[UK-CONTEST] 80m CC's and the data leg

[G3SJJ]

I can understand what you are implying Don, but what those of us who are 
complaining are concerned about is the slow but quickening move from 
actually listening to the station to its display on a screen. You 
mention improvements in technology, TRF, Superhet etc. Yes, but all the 
time the signal in the end had to be decoded by human ears. Whilst 
typing this, I am listening to 5A7A on 160m, note not watching it on a 
screen!

I recall just five or so years ago helping a local group at SSB FD, they 
were OK running States on 15m because the band was wide and very little 
QRM, move to 20m and the rate dropped. 80 and 40 overnight, forget it. 
They couldn't H E A R.

I take your point though. I mean, even recently in Radcom we had an 
article about TV cameras in the 1950 and 60s. State of the art, eh?

(Again, not meant abusively)

73 Chris G3SJJ


Don Field wrote:
> "You send info and you H E A R information. That to us is what amateur
> radio is all about."
>
> Well, actually Chris, if you go back to the early days, amateur radio was
> all about RADIO (well, WIRELESS if you must). It was about technology.
> Moving from a straight receiver to a TRF, then a Superhet, etc. On-air QSOs
> were about validating that new bit of technology. While, emotionally, I
> sympathise with your view and that of G4BUO, at the logical level it is
> nonesense to try and draw an arbitrary line in the sand and say that
> technological developments stop at that point. Or, indeed, to apply a filter
> to which technological developments are allowed - "Roofing filters good, PSK
> software bad" or whatever. This simply doesn't make sense at all, and is
> guaranteed to put off those youngsters who find this stuff compelling.
> Surely amateur radio is a broad church of all who enjoy the magic of
> communicating without wires - I am just as much in awe of copy from the moon
> using WSJT (not that I have done it, but I have seen it done) as I ever was
> at working across town on 80m in my early days. There may be computers in
> the loop, but it's still magic (and, in that example, it opens moonbounce to
> a much larger group of participants than would otherwise be in a position to
> play)!
>
> Don G3XTT
> _______________________________________________
> UK-Contest mailing list
> UK-Contest at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/uk-contest
>
>