[VHFcontesting] FT8 on 222 & 432 during SPRINT

[Mark Spencer]

Hi Jay.   Yes I agree more standardization on Frequencies is probably a good thing.  For some reason I had a bit more uncertainty about the 432 FT8 frequency than I did for the 144 and 222 frequencies during the Sprints.   These days most of my digital mode operating happens during sprints and other contests.


73

Mark S
VE7AFZ

mark at alignedsolutions.com
604 762 4099

> On Apr 23, 2020, at 10:02 AM, Jay RM <w9rm at calmesapartners.com> wrote:
> 
> The choice of frequency makes little difference to me, either.  But, it's
> had to find guys if every little region has its own 'channel'.  If there
> truly is a consensus on FT8 (and meteor scatter) frequencies, I will start
> suggesting them in place of the regionals people are using.
> 
> Yes, different frequencies for M/S and FT8 tropo/whatever is probably a
> good idea.  I'm already seeing some QRM problems on M/S.  Pings are SO
> short and intermittent that it's hard to tell who's who if you're in range
> of more than one station transmitting.  Some radios still drift on 222 so
> looking at "offset" can be problematic in figuring out who is who.
> 
> As far as legacy stability, yes, you are right !  I recently worked a guy
> on 222 and then 2M who was within 10 Hz of my GPSDO locked frequency.  I
> congratulated him on his accuracy and he told me the radio was just an old
> FT-736 that he took some care to calibrate once in a while.  There are
> plenty of NEW radios that aren't that close...
> 
> -W9RM
> 
> Keith J Morehouse
> Managing Partner
> Calmesa Partners G.P.
> Olathe, CO
> 
> 
> On Thu, Apr 23, 2020 at 10:27 AM Mark Spencer <mark at alignedsolutions.com>
> wrote:
> 
>> I am rather ambivalent about the exact frequencies so long as I know where
>> the action is likely to be in and around the PNW.   It was unclear to me
>> until just before the Sprint what frequency to use.
>> 
>> That being said a few comments of mine are:
>> 
>> - I recall there was some discussion about the desirability of keeping
>> 70cm FT8 out of the frequency range used for EME.
>> 
>> -Having separate FT8, MSK144 etc frequencies on 222 might be a good thing
>> ?  I would expect serious MSK144 use to likely render a frequency unusable
>> for near by FT8 users ?
>> 
>> On a related note I have been pleased how well some of my legacy radios
>> have functioned on 70cm FT8.   I was expecting issues vis a vis frequency
>> stability that didn't seem to arise.  (This is somewhat removes one of the
>> reasons I was using as justification for buying an Icom 9700.)
>> 
>> 73
>> Mark S
>> VE7AFZ
>> 
>> mark at alignedsolutions.com
>> 604 762 4099
>> 
>>> On Apr 23, 2020, at 8:47 AM, Jay RM <w9rm at calmesapartners.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Now that the Sprint events (above 6M, obviously) where FT8 would most
>>> probably be used are over, have we come to a consensus on exactly which
>>> frequency we're all using for the mode ?
>>> 
>>> I mentioned this right before 222 and the only thing that was obvious to
>> me
>>> by the (very) few answers I got, was the FT8 frequency seemed very 'local
>>> option" on that band.  Is the 432 FT8 frequency (432.174) more of a
>>> national thing ?
>>> 
>>> 222.174 seems awful far from the traditional 'action frequencies' and I
>>> doubt the band is occupied heavily enough that we need to go up that
>> high.
>>> Maybe this isn't the case on 432 in 'hotspot' areas, although I doubt I
>>> ever heard more than 3-4 guys on the band at once in EN52, which is
>>> somewhat of a hotspot.
>>> 
>>> Many of us western guys have zeroed in on 222.080 for both meteor scatter
>>> and FT8, which is conveniently close to those few people who still
>> operate
>>> 'traditional modes' on that band - the 222.100 calling frequency.  I've
>>> also used 432.080 for FT8 with Rovers, again, for the same 'close to
>>> traditional' convenience.
>>> 
>>> -W9RM
>>> 
>>> Keith J Morehouse
>>> Managing Partner
>>> Calmesa Partners G.P.
>>> Olathe, CO
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