FT8 – Tipping Point for Ham Radio?

We should be happy that there are new innovations in a mostly antiquated hobby.

 

Gee, isn't that when all the SKILL will come in?

 

Understand; I am not here to defend or condemn FT8; but I do have a few comments. I personally try almost all new modes; I believe as amateurs we must embrace new technologies; at the same time we also need to preserve the technology of the past; vacuum tubes and CW. I think the greatest threat to amateur radio are hams themselves; the one's that won't try new things; I have observed that among our club members that bitch about the digital modes, most have never even tried them; most don't have a computer and if they did wouldn't know what to do with it. Also these are the same people who don't understand why new hams think CW is old school. They look down on the new people but they themselves are no better. They say there is no skill in FT8; how much skill is there in working a phone contest; you give your call; a 59 report and say good luck in the contest; and where's the conversation? And how has Cell Phones killed Ham Radio? I don't conduct my personal business on ham radio; I use a phone. I am the only ham in our family; I don't talk to family members or call my doctor on ham radio; I use a phone for that. Even when Autopatch was around I did not use it like I would use a telephone. As Ham Radio operators we are the stewards of this hobby. We need to promote and preserve radio's and radio technology; everything from vintage thru the latest digital modes and Software Defined Radio's. So, FT8 is not killing our hobby; Ham radio operators with bad attitudes are what will kill it!

 

Do androids dream of electric sheep?

 

FT-8 is simply just another mode and the sky is not falling.

 

Does the computer have to have a license to make these contacts?

 

You missed my point, sir. I'm familiar with FT8 and certain other data modes. They have their place and, while technically interesting, FT8 in particular doesn't require any skills, knowledge, or ability. Ham radio used to require skills, knowledge, and ability, no matter which mode was used, and I miss that. That was my point.

 

It's a great mode but they'll be many others after it, I'm still using the first digital mode quite a bit, it's been around longer than all of them put together and will stay around.
It is called CW

 

I'll go along with that if your modus operandi is making any kind of contacts. One can be very busy with stateside stations.

Once you switch to DXing, skills, knowledge, or ability still play a role, albeit in a slight different way than in other modes, but it's there.

 

the way I see it...FT8 is the lazy mans mode. serial number,rst,hello/goodbye 15 seconds. When I first got on FT8 last year in June,2017, I thought now this is THE mode to be on. easy,fast,quick. only one problem...keeping the timing correct. I am mobile 95% of the time so I am away from an internet connection. AND the program had hidden nasty baggage that did not show until I wanted to up grade the program. Before I got into FT8, I was getting frustrated with 95% of the psk operators and their transmissions were 8.9 minutes long. name,rank,serial number wx, and the 73 cu later,etc done. So I downloaded FT8. I tried to download an upgrade the latest FT8 program last May,the older program has nasty baggage and I can NOT download ANY FT8 program...So back to HRD,FILDIGI and psk 31,Olivia, etc. I am very happy going back to psk for rag-chews. Now I fine that the qso's on psk are little longer than 8.9 minutes! But with band conditions the way they are now, we just have to tolerate these conditions until the next solar cycle starts. One thing I did learn was reading the articular in QST NOVEMBER PAGES 36-37 RF GAIN: DOING MORE WITH LESS and page 38 QST NOVEMBER REDISCOVERING REAL CONVERSATION WITH OLIVIA. These two articles really point on how to get the most out of digital communications. In closing, I've been a ham 41 plus years and started with cw and remember as a novice the wonderful cw qso's on 80 and 40 meters and the thrill of dx on 15 and 10 meters! Yes you can work dx on FT8,but you can not get to know the other person and form a picture of his and him/her in your mind. Cu all on PSK,OLIVIA and CONTESTIA. 73 de KA1BSZ/M

 

you got that right bro!!!!!and I still use a straight key!

 

I agree with you sir...FT8 is an upgraded version of the cellphone.

 

FT-8 WHAT? This is NOT ham radio!!!
What happened to the days of CW, you know, Morse code?
If you want to communicate with people via a computer, you can use Skype or a modern day cell phone. You FT-8 people need to get FT-8 out of this hobby and label it something else!
You can’t even hear anything using FT-8. All you do is stare at your computer screen.
Sorry, just give me my CW paddle and stop using a Non Ham radio invention for DXpeditions.
Your FT-8 is like Harvey the rabbit!
It’s a phantom!

 

Wish everyone would go back to operating the way we did before sunspot numbers were posted all over the place. Turn the radio on call/answer a CQ. I have had plenty of QSO s since this cycle bottomed out. I ve worked almost all of the big DX peditions using QRP ( for ATNOs ) and wire antennas . I have no problem communicating human to human any day; DX or stateside no matter what the posted sunspot numbers are at the time, Sometimes I have to bump up the power to 100 watts . Sometimes I have to turn on the preamp or play with the AGC settings; etc.. Yes you can still have a QSO when conditions dont justify 599 reports on both ends. We used to be a "pool of trained radio operators"( written in the rules somewhere or something like that ). Lets spend more time on the air learning our equipment and how to operate in less than ideal condx instead of inventing new modes to do it for us. If I want the digital experience I ll just start texting random numbers.

 

I get that FT8 doesn't float everyone boat. I don't get the anger, belittling, and outrage.

RTTY has been around for what, 60 years? How are the arguments here any different? FT8 was invented FOR ham radio, while RTTY, CW, AM, FM, SSB, etc., are not ham radio inventions.

If you don't like it, don't use it. Nobody is forcing anybody to do anything. Sheesh!