Topband: FT8 vs other modes - my numbers.

[Cecil Acuff]

Yeah the elitist attitude of CW being the only thing that’s real that seems to permeate this list at times is quite stale.

I work CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8....whatever gets the contact in the log...it’s all radio....take the radio away or have Mother Nature take the path down and nothing gets through. 

It’s not the internet....

Funny....not too many years ago the bane was the SSB op....2nd class citizens....now relative to the FT8 op that’s now acceptable....to some degree.

Looks like the bickering over FT8’s legitimacy has taken the focus off the remote station/remote receiver fight of a couple years back. (Probably a good thing) 

It always has to be something it seems.

Not much can be done to change it so...if it’s not your mode of choice just don’t use it. 

Not much reason to continue whining about it or the lack of CW activity when the band is hopping with FT8 stations...actually many of your buddies are probably up there having some fun on FT8, why else would the CW portion of the band be dead with all the CW only OPs there are hanging out here? 

Maybe some closet FT8 ops... But it’s not the end of Ham Radio....

Sorry Tree....just boiled over I guess...

I’m done...and if I’m banned I’m banned....it needed to be said!

K5DL

Sent using recycled electrons.

> On Feb 3, 2019, at 5:07 PM, DXer <hfdxmonitor at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Tim,
> 
> You wrote in your reply to Mike, W0MU:
> 
> >...you are buying into a myth that both supporters and detractors of FT8 perpetuate. The myth that FT8 is superior for DX'ing, to other modes.
> 
> With all due respect, I think you are 'buying' into the 'red herring' that some are using to 'bad mouth' the mode.
> 
> Skilled operators like you, operators with above average stations, will not benefit from FT8 as much, at least on HF.
> 
> I think Jeff, AC0C summarized it best when he wrote:
> 
> >Add in the poor prop conditions and lousy antenna situations and you have a handy way to up the odds of a DX contact for the average Joe Ham.  And the average Joe Ham on FT8 (my guess) is more likely a SSB op where the compare is more impressive than the CW-VS FT8 meaning that coming from SSB, FT8 gives a pretty big relative improvement in working the weak ones.
> 
> I am the Joe Ham! I don't claim to be as skilled as you and others, and I don't have a very good station. The limitation is mostly 'logistical', but also financial. In addition to those, my radio time is limited. I, Joe Ham, am the main beneficiary of the mode.
> 
> The hatred you see around is not because skilled operators, with well equipped stations, are/are not benefiting from FT8. It's because Joe Ham has a chance to work a few of the difficult entities they had to sweat blood and tears to work just a couple of years ago.
> 
> I'll not get into the 'instant gratification-no hard work' thing, another silliness being 'advanced' by detractors.
> 
> For you, and others in a similar situation, FT8 will be useful only when the DX will not work, or not work enough, SSB/CW/RTTY, but you figured that one out already.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Vince, VA3VF
> _________________
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