New tropo world record contact between Cape Verde Islands and Scotland made at 432 MHz

chris tucker I think no t rock...lol but my 2 cents is if you cant hear it with your own ear then it shouldn't be worked as in if the signal is so weak we cant hear it but the computer can pick it out of noise floor then to me no good, that'one of the reasons for new records plus that's where most are flocking to because its way easy to get an award now, 73 catch you on the band

 

Your comments appear to be from an old HF Neanderthal. Question: is your old push-pull pair of 4-400s still working?

IF FT8 is OK for "any QSO", then it is OK for contesting. After all, the purpose of contesting is to make as many contacts as possible in a given time.

I am certainly glad that you are not allowed to decide what is a valid contact. You appear to want to include a lot of stuff that is totally extraneous. In HF, the useless 59 or 599 is actually plugged in by the logging software. I live in the VHF world, where the definition of a contact is much more strict than what the HF world seems to use. In VHF, the signal report is the grid. You have to actually copy that. You have to copy your and the other guy's call and a Roger too.

Your complaint is old and common. Basically, it is that these newcomers with their filthy digital modes are making contacts and earning awards that took you decades to earn. The same comments were made when SSB came along. SO WHAT? Your awards are still valid and everyone knows that it was harder in the "old days".

Even though FT8 seems to be taking over VHF contesting, using it exclusively will actually LOWER your score--as many are finding out. FT8 is not the "end all do all". When we took a grid DXpedition to the rare grids in the Big Bend of Texas, we discovered that for some of the really long distance contacts, ISCAT worked better than FT8.

As to whether or not someone is a "real amateur radio operator", I have examined my logs. Searching over 60,000 contacts did not turn up the N2RRA call. <Sarc on> So obviously, you are not a "real ham". <Sarc off> Lighten up, get on the air, work someone, build an antenna, go to your ham club. It will work wonders. You will live a longer life and have a lower blood pressure.

 

No. But I can spell 'to' properly, redneck.

 

BAHHHHHH HAHHHHH, LMAO.

“Searching over 60,000 contacts did not turn up the N2RRA call. <Sarc on> So obviously, you are not a "real ham".”

So I’ve searched for your call sign in my over 84,673 contacts log to your over 60k log and you’re not in my log either. So I guess you’re not more of amateur radio operator than I am. LOL, JESUS.

What a silly mentality and exactly the sort of mentality I’m talking about. Smh!

You obviously missed the point and it’s nonsense in talking too walls, but for the last time. It’s NOT THE MODE. It’s how you use the mode. Your either present at the helm, or not. FT8 allows you NOT TOO BE PRESENT. THATS THE GRIPE and in turn lack of presence is lack of physical endurance. PERIOD!

It’s really not a hard concept too grasp unless there’s something really wrong with you.

LOL

I’m done, THE END.

 

So I have recently got back on the air. Kiddos made me step away for a decade. I came back and started to use FT-8. What software allows for unattended FT-8? WSJTX does not. I am genuinely interested what software allows it.

 

I wouldn't put to much (any) stock in that rant. There is third party software that allows you to automate, and because of the highly structured format it makes it easier to automate. But you can automate RTTY in a contest if you wanted to. There are lots of ways to "cheat" if you want - run more power than you report during a contest, for example. Run on commercial power at home and claim you're 1A in the field. Lots of what we do when it comes to claiming QSO is based on honor - always has been.

Specifically, when it comes to the supposed FT8 automation, there are some pretty easy sanity checks. If a station works 2,000 station in a week, lets say, are the QSO's occurring 7/24? Do the reporters out there show it calling CQ 7/24? Unless it's a well manned DXpedition, nobody is running 7//24 or anywhere near close to it. The online reporters and the claimed QSO's themselves will show a pattern.

But more realistically, just because something IS possible, it doesn't mean your throw up you hands and claim it's ALL bad. Baby/Bathwater comes to mind...

 

Of course you do.

It’s the new culture these days. Enjoy.

