[VHFcontesting] Changing from WSJT to SSB...

[Mark Spencer]

Yep good points.

At this point in time however, my attitude seems to be:

The more time I spend contesting on VHF and up running the current WSJT-x modes the less I enjoy that style of operation.    Some how something seems to have been lost in the transition away from older modes such as FSK441.  I suspect the issues are far more involved than just changing modes.  The tipping point for me was when I decided I needed an FT8 alerting system in my truck to detect band openings on 50 MHz while driving.  After one contest operating that way I began to loose interest in FT8.   I realized I enjoy listening to static with my ears while operating (:

73

Mark S
VE7AFZ 

mark at alignedsolutions.com
604 762 4099

> On Sep 18, 2019, at 11:50 AM, John Kludt <johnnykludt at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> All
> 
> But should we not be looking at why FT8 is dominant and not trying to figure out ways to put the genie back in the bottle?.  Maybe it has to do with the apparently declining number of "good CW ops" or the number of people who even know Morse Code.  Maybe it has something to do with the ability to be successful, whatever that means, with less than a KW and stacked beams.  Maybe it has to do with the possibility that for a station who mostly does S&P it is more efficient than SSB S&P.  Remember the job of the little stations is to maximize their score, not the score of the big multi/multi run stations.  And I get it, that is bad news to the multi/multi players. 
> 
> We will get it figured out.  It is a hobby and it is about having fun.  Being the 6m band captain for a multi/multi believe me I get it.  But I also know we can't fix it by turning the clock backwards.  Genies do not like to go back in the bottle.
> 
> John
> Sent from my Verizon Motorola Smartphone
>> On Sep 18, 2019 13:11, Mark Spencer <mark at alignedsolutions.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Or perhaps be able to work a station twice on one band using any two separate modes (ie. Digital, Phone or CW) 
>> 
>> That way operators who didn't want to run digital could run Phone and CW and still be able to work stations twice on each band.   
>> 
>> 73 
>> 
>> Mark S 
>> VE7AFZ 
>> 
>> mark at alignedsolutions.com 
>> 604 762 4099 
>> 
>>> On Sep 18, 2019, at 11:03 AM, Dave <kdcarlso at gmail.com> wrote: 
>>> 
>>> If you got rid of the two signal rule you would actually reduce the 
>>> activity. If there is a rule change I would support the idea of being able 
>>> to work a station twice. Once on digital and once on CW or SSB. That would 
>>> help reduce FT8's dominance. 
>>> 
>>> Dave 
>>> N2OA 
>>> 
>>>> On Wed, Sep 18, 2019 at 9:59 AM RT Clay <rt_clay at bellsouth.net> wrote: 
>>>> 
>>>> I think the mode switching problem (and people getting "stuck on FT8") 
>>>> has been made worse by the recent change in ARRL VHF contest rules that 
>>>> allows single ops to transmit simultaneously on multiple bands. It was easy 
>>>> for example for me to set up a single computer with two sound cards and two 
>>>> radios running FT8. I think many ops now want to have a radio running 6M 
>>>> FT8 all the time to catch weak openings on that band. 
>>>> Only allowing a single signal at once on ANY band (like HF contests) would 
>>>> discourage single ops from trying to cover multiple bands on FT8. 
>>>> 
>>>> Technically It is not easy to have a computer+two radios on FT8 and easily 
>>>> switch back and forth from SSB (keeping a soundcard for voice messages of 
>>>> course). Yes, you can go to multiple computers instead. 
>>>> 
>>>> Also, allowing internet chat rooms I think has made FT8 use take priority 
>>>> over SSB/CW, just because it is much easier to do FT8 + internet compared 
>>>> to SSB/CW + internet. 
>>>> Tor N4OGW 
>>>> 
>>>>     On Wednesday, September 18, 2019, 7:41:47 AM CDT, N1BUG < 
>>>> paul at n1bug.com> wrote: 
>>>> 
>>>> This is a situation I am going to have to investigate and try to 
>>>> deal with as soon as I have some quality free time for radio... 
>>>> hopefully in about 5 to 6 weeks. 
>>>> 
>>>> Call it over thinking things if you want, but of necessity band 
>>>> switching tasks are complicated here. I am active from LF to UHF and 
>>>> can only afford to have one good transceiver. VHF band switching 
>>>> involves switching 28 MHz IF to the appropriate transverter, 
>>>> reducing power output from the transceiver, enabling the correct
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