FT8
FT8
Found this on one of the Facebook groups UK VHF/UHF Contesting thought it was rather funny, should trigger the right people into commenting
Re: FT8
I hate marmite and as for ft8 not really interested in fact I don't have a pc in my shack so Digi modes are banished here, tried the usual suspects and they got boring really quick but each to their own.
M0VMT Mark
Doncaster
RSARS
Happy to be here
Doncaster
RSARS
Happy to be here
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Re: FT8
I use a pc to generate a digital voice ...like Steve Hawkins did ,its great saves stressing the vocal cords
It's not broke yet ! ...just give me a minute.
Re: FT8
I remember getting pissed with John at Sandown VHf convention 1 year, funny bloke when he,s had a few.
as for FT8, I get bored after 3 or 4 contacts so wander off and go back later (not to see what i have "worked") for another couple of contacts rinse and repeat.
Re: FT8
I use it on 144Mhz to see how conditions are,put a few calls out normally beaming NE/E and see whose computer has seen me,its quite surprising at times,I reckon OZ1BEFs computer sees me about 7 times out of 10 unless the band is really flat,its over 1000kms from here so a fair distance.If hes about he often comes back,its also got the advantage that everyone using it is in the same place so its easier to assess how things are.
You can get a distorted view of how good things actually are though,many times I've been decoding stations fully every period and asked them to go to CW,we normally make it but far weaker than you might expect given the FT8 strengths indicated.
Ive also noticed you can presume that stations have reporting enabled,which many don't,so often things are getting further than PSK reporter would have you believe,you find this out when you get called by someone 3 squares further on than you thought it was getting.
The downside of FT8 is it detracts from activity on the rest of the band,I find that during openings you still have to call on 144.300,and I still find stations on there that are further than those heard/seen on FT8..its getting to the point where an SDR is becoming essential if you dont want to miss anything.
I've caught John on FT8 a few times calling some exotic DX.......the lure is plainly too much
You can get a distorted view of how good things actually are though,many times I've been decoding stations fully every period and asked them to go to CW,we normally make it but far weaker than you might expect given the FT8 strengths indicated.
Ive also noticed you can presume that stations have reporting enabled,which many don't,so often things are getting further than PSK reporter would have you believe,you find this out when you get called by someone 3 squares further on than you thought it was getting.
The downside of FT8 is it detracts from activity on the rest of the band,I find that during openings you still have to call on 144.300,and I still find stations on there that are further than those heard/seen on FT8..its getting to the point where an SDR is becoming essential if you dont want to miss anything.
I've caught John on FT8 a few times calling some exotic DX.......the lure is plainly too much