[Elecraft] Digimodes what am I missing?

[Walter Underwood]

I like digimodes because the technology is awesome.

I'm amused when people consider them "new", because they've been around for roughly 50 years. As a rough date for the Dawn of Digimodes, I use the invention of the Viterbi decoder in 1967. Ten years later, when I was studying EE at Rice, analog modes were about as interesting as power supplies.

CW is neat as a hobby technology, but commercially, it is less relevant than blacksmithing. There are quite a few professional blacksmiths, but no professional CW operators.

wunder
K6WRU

On Mar 21, 2014, at 5:44 AM, "K5HM" <k5hm.ron at gmail.com> wrote:

> I guess everyone is entitled to pursue the hobby the way they wish. The fact
> that it’s a digital mode or CW really has nothing to do with it. You can
> hear the same canned and non-conversation exchanges on CW or SSB.  I know CW
> operators that don't own a key. For them it's just another digital mode.
> They use the same canned macros we see in RTTY or PSK.
> 
> Today's hams live in a world filled with text messages and Twitter. To them,
> CW might just as well be another form of texting.  It's no wonder they can't
> have conversations with each other.   
> 
> Mastering the technology is a big part of what fascinates me about ham
> radio.  For me, digital modes are a part of the merging of two worlds in
> which I grew up and, which grew up with me.  Radio and automation. 
> 
> I like trying new stuff. It's one of the reasons I chose the K3.  After
> almost a year of ownership, I'm still learning about what this radio can do.
> 
> 
> 73,
> Ron, K5HM
> k5hm.ron at gmail.com
> www.qrz.com/db/k5hm
> -----Original Message-----
> From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of WILLIS COOKE
> Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2014 8:31 PM
> To: F5vjc; Elecraft Reflector
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Digimodes what am I missing?
> 
> I feel the same way Denis.  I guess when I finish Honor Roll and Challenge
> 3000 maybe I will get back to it, but I am old and the younger folks don't
> seem to get the charge from CW that I do.  To me, even when you talk, digi
> is too much like email!
>  
> Willis 'Cookie' Cooke, TDXS DX Chairman
> K5EWJ & Trustee N5BPS, USS Cavalla, USS Stewart
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> From: F5vjc <foxfive.vjc at gmail.com>
> To: Elecraft Reflector <Elecraft at mailman.qth.net> 
> Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2014 5:56 PM
> Subject: [Elecraft] Digimodes what am I missing?
> 
> 
> Is it me, but what is the attraction to the  Digimodes?
> 
> I can and do understand the achievement to get a new mode working, which is
> the only satisfaction that I can find.
> 
> Why?
> 
> Having succeeded in getting any Digimode working the only  traffic I see
> are canned messages and brag dialogues of no great interest.
> All rather boring and impersonal.
> What PC, how much memory, what operating system ad nausea.
> 
> Yes I operate CW and the rubber stamp and the DX QSO are very familiar to
> me but at least it's a skill to send and receive CW.
> 
> I am not knocking the Digimodes I hope but would like to know,  are there
> any real keyboard to keyboard interesting QSO/s to be found,  and if so
> where?
> 
> 73, F5VJC
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--
Walter Underwood
wunder at wunderwood.org