[VHFcontesting] multiple contest and FT8-related grumblings

[af5cc2]

In the US 144.074 wouldn't work for FT8 because only CW is allowed below 144.100 per FCC regulations.


Sent from my U.S. Cellular® Smartphone-------- Original message --------From: Patrick Thomas <p-thomas at mindspring.com> Date: 7/12/2018  8:40 PM  (GMT-06:00) To: vhfcontesting at contesting.com Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] multiple contest and FT8-related grumblings 
Sorry to those on the VHF list, re: my "Re: digest..." subject, oops!  A few ideas on this list too, while I'm here....


>On 7/12/2018 12:49 PM, Alex wrote:
>[...]
>I received a certificate about a year ago for the
>winner of a 222 contest (I think) in the entire STX section.

I won the 2015 September VHF Contest in Michigan Section single-op 3-band with a double-digit score.  It is at the discretion of the contest people as far as whether "competition" took place.  I say embrace it. :)  I worked my butt off to get the contacts I had, so it was nice to have some recognition, no matter how small the pool, and also a big motivator for me to try more contesting in the future.

>From: Mark Spencer
>
>In Canada the band plan shows 144.275 thru 144.300 as being
>exclusively for beacons.

Same in the US.

I personally don't see what's so bad about .074 (same offset as several (most?) other bands).  In the US bandplan, that frequency is designated "General CW and weak signals."  By definitions I'm familiar with, FT8 is a "weak signal."  Plus there's still 47-272 kHz remaining for CW elsewhere on the band, depending how you count it.  It is well outside the EME areas, so no hassles there.  I say this as predominantly a CW operator on 2m.  Maybe international bandplans would be foiled somehow, I don't know.  Or someone can correct my naivety.


From: "Steve(K1IIG)"
>If finding a clean frequency on 2m is such a struggle my
>suggestion is to keep 2m FT-8 Free.

FT8 already is free, there is no ARRL/FCC mandate (I know of?) saying you MUST use it on a given QRG.  But a free approach will probably motivate FT8 users to set up shop wherever other FT8 activity happens to be at that moment - or anywhere they personally hear no traffic - thereby retaining the same or worse risk of QRM, while ALSO losing the benefit of a designated calling frequency.

By the way, if anyone finds FT8 to be a "boring mode" I challenge you to try CW or SSB around here, and see how calling CQ into dead air for 30 minutes strikes you for excitement.  See above re: double-digit contest score. :)

You know me, I have to whine about that a little bit in every post. :)

Anyway, in summary, keep the lights on in 2m, and don't sweat the small stuff!  But I figured with all the buzz about FT8 I should at least respond once or twice!

Patrick
KB8DGC
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