[VHFcontesting] Beware the FT8 Flaw

[Jay RM]

Yes, a operator flaw, for sure.

Fades happen and even though your QSO partner may be reporting you at +10
or +15, he might miss a sequence.  Once again, situational awareness kicks
in.  If you are running guys, like REALLY running guys and using a one shot
RR73 before CQing or answering someone else, YOU need to pay attention just
a teeny tiny bit more to the last QSO.  Did the guy send 73 or just stop
transmitting ?  You probably have a successful QSO.  Did the guy send his
RR <report> sequence again ?  If so, your QSO is not yet done - he missed a
sequence and you better give him a shot of 73 once (or more - only you know
what's on YOUR screen).  If you don't pay attention, you're risking busted
Q's in the log.

Now, if you are on the receiving end of the 'not paying attention' problem,
YOU missed that sequence and the guy you're working goes merrily on, you
can take some risk and assume he got your report and logged you because he
didn't repeat any sequences.  If HE missed your RR <report> sequence, he
would have sent his original report over again....probably.  If you get
nothing for a sequence and then he's calling CQ or someone else, it's
relatively safe to assume you just missed the RR73.  MOST guys won't blow
you off just for missing one sequence....

Like I said, there is some risk doing that.  You'll have to decide whether
to log it or not.

Actually, even though WSJT modes are designed to be almost automatic, I
find it stressful running "rate" (sarcasm) on FT8 because you REALLY need
to pay attention, things happen fast, you're stuck using a point and click
interface and you probably have half-a-dozen guys blowing up your screen
with red lines.  Wait until FT4 halves the amount of time you have to make
a decision.  That's when it might be a good idea to QSY to SSB for RATE.

-W9RM

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


On Fri, May 31, 2019 at 5:05 AM Ron Klimas WZ1V <wz1v at sbcglobal.net> wrote:

> Beware the FT8 fatal flaw.
> To be fair, it's really an FT8 operator flaw.
> I'm sure I'm not the only one who's annoyed by this.
> It reared it's ugly head again yesterday.
> EA8ABC (not real call) is calling CQ on 6M in Auto mode.
> CQ DX EA8ABC IL28.
> I manually enter his call to answer:
> EA8ABC WZ1V FN31.
> His computer replies WZ1V EA8ABC -10.
> My computer replies EA8ABC WZ1V R-18.
> Nothing back.
> My computer replies EA8ABC WZ1V R-18
> several more times with nothing back while
> meanwhile EA8ABC computer keeps calling CQ.
> I try to call him again from scratch.
> He answers with a signal report but aborts the contact.
> I send NO RR?
> EA8ABC sends ALREADY WKD.
> EA8ABC is so confident his JT software worked me
> he's in denial that his one time RR73 was never decoded.
> Beware herein lies the flaw:
> If this were the ARRL June VHF QSO Party,
> and we both submtted logs, EA8ABC would be penalized
> for claiming a QSO with me since he's not in my log.
> Neither could he get a confirmation via LOTW.
> If you use FT8 it can happen to you either way.
> You could be the one who gets penalized for trusting
> the software is always correct without human intervention.
> -73 Ron WZ1V
>
>
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