[VHFcontesting] FT8?- tarnation!

[SidShusterman]

Chet,

You must be looking in my window!!! I only run one band at a time but 
the same methods apply! Add to that begging Roxie the goddess of MSK144 
to give up that ONE MORE ROCK to complete the new grid QSO!

Thanks for the blow by blow description! This is more accurate than 
anything I have read. After 59 years of ACTIVE ham radio the new digital 
modes have caused me to spend more money on radios, transverters and 
antennas.

73,

Sid K3SX

On 1/20/2021 10:28 AM, chetsubaccount at snet.net wrote:
> I must be doing something wrong.
>
> FT8 is supposed to be dull, the computer does all the work and shovels
> contacts into your log while you eat donuts with coffee.
>
> When I am using FT8, I have both 6M and 2M going on it using more than one
> antenna on each band. I am continuously looking from window to window to see
> what is coming in from where, and if I want/need it then switch to or rotate
> an antenna that will favor my chances of logging that QSO without screwing
> up the other band. Check what grids are needed and move an antenna that way
> to occasionally favor that direction.  Look at telnet spots. Try the other
> sequence. Are 6M E's now strong? Time to switch to SSB or CW? Are you sure
> the other station heard your RR73? If not take back manual control of the TX
> message and send that a few more times. Don't click "log it" yet. Decide
> when to give up, clear the messages, and restart a CQ.  Yell at the screen.
> Constantly on the go. An hour or two of doing this takes much more energy
> than being on USB eating donuts with coffee while pushing the F1 key to send
> your CQ message.
>
> I must be doing something wrong.but having a lot of fun.
>
> 73,
> Chet, N8RA
>
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