Topband: Good Conditions, Little Activity

[Artek Manuals]

DELETE, DELETE DELETE

AT LEAST CHANGE TO SUBJECT LINE ON THE THREAD IF YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO 
TURN THIS INTO A FT8 BASHING SESSION , WHICH AS I RECALL THE 
MODERATOR/LIST OWNER BANNED LAST YEAR

TALK ABOUT A WASTE OF BANDWIDTH

DAVE

On 10/9/2020 1:02 PM, Jim Brown wrote:
> On 10/9/2020 7:54 AM, Guy Olinger K2AV wrote:
>> Well, FT8 does some really good things that typical CW operation doesn�t
>> usually want to bother with.
>>
>> 1) use of a calling frequency (�SSB� �carrier� frequency)
>> 2) constant monitoring
>> 3) highly efficient use of VERY close frequencies.� Never needs retuning.
>> 4) computer driven to allow attention to band over broad time spans.
>> 5) technical attention to issues effectively resulting in improved
>> sensitivity
>> 6) dB above noise replaces ancient RST signal reports.
>
> Yes, all good characteristics. Another is a spot-reporting system 
> (PSKReporter) that plots reception and QSO reports on a world map that 
> can be zoomed. Each user can ask it to show reports, band by band, by 
> mode, and for time periods that increment exponentially from 15 
> minutes to 24 hours. Most WSJT software can be configured to 
> automatically make those reports, and the default is ON. It's a great 
> way to study propagation in close to real time!
>
> But the dominant one for me is the higher noise level both at my QTH 
> and at the stations I'm trying to work; these noise levels have 
> increased gradually over the years to the extent that CW QSOs I could 
> make to EU from my QTH in NorCal in 2006-9 I can no longer make during 
> the corresponding part of this solar cycle. And my station is better 
> now than it was in 2006-9. FT8 has a signal to noise advantage of 
> about 10 dB over CW with great ops on both ends of the QSO.
>
> During the current solar cycle, I've heard a total of seven CW signals 
> from EU, and managed to work two of them. During that earlier solar 
> cycle, my first since moving to W6 from W9, I logged a dozen or so EU 
> countries. Over the past two seasons of the current solar cycle, I've 
> added nearly 20 EU countries to my 160M DXCC count, all FT8.
>
> My computer didn't make those QSOs -- it didn't build my station, nor 
> did it design and build my antenna farm, it didn't know anything about 
> propagation or when to call or how to call. I did all of that.
>
> I'm glad that folks enjoy trans-Aatlantic ragchewing; I don't -- it 
> bores me. I'm an engineer, station builder, and contester. CW 
> contesting is my preferred mode.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
>
>
> _________________
> Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband 
> Reflector

-- 
Dave Manuals at ArtekManuals.com www.ArtekManuals.com


-- 
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus