[NLRS] The New Normal?

[Rich Westerberg]

Hi All -

I didn't mean to stir up controversy about FT8.  My question was more about
activity (or lack of it).  It was also me looking at the fun (for me) of
amateur radio.

Some have said that FT8 makes it easier to work stations and I understand
that.  For me, the fun is in the challenge.  I've got 41 states now on 2M
via AU, Es, tropo, meteor scatter, etc.  For me the fun was listening for
the raspy tones of AU, trying to catch the right time for Es or getting a
blue wizzer and hearing a 30 second S9 burn on 2M.  Hearing the weak CW
come across for a new state or the loud Es for a new one.  It seems that
now I would need to stare at my screen and wait to see a station pop on my
screen.  No signal, no using my brain to decode anything or my voice (or
fist) to call.  I'm still hoping there are seven guys in seven states who
want to work, so I can get my lower 48 via me and my rig.

I'm sure I'll get on FT8 as it looks like it's a requirement for
contesting.  My post was just asking about VHF activity and how it has
changed int he ten years I've been off.

See you in a few weeks in the June Contest.

Rich N0HJZ


On Tue, Jun 2, 2020 at 8:17 AM Fast Eddie <eddie at tbaytel.net> wrote:

> Hi All !....   I have the exact same comments as Charlie did.... Go
> where the activity is.. if you don't use it, you will lose it... it's
> starting to happen...
>
> 73 Fast Eddie VE3KRP
>
> On 6/1/2020 5:43 PM, Charlie Betz wrote:
> > 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
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