[Elecraft] FT8: "Magic radio"?

[Wayne Burdick]

> On Jul 3, 2018, at 1:59 PM, ANDY DURBIN <a.durbin at msn.com> wrote:
> 
> "How is it any different than the RTTY setups used for DXpeditions that  would do essentially the same thing, listen over a wide range and stack  the calls heard?"
> 
> The, in my opinion huge, difference is that FT8 DXpedition mode does not even require the operator to be in the shack to complete the QSO.  All it takes is to start auto TX of your grid and then walk away.  As long as your call gets on the stack before your watchdog times out (assuming you have not defeated it) then the rest is automatic, including waking up your TX Enable if it had timed out.
> 
> Two of my KH1 FT8 QSO were completed after I had given up and turned off TX Enable.  Although I was still in the shack I had no involvement in completing the QSO.  I was just a spectator.  That is very different from the level of interaction required to complete a QSO in CW, Phone, or RTTY.


I believe that’s what led to the “magic” comment in the overheard discussion. That, in fact, this sort of operation is in a class of its own.

Wayne