[VHFcontesting] VHF Contesting: Fixing the Grid Circling

[Lew]

jon jones wrote:
> Another "artifical situation" regarding VHF and contesting, in my opinion, 
> are the JT-65 eme/FSK-441a modes. "Sure - it requires a lot of equipment to 
> do this - not an easy thing to do," same as Tree notes for grid circlers. 
> But once you have a JT-65/FSK-441a station set up, the computer makes the 
> QSO with another computer (sometimes with a little help from one of the 
> Internet chat pages while the op. is paying bills on-line).  No propagation, 
> work, or operating skill needed or required.

      Whoa..there Jon..! You're a great VHF op but I just have to 
disagree with you as strongly as I can about your paragraph above. I 
used to think along the same lines and then a few friends and myself 
went on an overnighter and activated FT5XO. I managed to make 6 EME Q's 
from there and it definitely took propagation, a hell of a lot of work 
and operating skill to pull those Q's off.
     There exists a real test of all those things to attract and hold 
the attention of such great VHF operators as W6JKV, K6QXY, K7BV/1, 
K6MYC, W7GJ, W1JJ and a slew of others. All these guys can run rate, 
chase serious DX and understand the fun that can be obtained while doing 
VHF radio. These guys do a lot more than let the computers talk to each 
other.
    I know in "the old days" before Joe Taylor brewed up his tones that 
6M EME was slow CW and tougher than tough to do. I made Q's that way 
because it was the only way to do it and was really cool to bounce stuff 
off the moon and complete a Q. Now it still takes a lot of skill, work 
and knowledge to pull off those Q's from the moon and falling rocks even 
though we don't decode the signals in our heads like "regular CW".
      I'd suggest checking out the various JTxxx programs. A station 
from KS would be welcome on any of those "JT modes".
      73 and I remain,
       Lew
           W7EW/W7AT