[VHFcontesting] The digital modes and the Sept contest

[Keith Morehouse]

Zack, I think JT65 or one of the JT9 modes would work very well on any
microwave band as long as both ends were frequency stable.  If someone
drifts, which is likely, I there would be problems.  Rapid fading or any
kind of propagation distortion (multi-path, ect) might have a detrimental
effect, depending on which digital mode you used.

Personally, I think JT65 is a proper and useful mode for microwaves.  One
of the JT65 sub-modes was designed from the start for terrestrial microwave
operation, not EME.

-W9RM


Keith J Morehouse
Managing Partner
Calmesa Partners G.P.
Olathe, CO

On Wed, Sep 13, 2017 at 6:51 AM, Zack Widup <w9sz.zack at gmail.com> wrote:

> My VHF operating is almost entirely portable. I like to go to local
> hills (there are some around here!) I use a deep-cycle marine battery
> as a power source. Except for very brief operations, running the
> station and a computer from the battery runs it down too fast. So I
> don't even bother taking a computer along. I log on paper and enter it
> into the computer when I get home later.
>
> So no digital modes for me on VHF. I wonder how well they work on
> microwave frequencies, anyway. I hear stations now and then that don't
> have phase-locked LO's and are way off the expected frequencies and
> drift several kHz up and down as we work.
>
> 73, Zack W9SZ
>
> On Wed, Sep 13, 2017 at 1:49 AM, Jim Worsham <w4kxy at bellsouth.net> wrote:
> > Hello Kenny.  How is everything going?  Forget decades.  How about now!
> I see this all the time now at work.  The millennials would rather IM or
> email you than talk to you.  God help you if you actually show up in their
> office for a face-to-face.  You quickly become the creepy old guy.  I am
> not sure if that is what is driving your experiences with the use of
> digital modes when they aren't needed for weak signals but I wouldn't be
> surprised.  Bottom line as I see it is digital modes will be good for
> bringing in new, younger blood to the hobby but these younger millennial
> hams will not be like us older folks.  I have two millennial children and
> they think different so don't try to pressure them into the old ways of
> doing things.  My 2 cents.
> >
> > 73
> > Jim, W4KXY
> >
> > Sent from my iPad
> >
> >> On Sep 12, 2017, at 1:20 PM, winger55552001 via VHFcontesting <
> vhfcontesting at contesting.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> I agree.
> >> One thing to note... the IM-like nature of digital appeals to younger
> hams.... it will be harder to get the introverts over to voice and cw as a
> few decades pass.
> >> Randy, N0LD
> >>
> >>
> >> Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
> >>
> >> -------- Original message --------
> >> From: Kenneth Silverman <kenny.k2kw at gmail.com>
> >> Date: 9/12/17  10:57 AM  (GMT-06:00)
> >> To: vhfcontesting at contesting.com
> >> Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] The digital modes and the Sept contest
> >>
> >>> One can work QSOs much faster on SSB or CW and, from what I can see
> after
> >>> using FT8 for several months during 6M E season, CW can also be copied
> by
> >>> ear at lower signal levels then FT8 can reliably and repeatably decode.
> >>
> >> While I haven't used FT8 yet, the key takeaway is to operate CW/SSB when
> >> the band (or your ears) will support it.  This past summer people were
> >> staying on JT65 when that band was very open.
> >>
> >> Kenny K2KW
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> >
> > .
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