FT8 – Tipping Point for Ham Radio?

It's "ham" not "HAM"

And it can do Morse with its nose.

 

Actually, if you look closely at the label, it is Hard Wood smoked HAM

 

Reminds me of the old Russian LEO satellite, RS-10, that if you sent perfect code to it, it would respond back to you with your call. Guess I was talking to computers via RF 27 years ago.

 

Likely a contester then, after a full 48 hours of CQWW SSB.

 

Wasn't the tipping point when 99% of hams stopped building their radios from scratch a long time ago. I thought we were light years past the tipping point by now.

 

First let me say I have no issues with digital modes or any anything experimental. Quite the opposite is true and see some of the opposition quite disgusting and a big part of what is wrong with ham radio today. There was a time long ago that has been lost in ham radio and that is what attracted me to it when I was young. Ham radio use to be cutting edge, trying new modes. I took part in ACSSB using Side Band Tone back in the 80's working with Kenwood LMR to take on biz bands FM in th e450 and 800 Mhz band, Even did some experimentation with spread spectrum, and most fun of all was Pirate FM Radio in college playing music out of a Van on weekend nights. Ham radio even ushered in packet Radio and has a slew of addresses dedicated to its use.

Today most the ole fossils resist change and if it is not CW or SSB, its not radio. I am no fan of FT8 for all the reasons given, but applaud those who try to work out the issues. My favorite flavor is PSK31 because it is easy to operate with good range on low power. I do not see FT8 going to far, but hope it does work out some of the technical and timing issues. For you fossils trying to obstruct, shame on you, That is one of the main reasons youth has no ineterest in the hobby. SSB and CW are boring, and the traffic they carry is brain dead boring.

So for you guys trying to blaze a digital trail, be patient, the old fossil opposition is dyeing off.

 

Agree 100%. My interest in amateur radio has always been the technical aspects of it. I'm not a prolific experimenter, but it has been enough to keep my interest in the hobby for the past 39 years.

The typical SSB/CW QSO is too boring. I apologize in advance, but macro driven PSK31 is no better.

My on-air time increased substantially with JT65. Before JT65, it was basically just 3 or 4 contests per year.

Yes, JT65's one minute cycle is boring, but it's still much shorter than a phone or CW QSO. The other plus is that I can work some DX that I could only dream about before.

Then comes FT8, and it's 15 seconds cycle. Manna from heaven.

Whatever makes you happy!

 

I talk to hams on the local repeater (almost) every day. Trust me - that is enough for my needs. I use FT8 to make DX contacts because -

A: It satisfies my interest in seeing if an emission from my antenna can go thousands of miles into another receiver.

B: It irritates the Old Fossils to no end when I report my DX contacts on FT8.

 

My feelings exactly. It's the RF stupid!

I could not care less about the payload.

This is why I also like WSPR, and before all this, milliwatting.

 

Everything is not a battle. It is possible to disagree without insulting people. Sometimes old fossils have a point. One day you will be an old fossil, I do hope you do not repeat the mistakes you judge today.

 

Some of us old fossils don't reject change either. I like the digital modes and got bored with CW after many, many years. Not sure what defines an old fossil though...

 

Awesome reply and a great explanation of some of the challenge that is presented by FT8... Old Timers just don't get it. Let me say this. If you haven't actually tried it, your criticism is premature.

 

Alright fine I'm going to try this

 

A million years of experience, reliable as a stone, solid as a rock, with a patience that comes only from having figured out you don't know it all, yet. =)