[NLRS] The New Normal?

[Charlie Betz]

Hey Rich,

I guess I must be the oddball guy in the group.  I really like FT8 - in 
fact I prefer it to the other modes.  Granted, when it comes to 
contesting it's too slow for most guys, but I've been able to work grids 
out in what I call the "intermediate range" on 6m (too far for 
groundwave / too close for Es)  that I've never been able to work 
before.  I've even gotten back into HF again because of FT8 - I has 
pretty much lost all interest in it and had not been on those bands in 
years.

Maybe my interest in FT8 is due to the fact that I've been running JT65 
on EME for so many years now.  There are a lot of EU stations that 
lament the lack of CW on EME anymore, but I don't.  After struggling 
trying to make contacts that way I'd never want to go back to CW again 
on EME - it's too darn hard to make Qs that way.

Charlie N0AKC



On 5/31/2020 09:05 AM, Rich Westerberg wrote:
> Hi All -
>
> I'm working on getting my station built up at the new QTH.  I've been
> monitoring 6M a lot and watching some of the spots too.
>
> The past few days 6M has been open quite a bit and I've called on SSB and
> worked a few guys.  Lots of times my call goes unanswered.  I'll flip over
> to 50.313 and hear signals there.  When I do catch someone on SSB, we are
> both loud.  It's not for lack of propagation, it seems like it's lack of
> people.
>
> Does anyone do SSB and CW anymore or is it all on FT8 now?  I'm looking to
> invest money into antennas and amps to get me on several bands.  If
> everything is all on FT8 and it's all about letting your computers talk
> now, I might reconsider.  Maybe I'm Old School but the thought of sitting
> back and letting my computer talk for me just isn't appealing.
>
> Is there more to VHF than FT8?
>
> Rich N0HJZ
> ______________________________________________________________
> NLRS mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/nlrs
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:NLRS at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html