FT8 – Tipping Point for Ham Radio?

Are you running a macro or bot to deal with the watchdog timer? Is your computer calling CQ or pouncing?

 

Logbook Call Sign Activity

Here you can query Logbook to find out the last time log data was uploaded for a particular call sign.
Last upload for K2II: No log data found



Guess he got all the QSL cards already and sent them in for verification?

 

Yup - that must be it.

 

If it's on the Internet, it must be true. If it's on the Zed, it's VERIFIED true.

 

Tried it. Logged about 50 contacts, but after the challenge of getting it working wore off, I just couldn’t see the fun in supervising 2 computers conversing and exchanging nothing more complex than signal reports. I may try it again to see if EME is possible with a KW and a single CP sat antenna, but no other reason to go further with FT8 for me.

73,
K4CKB

 

Good for you for trying. Not for everyone, and it's different for sure. Good luck!

 

FWIW, I think there is a very compelling use of digital modes.

I noticed that a reply to one of the for sale items (on QRZ) was in a foreign language.

I wanted to know what it said so I did a bing search for translate, on the search page you can paste text in a box and bing it translates it for you.

So now I'm going to use a keyboard to keyboard mode and try having a QSO with somebody in another language.

Now if they would integrate that in to fldigi, etc. that would be awesome.

73

KG7KVI

 

Great idea in concept. Concept, theory, and practice are often three different animals. Considering "smart" phone texting auto-correct SNAFUs and other translation blunders, you may want to rethink your clever plan.

 

Thank you for what I would say is sage advice.

I have played with what it translated, then translated back and it can produce interesting results.
I will be wading in carefully, but I've got to give it a try.

Thanks again for your comment,
Merry Christmas!

or as they say in Japan (or maybe not,hi hi)
メリークリスマス！

73
KG7KVI

 

History may or may not repeat itself. Should the Jeremiahs be right that Jerusalem (ham radio) will be taken over by foreign forces (not the Babylonians this time, but the savage FT8-ers), we should remember that the FT8-ers can be expected to treat ham radio well (as was Jeremiah), and that ham radio, like Jerusalem, will not be tipped off the cliff, but survive and thrive for thousands of years, maybe just because of new impulses. In any event the foreign invasion is very modest and non-hostile, occupying only very small areas on the digital outskirts of town, so it would be easy for those needing no exposure to this new stuff to stay out of the FT8 'hood. Maybe we should not pull the parable too far, but I believe that Gerold and Flex Radio and other suppliers have little to fear from FT8.

Anyway, I am surprised of the doomsdays prophecies. I have not noticed that JT65 or JT9 were met with similar scepticism on their introduction many years ago; rather as fine achievements taking the digital technology further. As far as I can understand, FT8 is primarily a continuation of JT9 and JT65. I really can't get myself to believe that sacrificing some dB in decoding depth for 4X decoding speed, was all it took to tip ham radio off the cliff. Then there must have been something very seriously wrong for a very long time, having made damage beyond salvage to the very foundations of ham radio. Then I keep asking my self who muted the Jeremiahs from crying out their prophecies that ham radio life with the new developments of old modes would not be worth living. Somebody among the millions and millions of hams must have seen this misery coming. Not that misery has not been prophecied earlier, but so far they have all been wrong, but not so this time, I understand.

When WSJT-X 2.0 is released later today, I will download it and use it. I will also keep WSJT-X 1.9.1. in order to work those who will need a while to convert to a better mode. I am curious to see how they compare, and would like to learn it fast. I will also keep using all other modes I have been using, and work my way through the solar minimum, enjoying radio without worries that others have other ways of enjoying radio, knowing that the bands are wide enough for all of us.

73 Frode LA6VQ

 

I can hear detective Frank Thorne screaming FT8 is people..as they drag him away...

 

I think we might also find that after the first of the year, when the ARRL Grid Chase is completed, that FT8 popularity may wane a bit as well. Right now, every month all of my previous QSO's 'reset' and I chase the same contacts again. If there is no ARRL Grid Chase for 2019, I think folks will (myself included) focus on other modes more and use FT8 for contesting and DXpeditions rather than day to day, although I would still be checking in to grab call signs from new FT8 users.

Time will tell - I will always use FT8 regardless and I think it will always be popular for new hams and for DXpeditions and contest.

 

I think that FT8 is merely the next step in technological advancements that we, as hams, are supposed to embrace. I can understand some gnashing of teeth, but if you think CW or RTTY is the way to go, then why not teach it? Submit that to your local ham club and see if there's any interest. I know CW really does change the way you think and is worth learning.

But I will not ignore the future either.
I think both can co-exist without too many problems.