[ADXA] FT8 and Ducie

[HamOP]

Good comments, Dennis. You are “right on” …

   I think FT8 will supplant RTTY within 3-4 years as SSB did to AM in the late 50s and early 60s… I just started RTTY in Nov 2011 and have well over 300 countries and it has been fun and I feel that I personally am controlling the xmt and rcve functions, not a software program. HI But to those who like FT8 and perhaps live in a small apartment with a magnetic loop and barefoot, I am proud that our hobby has something to offer them. 
    I agree with K5UR as he stated last December. Hey, it IS a hobby and what ever is fun is what one does. It is their dime and time spent on towers, antennas, different rigs… all that fun stuff that changes every few years also..  Anyway, great job on working the Ducie. Has been fun.

   The KH7 DXped had about a 12:1 ratio of FT8 to RTTY.. That should tell us about the future of ham radio in the near future. I like RTTY and Earl had told me at Dallas Hamcom a few years ago how much fun it was. He was dead right!! I have over 300 confirmed but NEVER sent anything to the ARRL for another DXCC award on the wall. Mixed/Phone and CW and the stand alone 6m DXCCs are all I care about but no 6m new one in 4 years now. So I only endorse the M/PH and CW. No LoTW for me, so I collect paper cards and they are in 12-13 shoe boxes.. My wife and kids said they will throw all of them away when I die, along with certificates and such on the wall and photos albums on bookshelve... I asked that they keep 2-3 items on the wall for about another year then pitch in garbage.

    See you in December if I can stay healthy for a couple of months. Surgery next week and may also have a neck fusion procedure early in 2019 since left  arm is numb and tingling a lot and lose my grip on left hand. Luckily my right hand (CW keyer) is OK …. for now.  Am hoping to be able to make our CY9C trip next August, as I am making it my last DXped involvement. All good things come to an end.
San

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

From: Dennis Schaefer
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2018 1:08 PM
To: Radio (1)
Cc: ADXA
Subject: Re: [ADXA] VP6D - Dennis

San,

I think FT8 is great for new hams or those new to DX'ing because it lets them have some success.  On the other hand, they may get the idea that all those towers and antennas are pointless.  It is also a lifesaver for those in apartments who are limited to very inefficient antennas and have an overwhelming noise level.  For me, it's just another way to work the DX - I still have to get the RF there and back, and watching all the stations in the pileup at once is kinda like having an SDR rig.  I've been helping a couple of hams who are apartment-bound and I have been experimenting with magnetic loop antennas.  Modes like FT8 are good for those situations.  For 'regular' DX'ing, though, it seems almost too easy.  I worked VP6D on 30M FT8 with an end-fed antenna not designed for that band and 30 watts.  

My fear is that it might supplant RTTY, which is not only a valuable part of the ham tradition, and uses traditional DX chasing techniques.  You can't wander away to get a cup of coffee while your rig calls and answers the DX on RTTY!  

73,
Dennis

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