
> As others have pointed out, what happens when we lose our spectrum space to commercial interests?
> 
> How can we justify our need of large frequency bands when only a few Khz of bandwidth is only being used?
> 
> When the Internet provides bandwidths up to hundreds of MB/second and with 5G GB/Sec speeds, compare this to our Digital modes that provide a speed of a few characters a minute???
> 
> How will we justify our need of RF spectrum when we are communicating digitally only a few characters a minute?
> 
> 
> The folks I have talked to give only one reason for using FT8: "It is an easy way to work a new one".
> 
> Now since everyone has this new "easy" way to work new countries, and the "contacts" count towards the Normal Mixed DXCC award, everyone is grabbing new ones the easy way, hence the shift in activity to Digital modes.
> So what motivates the FT8 activity is the desire to increase ones DXCC totals.
> 
> The problem is these Digital mode "contacts" need to be separated from the mixed DXCC, the ARRL needs to step up and create a Digital only DXCC (Not RTTY).
> 
> A separate Digital DXCC might stop the bleeding of CW/SSB activity, However I don't think the ARRL will do this as it makes too much sense, and I am afraid it is too late anyway.
> 
> Enjoy it while you can.
> 
> 
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