[VHFcontesting] Thoughts on the Digital Modes and VHF Contesting

[Mark Spencer]

Hi Steve:

I should preface my remarks by saying I may have missed something in my testing and use of WSJT-x over the last several months. 

You can add a "/R" to your call in WSJT-x via the general tab of the settings menu.  In my experience that doesn't always mean that WSJT-x will simply add "/R" to your call during each transmission and otherwise work as it did before.   

To recap a prior post, my suggestion is that anyone planning on running WSJT-x with "/R" after their call try it out first before a contest (preferably with two radios and two computers.)  There is at least one other configuration setting (besides the call sign field) that seems to influence how WSJT-x handles this use case.

If other Rovers who need to add "/R" to their calls are happy with the functionality I'm fine with that and don't want to rain on anyone's parade so to speak.  To recap it is possible I may have missed something vis a vis WSJT-x operation with a "/R" call during my rove with a prior version of WSJT-x during the sept contest or during my test session this morning (while running FT8) with what I believe is the current version so I'd rather not get into a detailed discussion on this list about my results.   I believe the WSJT yahoo group is probably a better forum for that type of discussion in any event.  

I'm quite sure one can make QSO's with WSJT-x with a "/R" call.  Ideally I just would like the program to work essentially the same way it does without the "/R" call (other than appending "/R" to my call.) Based on what I have seen, in my opinion there is some potential for confusion while running WSJT-x with a "/R" call.   In light of that I'm personally hesitant to run WSJT-x in a contest with a "/R" call.   I realize others have reportedly done so and have been happy so clearly there can be differences of opinion re this.

All in all I'm a happy WSJT-x user and appreciate the efforts of the development team.  To recap I expect rovers who need to use calls with "/R" (who also want to run WSJT-x) make up a small fraction of the VHF and up users of WSJT-x who are in turn only a portion of the overall user base of WSJT-x so I don't want to blow this concern of mine out of proportion.


73

Mark S
VE7AFZ

mark at alignedsolutions.com
604 762 4099

> On Jan 23, 2018, at 10:25 PM, Steve Stahl <ke7ihg at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Mark
>  I do get your point.....and I  don't understand why we can't add the 2 extra characters to the string.
> 
> Steve K7SWS 
> 
>> On Jan 23, 2018 22:02, "Mark Spencer" <mark at alignedsolutions.com> wrote:
>> Hi Steve:
>> 
>> My take on the rules is that sending "/R" is a requirement for Rovers.
>> Hence my interest in the "/R" issue vis a vis me using digital modes while Roving.
>> 
>> 73
>> 
>> Mark S
>> VE7AFZ
>> 
>> 
>> mark at alignedsolutions.com
>> 604 762 4099
>> 
>> Mark Spencer
>> 
>> Aligned Solutions Co.
>> mark at alignedsolutions.com
>> 604 762 4099
>> > On Jan 23, 2018, at 9:33 PM, Steve Stahl <ke7ihg at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >
>> > Well here is crazy idea.....If your a rover and using FT8, just use it as
>> > would normally would and have it count.
>> > Forget the /r for all digital contacts.
>> > You could work stations  multiple times since your in a different grid
>> > square.
>> > I see the dupe problem but I think it could work.
>> >
>> > Steve K7SWS
>> >
>> > On Jan 23, 2018 21:21, "Alan Larson" <wa6azp at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >
>> >  It is part of the principle of the contests that we give more multipliers
>> > for making more difficult contacts.  We get a few for local contacts, and
>> > more for the distant ones that require more skill.
>> >
>> >  FT8 (and some of the other digital modes) makes the distant contacts and
>> > large number of multipliers much easier.
>> >
>> >  Perhaps we should disallow using those digital contacts for multiplier
>> > credit.  You still could get QSO points for the contact, but to get the
>> > multiplier for the distant contact, you need to use the more difficult
>> > mode.  This suggestion is unlikely to fly in this form, but perhaps as an
>> > alternate, limit the number of multipliers from digital to 5 or 10 percent
>> > of the total multipliers on a band.  Say if you get 30 multipliers on 6
>> > meters, you can only claim 3 of them from digital contacts.  That way, it
>> > will allow digital for the really hard ones, but the ones that can be done
>> > on traditional modes would be.
>> >
>> >  Or perhaps having digital contests or entries be separate from the
>> > non-computer processed modes.
>> >
>> >        Alan
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