[VHFcontesting] A post from Bob-W3IDT

[Marshall-K5QE]

I have been asked to post this to the list from Bob-W3IDT.   He is 
having some problem and can't post to the VHFContesting list 
properly....Marshall K5QE


From: Bob, W3IDT <w3idt at comcast.net>
Reply-To: w3idt at comcast.net

All,

It's pretty clear that there has been a huge change in the way VHF 
contests operate during this past year or so. Some of these changes are 
good, but some are probably not so good. We need to find methods and/or 
technologies to mitigate the latter.

First: That the number of entrants may be steady or even rising due to 
the introduction of
a) 50MHz capability on newer radios, and
b) and the FT8/FT4 digital modes,
is, of course, a very good phenomenon.

Second, FT8/FT4 permit contacts which simply couldn't occur with SSB or 
even CW without Eskip or Tropo or similar propagation enhancements.
Also good.

However, VHF Contesting is Contacts * Grid Squares, plus Passing.

1. Contacts are made most quickly using SSB/FM, then CW, then FT4, then 
FT8, with MSK144 and EME the slowest.
Grid Squares are accumulated in pretty much the same order: A high 
volume of contacts will generate a large number of grid squares.

Thus, all other things equal, stations reasonably near populated parts 
of the country should be on SSB/FM/CW much of the time. During enhanced 
propagation conditions - Eskip, Tropo - most stations in the enhanced 
areas should be on SSB/FM/CW.

[Of course, some stations will want to use enhanced propagation and 
digital modes for grid square "dxing". Fine. But that is not contesting.]

[And, granted, some of our valued VHF contest stations are really very 
far from populated areas: Digital modes have been a very big help for 
those stations; often their only realistic mode for communication.]

2. Passing is virtually impossible using digital modes, unless someone 
has developed some process / technology of which I am not aware.

[We tried sending "144.213 w3so" on 6m FT8 to known multi-band stations 
when 2m was on SSB. Don't think it resulted in a single pass.
Our 432 score was way down due to the lack of passing capability.]

Now what?
Lots of ideas have been expressed in recent reflector posts about 
changing the structure or scoring rules of the various VHF contests. 
Something for the sponsoring groups to consider in the long run.

What can we - the active VHF contest community - do to help ourselves
a) get more Contacts faster,
b) get more Grid Squares faster, and
c) make possible effective Passing.

Some ideas:
1) Agree to be on SSB/FM/CW at least at the beginning of each hour.
[We did that on 6m for most of the Saturday hours during last contest. 
Frequently calling CQ for 10 minutes or so without a single contact!]

2) Use FT4 instead of FT8. FT4 is designed for weak-signal contesting. 
It is 2.5 times faster than FT8.
[We often went to the 6m FT4 frequency after the totally useless 
top-of-the-hour SSB "session". Never heard / saw any activity.]

3) FT8 does respond to signals weaker than FT4 (3db?), so FT8 might be 
desirable for those just "out-of-reach" grid squares, or for DXing.
Assuming FT4 becomes the "normal" VHF contesting digital mode, perhaps 
we should agree to try FT8 real-weak-signal mode on the half-hour.

4) What should we do about Passing?
Of course, if the current contact is on SSB/FM/CW and the target band is 
also on SSB/FM/CW, the Passing process works as now.
If the target band is on FT*, the operator could abandon an in-progress 
FT* contact to switch to SSB or not. Station strategy option.

But how to we pass a station in an FT* contact to another band?
I don't have a suggestion.

The above is, of course, assuming current contest structure and rules.
If, for example, separate contests are instituted for FT* - which really 
should be FT4 - the regular contests go back to "normal", SSB/FM/CW 
passing included. But the passing issue will still exist for the FT4 
version.

If, for second example, different score points are given for different 
modes, contest strategy will change, including knowing that passing is 
impossible(?) using FT4.

Summary suggestions:
SSB (or FM or CW) at the top of each hour.
FT4 for "slow" times thereafter.
FT8 at the bottom of each hour.



Bob, w3idt
6m op at W3SO, FN00
The comments above are my own and do not necessarily reflect the 
opinions of the entire W3SO Wopsononock Mountaintop Operators group.

-- 

.............................
. Robert F. Teitel, W3IDT   .
.                           .
. W3IDT at arrl.net .
. W3IDT at comcast.net         .
.............................