[SADXA] PJ4P on 160m FT8

[D Dismachek]

 Wes,
I think there is more work to be done to FT8 and more training of it's users. If I don't get a RR73's from the contact, which pops up my log results on my screen I don't feel I got a 100% QSO. I worked Ducie Is. on FT8 and never got a RR73's and I was never in their log, only my SSB contacts. I thought fox/hound was for DX-peditions working 1000's of contacts, not someone setting up a well know site on their beach vacation. I think the WSJT-X people need to add some rules and an indication that some call is using fox/hound mode rather than relying on spotters to pass this along. 
...Dennis / N6ITY
    On ‎Friday‎, ‎January‎ ‎25‎, ‎2019‎ ‎06‎:‎06‎:‎02‎ ‎PM‎ ‎MST, Wes <wes_n7ws at triconet.org> wrote:  
 
 {Soapbox mode ON}

This is totally not personal but it does bring up a question or two regarding a 
pet peeve of mine.

If a so-called QSO isn't completed by agreed upon standards and/or criteria 
contemporaneously on the air is it really a QSO?  Or is waiting to see if you're 
"in the log" on Clublog or LotW satisfactory these days?

Here's a personal example of what I'm asking about.  Spoiler alert, I did not 
log this "contact" hence didn't save any text for review, but here is the 
general overview from memory.  I'm not a big fan of FT8, mainly for reasons such 
as this, nevertheless, after working 9LY1JM on several bands and modes (13 slots 
in all) I figured I would try them on 160-meter FT8.

They were working Fox and Hound so I set up and called them at about +2kHz.  
After quite a few sequences, I saw that they had called me and moved me down to 
~300Hz. I (my computer) went to the next sequence and transmitted several times 
without me seeing any further replies.  I got moved again and continued to send 
my exchange.  I never heard (saw) another thing from them so I gave up.  Imagine 
my surprise to see in Clublog that I had "worked" them on 160 FT8.  As I stated 
above, I did not log this and will not be claiming credit for it. But I wonder 
how many others will gladly accept "credit" for similar contacts?

I'd be interested in others' opinions.

[Soapbox mode OFF]

Wes  N7WS


On 1/25/2019 8:24 AM, Jim Wysocki wrote:
> Dennis, I had a similar experience on 30m and I did what you did to trigger 
> the software's logging option.  At that time they weren't finishing off any of 
> their FT8 QSOs properly, which leads me to think that they were just learning 
> how to operate on that mode. Time will tell whether or not we're in the PJ4P 
> log.  The team intends to post their QSOs periodically to clublog once or 
> twice per day, so we'll have a chance to find out pretty soon.
>
> What led me to consider a fox/hound situation on 160m is that I was one of 
> several at the time who never could complete a QSO.  In fact, nobody did right 
> away.  Then I noticed that they were running two threads.  In other words, I 
> copied them giving simultaneous signal reports on adjacent frequencies.  
> That's the clue: transmitting simultaneously in the same band on FT8 can only 
> be done in fox and hound mode.  So I switched modes and was one of the first 
> ones to be able to work them without trouble.  Soon after that somebody else 
> figured out what was happening and posted it on the spotting network.  Then it 
> was business as usual, with people routinely calling and making QSOs.
>
> This is a team of three German operators and they'll be Bonaire for several 
> more days: almost a week, as I recall.  They'll also be operating in the CQ 
> 160m contest that starts later today.  So you'll have several chances to get 
> them into your log.
>
> 73,  Jim W9FI 

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