FT8 is an amazing mode. The cynicism you are seeing is because you are making news of something that has been possible, and likely done many times already. The REASON it is so easy is there is no 'search' effort. FT8 is essentially restricted, at present, to a handful of band 'channels', so everyone congregates there, much like a water hole. We already know that a majority of band activity is on FT8. So getting 'DXCC in a week'--you don't have the confirmations so, it ain't DXCC until the certificate sez its DXCC-- is not a measure of anything other than enough hams in many countries leave the rig and computer on the 'channel' a good deal of the time. But we already knew that. What WOULD be helpful is showing you can 'get DXCC' via FT8 RIGHT now on 10m or 12m, from sporadic E and meteor pings. That is very much in the spirit that Joe Taylor has when he started these 'weak signal modes'.
I first got licensed in 1989. In 1990 from here in central Florida using phone and 100 watts to a simple inverted L and also a current fed T antenna I made 160 meter DXCC in one year. But it took another couple of years to collect all of the QSL cards and submit them to ARRL DXCC. At a later time I also did it on CW and RTTY. To this day I feel like I accomplished something special on 160 meter phone.
I find that FT8 operators, being computer savvy, are also LOTW users and I get a higher percentage of confirmations on FT8. The same for other digital modes like PSK31.
Congratulations. Working 100 countries is a good accomplishment regardless of mode, especially with a 50 watt station and long wire in a sunspot lull. Yes, CW DXCC might be harder, but that's simply because there is no where near the activity on CW that there is on FT8. (I'm primarily a CW op for 52 years, BTW) If you want to catch fish, you need to be where the fish are. Congrats again.
It was worth doing... Similar to the effort over the years to get a computer to beat a human at chess. Now it's done. Everyone knows a computer can beat a human at generating a 12x12 multiplication table, but so what? I still want to be able to do it myself.
REALLY? You think that is a VALID COMPARISON? Exactly what level of real-time AI was needed for this FT8 'worked a hundred countries'...
You could likely do the same on other modes. But getting the confirmations required for DXCC...ah, that's another matter.
I'm going to take the middle ground.... PRO and CON Pro: - RTTY/PSK31 are both just a computer modem talking to another computer modem same as FT8. Sure, one can 'chat' via keyboard a bit more, but most just pound out macros the same as FT8. - Most hams accept RTTY/PSK contacts as more 'earned' than 'FT8'. Why? Because it has been around longer? Its like music, we have 'our' generations music that we accept, but we despise the next generations music that comes along with something new and 'pushes' us out. - FT8'ers STILL have to set up radios, antennas, and associated station equipment. Sure, FT8 can operate bare-bones, but other than the terminal equipment they still have to establish a functional air-air link. - It's a low-obstacle gateway that many new hams utilize to increase their skills and confidence before moving on to SSB, contesting, and other more complex modes and methodology. (more about that later) Cons: - DXCC using SSB and CW requires savvy, hard work. and good detective work. As W1YW pointed out very well, FT8'ers can just show up at the same watering hole and collect QSO's by the dozens; It's like fishing in a barrel - FT8'ers don't have to fight thier way through pile-ups, listen through ear-piercing static to make that weak contact, or develop any human communication skills required to interact with contacts. - FT8'ers never really get the same satisfaction of obtaining that hard-earned QSO. I have several wood cabinets I built myself, yes they have a few flaws, but I am damned proud of those cabinets. I could have run to the store and bought the same cabinets, but the same DIY satisfaction would be missing. I have dozens of FT8 QSL cards that sit in a shoebox, while several of my hard-earned (non-FT8) cards are proudly displayed on the wall. (More about that later) As a new ham I started out using FT8, it provided a low-entry point to get on the air and make QSO's. After six months of FT8 I quickly became bored , I moved onward buying more equipment and increasing my skills. The bottom line is that without FT8 I would have become frustrated and quit the first few weeks, same with many others; Amateur radio can become very intimidating especially to those without access to a mentor. Many folks, new and old, would love the thrill and enjoyment that Amateur radio provides, but pass it by as too complicated and expensive to get started. Most younger people now involved with amateur radio did so because they had a family member that provided mentoring and access to equipment, that's a good thing but it's not enough to keep up with the daily loss of older hams. Rather than shedding a disdain on FT8, try to see it as low-entry 'starter kit' for new hams; even if only 10% of new hams move onward from FT8, and that's 10% more in the long run to that will help keep amateur radio alive.
