[Elecraft] Boldly OT: 6 meter Sporadic-E season and the FT-8 microjuggernaut

[Dave Cole]

I have a Perl script that scrapes my DX cluster, and announces when a
band is open...  If you want it, email me DIRECT, NOT ON THE LIST, and I
can send it to you.  It uses no more resources than any other cluster
client, so it can work on many clusters.  The script has more comments
than actual code, so it is readable.  

You will need to change things to match your directory structure, and a
few other items as well, but once working it is actually pretty
reliable.  

The script scrapes my DX Cluster, and when if is sees "trigger number"
of DX stations spotting US stations from zones 3, 4, or 5, for selected
bands, it increments a counter for each zone and band.

Once a "time period" it checks the increment counters to see what the
count is for a selected zone, and band, and if the count is larger than
a programmable trigger, if so, it announces that whatever band exceeded
the trigger is open using an MP3 file.  

It actually works quite well.  I am in the process of changing it to not
look at zone, but grid squares to better localize it.

Anyway, if you want a copy you are welcome to it, but please send email
to me NOT TO THE LIST.  

I am out of town now, so it will be a few days before I respond.  If you
improve the script, please return it to me as well...

-- 
Thanks and 73's,
Dave (NK7Z)
http://www.nk7z.net 

On Sat, 2018-06-02 at 12:28 -0500, Scott wrote:
> Wayne,
> 
> I'll give answering your question a try.  Hopefully I won't piss off 
> everyone... and it won't be too long.
> 
> 0).  First, monitor beacons or participate in the RBN for band openings 
> and then call CQ on open bands.  Heck, call CQ on "closed" bands... one 
> never knows.  I suspect there are more band openings than most would 
> admit or even know about and maybe we need more hams willing to set up 
> beacons.  I once copied a SSB qso of ON4UN and a stateside ham on 15m 
> when all the prop computer programs said 15m was closed.
> 
> 1).  CW ops should make MORE use of the computer... especially for 
> calling CQ.  Once a reply is heard switch to "manual" cw mode (this is 
> nothing new) AND adjust speed to station answering your CQ.  Nothing 
> worse than an experienced cw op who won't bother to "talk" to a slow 
> sending station... nothing.  It just sends the inexperienced cwop to 
> digital and/or ssb where someone will likely answer no matter the "speed".
> 
> 2)   CW ops need to not be prejudiced against keyboard sent code, 
> especially at slower speeds or even someone using cw decoding sw.  I 
> think younger hams might actually do more if there wasn't such "stink" 
> put on ops using a keyboard and decoding sw.  Besides you do want to get 
> younger hams interested in ham radio and especially CW... right?  And as 
> time goes on those young or even old keyboard cw warriors may or may not 
> learn to send with a paddle or a key but you've got to get them 
> interested in CW first.  For some, it's an age vs. memory issue 
> especially hams who started late in life.
> 
> 3)  Now to beat up the computer geeks.  Someone could set up a twitter 
> or gab account and advertise it to the ham community at large via 
> reflectors and use the account specifically for reporting band openings. 
>   Then you could get notified on the ubiquitous smart phone and who 
> knows maybe there is or will be soon a rig remote control app for your 
> phone.
> 
> 4)  Digital mode software can be a bear to configure.  Clearly there 
> should be just one or two "tabs" max to get it working quickly and all 
> the other program integration configuration is icing on the cake. 
> Complexity in a basic "getting it working" configuration is not good. 
> And how about making the program/app window and fonts larger for crying 
> out loud... I don't see as well as I used to and with the proliferation 
> of large monitors these programs are a pain to even see anymore.  While 
> this may increase digital ops I also believe that at some point even 
> some digital ops will want to try and learn cw.
> 
> 5)  Finally, I've noticed that a lot of younger millenials like "old 
> school" stuff from LP 33 records to radio.  IF you can get them 
> interested in Ham radio (a shameless plug for expanded tech privileges) 
> there's a good chance they'll eventually want to learn cw one way or 
> another.  The point is, more hams equals more chances for someone to 
> answer your cw CQ.
> 
> I doubt any of that helps much except maybe paragraph 3, but there it 
> is... thanks for letting me give it a shot.
> 
> Scott
> AD5HS
> 
> On 6/1/2018 10:46 AM, Wayne Burdick wrote:
> ...<snip>...
> 
> > Yeah, I get the whole sub-noise-floor-and-not-automated-(wink)-QSO thing. But I’d like to figure out how those of us who enjoy the occasional gear-grinding manual-transmission contact can find each other on this brave new highway. Ideas?
> > 
> > Wayne
> > N6KR
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