It used to be constant with activity when I started on HF in 2006. Wall to wall signals was the norm. Then FT8 happened and everyone jumped on that bandwagon from all of the other modes. Then there was nobody left to work for those digital mode ops who didn't jump early. They too eventually went elsewhere due to inactivity. I'm happy the paint is drying and people are branching out again.
A couple tips. Be sure if not using PSK-31, that TxID is enabled so that people know what mode you are using. When fishing around, enable RxID so you can figure out what other people are calling with. When calling CQ, use a macro with TIMER enabled so it will just loop until someone answers. Try not to use wide modes in the central PSK window, a 500Hz Olivia signal can have four to six PSK31 chats in the same space. So with 20m as an example. 14.070 USB is the PSK window, centered in 3kHz at 1500 Hz, if you want to run the other modes please go to 2500 Hz on the waterfall and re-center or even up to 3000 or in the other direction 500 Hz or lower and re-center so that the PSK folks have room to operate. Generally the other modes were run in the next 3kHz up the band or below from the PSK window but traffic is a lot thinner now than it was a few years back and FT8 images from dirty signals or ops drifting out of the window tend to make using that area pretty rough going now.
That reminds me of a (pretty lousy) poem I came up with back in the early 70s: Buzzards, gizzards, bananas and cream. I know a CB'er who uses a beam. When he runs his linear, his signal sounds fine. On 23 channels, all at the same time. ---Chip, (then) WB9EBE (...As I duck for cover from all the tomatoes surely being thrown at me for such an atrocity!)
Whats the best 20 m frequency to get PSK? I have an IC7610 and use it successfully on RTTY, but I just cant get the hang of that tuner thingy.... what am I doing wrong? 73 stay well...Des
it's not what your doing wrong....it's what you are not doing right. Look in your instruction manual.
Getting a little bored with FT8. I have thousands of FT8 contacts.[/QUOTE] Try QRP CW, it's always a challenge
I'm on PSK31 every morning from 8 am to at least 2 pm. if anyone wants to qsy to any other mode, then call me and i'll work ya...the only BORING modes are FT8,4,JT65,9 and 4....PUT SOME SPICE IN YOUR LIFE! TRY THE " OTHER MODES ".
My silly poem aside in a previous post, it's encouraging to learn that, albeit anecdotally, an increased use of a variety of modes appears to be happening. We need to increase activity on all the bands. With better HF band conditions beginning to take place, I hope to hear our frequencies busy, full of signals, day and night. Get on the air!
I totally agree! 10 meters is open right now!! and when everyone hears one mode being used,don't assume that this is the ONLY mode that is usable! TRY PSK,CW,OLIVIA,CONTESTIA,RTTY,etc,etc. if you hear FT8,A BEACON, then you know the band is open.
During the last solar peak, we did not have FT8 AND 4. There were " new modes " JT65,9 AND 4 and the MAGIC MODE olivia ( this was quoted in QST way back in the early 2000,s ) Now we have these new modes and just a few years ago...JS8CALL....Try them all!
You're welcome, OM. You're probably the only one who did! Hmmmm... perhaps I should work on a new one? A limerick, perhaps? There once was a ham in De Soto. Fellow Zedders thought he was quite loco. He made goofy poems, some of which didn't rhyme, so they told him to knock off the ---- NONSENSE. (??) See? I can't even find a word that rhymes with "loco."
