[VHFcontesting] [NEWSVHF] Here's a Proposed Solution for Digital/Analog Operating (peter hutter)

[Duane - N9DG]

 The multiple modes simultaneously approach to operating would help resolve the issue with resistance to using FT4 more, just set up a 3rd RX on FT4 that does it's thing while you simultaneously have RX 2 on FT8 and RX 1 on SSB. And then operationally, just bounce between each of them as signals present themselves. I do that style of operating all the time on 6M. And a variation of that on 2M as well. It works very well. And on each band it is just one PC-based SDR radio box paired with a transverter, so not technically challenging to do in the least from a hardware signal routing/handling perspective, the mode hopping is all handled in software as already written by the radio's manufacturer. And each additional RX and bandscope (up to 4 each in my case) are essentially "free" cost wise, just spin them up, and dismiss them as needed or desired.
Also with comparatively small changes to the FT* modes those could be reconfigured such that all operators could be allowed to operate in what is essentially Fox / Hound mode all of the time. Being able to do that would erase the speed penalty of FT8.
It all really does take an ability to stop thinking that QSO's must only be done one at a time sequentially. And doing so on just one mode at a time. No, just do them all at the same time. I can assure you that when things are hopping, it is not boring, whether a computer is decoding some of those signals or not.
PS - another little secret, achieving all that above is massively easier once you can let go of having to drive a radio with only knobs and buttons. ;)


    On Wednesday, September 17, 2025 at 09:32:48 AM CDT, Terry Price <terry at directivesystems.com> wrote:  
 
 For some reason, FT4 just has not taken off like FT8, maybe money see
monkey do?!?!? When you can find folks on FT4, it is much faster but still
not as fast as cw/SSB.

Terry Price - W8ZN
Directive Systems and Engineering
703-754-3876