I wish more people would leave the mode alone, specially in North America. The segments are just too crowded. It's hard to complete a contact these days. DXing is even harder.
FT8 probably really has saved ham radio as far as increased on air activity. I'm a RTTY contesting guy and will have to check FT4 out.
Yes! Part of the feline grand plan for world domination. The signs are everywhere.. These new "FT" modes are an obvious giveaway. FT really stands for Feline Transmission. The CATS started to get bold back in the early 2000's. Below is a partial transcript documenting an earlier feline incursion.. CATS: All your base are belong to us. CATS: You have no chance to survive make your time. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_your_base_are_belong_to_us And you thought it was just an internet meme...The CATS know better.
CAT has 'revolutionized' amateur radio. Imagine contesting and DXing, just two examples, without CAT.
Technological progress within the hobby is a given. There are places at the table for all modes and operators. Less than desirable propagation makes FT8 a viable alternative to phone and other modes, especially to those with modest stations. There is no grace arguing about what constitutes 'real radio' or 'real QSO' operating. Tolerate advances within the hobby, our future depends on it. The logical fallacy that FT8 is destroying Amateur Radio continues to be a Red Herring. Operators need only peruse the bands for FT8 activity, and deduce that the reciprocal is true. FT8 is saving Amateur Radio. It is attracting new young operators, and old alike, finally populating the bands with much needed signals; use it or lose it. Hearing and physically impaired operators may enjoy digital modes and for some, that's all they have. Bring on FT4. 73 de KG5JJ
I've always enjoyed the digital modes. I find the various JT, FT modes interesting to learn about propagation. BTW this is a nice site to use to see who can hear you https://www.pskreporter.info/pskmap.html?preset&callsign=ZZZZZ&what=all&mode=FT8&timerange=900 .
I am a new ham - just licensed in February 2019. I wish folks would stop arguing about FT8 vs other modes. They are just different. No mode is better than another. It is what you like at a particular time based on your given situation. I’m planning to try every mode I can - within reason of course. As a new ham, FT8 was easily accessible to me and I was able to rack up many contacts in far off places quickly. It is arguably the most sophisticated mode (of course the software does most of the work) and the one that can best be used to “pick the flee sh*t out of the pepper flakes”. It also reduces the barriers to entry which is good for the hobby. I’v also been on a quest to make SSB voice contacts - much more challenging than FT8 in my opinion but I like the challenge. CW is, to me, the epitome of ham radio. It is a challenge that I know when I make my first CW QSO it will be the most rewarding. But I won’t look any differently upon FT8. Furthermore, with the advent of 5g and IoT, there are countless corporations that would love our spectrum space. We need to present a united from before our real estate shrinks and don’t have the luxury of every/any mode we want.
another one to make slave of the monitor.the side effect are stiff neck,following by the use of blinkers,and some other side effects that you going to become a real human robot..
In 30 years time, give or take, you'll oppose the new mode of the time. We tend to stay with what we 'grew up' with. Anything that disrupts that comfort zone is bad. Oh, yes...5G is killing the phone industry. My dial pulse rotary set works like a charm.
With my modest equipment set up, I find the digital modes easier to get a contact on. SSB DX is rough with less then 100W, I ALWAYS get stepped on by someone running 1.5+KW so I go back to FT8. I have nearly 6K FT8 contacts I really enjoy the mode. For me digital modes suit my situation nicely, I like a good PSK QSO, I would love to work other digital modes, but sadly most of them are just not used as much. I am looking forward to trying out FT4.
Congratulations on becoming a ham. I agree that people should stop arguing about FT8 vs other modes. It's definitely counter-productive. If you have a mode that works best for you, and your ability, equipment, and likes, then by all means, use it. I'm afraid I would have to disagree with you here. Since I have done both - CW, and FT8, I can say that I enjoy CW much more. Why? Because I have spent HOURS (and I mean hours) trying to learn it. So, when I have a sucessful QSO on CW, it feels like an accomplishment. FT8, on the other hand, while it can be an accomplishment to get it setup, making a successful contact with it - unfortunately for me - felt like a hollow victory. Don't get me wrong - it's fun to see the different DX stations pop up on your list, but working them doesn't take near the amount of work that it does with CW.
Don't be discouraged by the handful of naysayers. FT8 is extremely popular. The band segments are loaded with stations. FT4 will be the same.