Topband: 160 FT8

[Bob Kile]

The discussion goes on. In case one hasn't noticed we are in a solar 
maximum. I work what I can when I can and get sleep unlike "Charlie Fox".

FT8 for me is a tool. If I call CQ for a few minutes on FT8 in 15 
minutes I can see world wide with it's  thousands of stations using PSK 
Reporter the current state of propagation.

Last evening after the contest I ran JTDX in SWL mode over night. The so 
called dead band yielded 41 unique call signs in EU. About half would 
have been workable on CW. This was with my antenna stuck beaming 90 
degrees which normally would be pointing at 25 degrees.

In these crap conditions to work new ones you need to pull out all the 
tools such as low noise RX antennas, spectrum and waterfall displays, 
spotting and even FT8. While I'm not an advocate of FT8 it certainly has 
it's place and to work DX it takes some savvy by not just calling CQ and 
having the program auto answer the strongest of the group calling.

Dxpeditions these days cost piles of money. Very few can fork out $25K 
of personal funds to go  or attempt to go to some remote piece of dirt 
in the middle of nowhere. They run on donations from clubs, 
manufacturers, retailers and  individuals. The more contacts they make 
the better chance of recouping some of the real costs.

I saw in one post a negative comment about Rig in a Box. With all the 
hot air from "Save the World" fanatics it has become extremely difficult 
to permission to operate from many  places  that 20 years ago was possible.

As a Ham operator for 58 years now and I go with the flow. I see many 
new faces and at some point they will mature into what what we perceive 
is ham radio if we give them a chance. I prefer not to be the last guy 
calling CQ with a sign posted  "when done please turn off the lights".

73

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