 

That's OK then, as I could very easily hear D41CV's signal when I worked him with a 3-ele Yagi. The previous week, that would have been a world record QSO, but that's not important except to disprove your point. The important thing is that everybody piles in for the action on 2m, and enjoys it.

It really would be nice if some of the more unkind members of the Cowboy Nation would stop commenting on a mode they don't actually use.or know anything about.

 

Emperical evidence shows that CW/SSB activity is way down on Six Meters since FT8 was introduced. I've read similar complaints regarding top band. On 17 meters I'll see S9 plus FT8 signals while the rest of the band is devoid of signals. This doesn't help to justify our current frequency allocations when everyone is dumped on one frequency.

 

A point to consider in general, but hardly best illustrated by you example of 17m; it's only 100kHz wide! Mostly, a lot of the current lack of SSB activity might be down to herd mentality of thinking the bands are too weak for SSB. This affects all bands and modes, according to conditions. When the upper bands are stronger, I'll be active on SSB, for sure - because FT8 is, ultimately, not very rewarding in the longer term. But it is useful to keep things going, or for a quick QSO when there is no time for a ragchew (because a '5/9, thanks' is also entirely unrewarding ;-))

 

im just into the listening for beacons on the radio then confirming that you heard my beacon signal on a chat page because you cant say anything else and I don't care if anyone uses it but to call it a new record ? id say yea a new record for FT8 but not a general record , we all know FT8 travels farther and is decoded easier than if you were listening for ssb , im just saying what you can with FT8 is a lot easier than ssb or even cw......73 have fun

 

For a while I was really into WSPR, it was fascinating to see my signal heard in Australia when I was only putting out 100mW or less - ran at 1mW for a while. No QSO's, just an experiment pushing how low you can go. If you want more of the "human" element, there is SlowSpeedCW - you can visually decode on the waterfall - long integration times mean you can't hear it, but you can see it.

 

Well, the last time I checked, there was no High Command of any authority dictating what folk can do with amateur radio. It seems to me the anti-FT8 brigade are simply denying development in the hobby, and the possibilities opened up with the new modes.

What's so great about SSB and CW, when many use 1kW or more at the output, let alone the antenna? We can also call that worthless and cheating, should we wish to. Maybe using a beam should also be deemed cheating and the preserve of those with land, permission and money? After all, the majority aren't able to put one up.

In the end, I'd rather see what is actually happening - FT8 promoting much more 144MHz band use, often with basic equipment, than the expensive and expansive alternative that the naysayers and the 'keep the bands for our use and our kudos, not theirs' lot seem to prefer.

 

So I am on 40 meters right now from my QTH my equipment hears 5 CW qso's and 3 SSB no RTTY but in the FT8 sub band I hear and see with the help of my computer dozens of interesting stations calling CQ I want to enjoy my hobby, if there was an interesting station on CW I would have tried working them or on SSB or AM or RTTY but there were not any!?
So I used a mode that seemed to be working better than all the other modes FT8. I will use any Damn mode that I am allowed to use with my license that I earned Yea I had to learn Morse code too big deal whoop de doo. I like to use Morse code I'm not very good at it but its fun so are all the other modes. I am going to chase Dx, paper,contest, rag chew and all the other things I can do in this great Hobby. and just because someone who does not think the way I am doing it is the right way is not going to stop me from doing it the way I am doing it right now It is perfectly legal . I like doing shots of Tequila and chasing it with a beer and smoking all the things my fine state will let me smoke it is perfectly legal . But I am not going to tell anyone if their not shooting Tequila and chasing it with a beer and having a puff their doing it all wrong. God Bless America and all the freedom I have to choose what I think works best for me without Harming or Violating the rights of other people of my home Earth my country the USA or my State of Nevada to each their own. So what someone got 5 band DXCC on Ft8 or what ever! It still does not take away your own satisfaction of your own personal achievement or goals you set for your self, why would any one look down on or think that someone else's personal achievement or goals are not as important or relative to them as your own?