Topband: The State of 160m

[Hans Hjelmström]

Hi Bob

Interesting info. You do not hate FT 8 ,,, I do.

I consider FT 8 killing all challenge,personal efforts and operating skills.

Sorry its the start of the end of our hobby,made by FT 8

Kind regards

Hans SM6CVX
> 1 jul 2022 kl. 18:57 skrev Bob Kile <midnight18 at cox.net>:
> 
> My comments on the state of 160m. First let me say I am old enough to have experienced, Loran C with power limitations, LA police KMA367 on 1730, fish boats, buoy markers, Spy Trawlers sending code groups, Long delayed echoes, OHR, local DX chats on 1845-50 SSB, QSO’s with W1BB, K6SE, VS6DO, ZL2BT , JA7AO and many others that are were legends in their day and now are in higher places.
> 
> 
> I also had the opportunity to make thousands of contacts on 160m during solar cycle 23 minimum 2005-2009 which for me was the ultimate hay day of 160m. Experiencing new countries and new stations every evening on Cw with 100W was truly an amazing event.
> 
> 
> Whilst attending some Dayton contest forums this year some information was brought to light. A prominent DX-pedition group member commented that FT8 comprised 37% of the QSOs. For somebody like myself looking for a more traditional achievement award of merit like WAZ on 160m CW it has become virtually impossible in a life time.
> 
> 
> Most recently I have witnessed the devastating effects of the high costs of DX-peditons and limited operating times to juggle various modes. A very skilled and talented group went to 8Q7 in Maldives. Late in their operations they did go to CW mode on 160. They called CQ for about 5-10 minutes at my sunrise. I’m sure they were looking at RBN responses of which there are few in Asia worth a damn and went quiet only to show up on FT8 after my sunrise morning peak. It didn’t matter I had Q5 copy and had to switch antennas, turn amplifier on and try to make it through the Asian chatter. This I might point out happened not once but twice. Did I mention from out west this is a 10 minute window 11,000 miles away. Only one western station VE6WZ worked them as a result of a spot I posted.
> 
> 
> I don’t hate FT8 but It’s not my focus. It is very useful due to the shear numbers of operators and PSK Reporter for determining propagation. Alone it has had a profound impact on the HF bands some of which has been good and many cases not so. A good CW operator can easily copy -18 dB SN station. Perhaps C6AGU’s "Rig In a Box" will help by cutting DX-pedition costs and allow operators to be in comfort spending more time on air operating rather than fiddling around with all needed accessories and beat many of the environmental regulations.
> 
> 
> Bob W7RH
> 
> -- 
> W7RH DM35OJ
> 
> 
> If it's true that our species is alone in the universe, then I'd have to say the universe aimed rather low and settled for very little. George Carlin
> _________________
> Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector