[VHFcontesting] The digital modes and the Sept contest....

[Walt Murphy]

Hello everyone

I am a long time contester on VHF. First operated in a September VHF 
contest on 6 meters in 1969 with AM. Yes I am a Dinosaur.

   My observation during the September VHF contest as an Operator at the 
W2LV group VHF contest effort.

   From our hilltop location on 6 and 2 meters we copied many stations 
on the digital frequencies with S-7 to 20 over S-9 signals making very 
short haul contacts on digital and ignoring even being on SSB at least 
during the VHF Contest period.

   I was under the opinion that the advantage of these computer digital 
modes was for EME, Meteor Scatter and extreme weak signal QSO's not as a 
replacement of SSB and or CW. On 50.313 the number of stations 
competing, AKA Pileups, surely had to reduce the QSO rates and probably 
covered up any real weak or long distance signals that were on the 
frequency.

   Now I have read comments that this FT-8 mode that seems to be the 
mode of choice on digital is no better than CW on weak signal detection 
and decoding. If this is true we are now a computer application hobby.

   I hope to enjoy many more VHF Contests and will try some more digital 
in the future.

73    Walt Murphy    N2WM

Trustee of W2LV