Currently there is a
poll going on at DX world.net. Is the new FT8 digital mode damaging hamradio? I remember reading same discussions about SSB when it was new. Personally I don't think this mode will kill hamradio but it changed the whole game. However, there are hamradio operators that take this hobby far to serious. They probabely forgot that hamradio is all about experimenting and it doesn't matter what you experiment with. It is fun to experiment and see that others do the same so you can share your experiences. Most experimenters don't share the experiences via radio anymore but via social networks on the internet. And still it is fun! I remember gathering information about antennas before the internet, it was more difficult to get information on any topic. When packetradio was introduced to me it became easier to share and get info and with internet it became a way of life. Our hobby will evolve if you like it or not....
If you like to read
SV5DKL's statement about FT8, you think about how serious the whole thing is becoming even for the developers. I've been
writing about Stathis his experimental FT8 robot and later my thoughts about a DXpedition robot (less operators needed, cheaper DXpedition). Stathis will continue his experiments and was unfortenately prevented from using DXpedition mode for 2 days within the WSJT-X software because of this. Suddenly I was thinking about years ago when I was banned from using a certain digital wide band mode called ROS when a number of bloggers commented the bandwidth was just too large compared to other modes. Well, just like I wrote before....some of us take this hobby far too serious....luckely the WSJT development team realized that as well...
Remember this: hamradio is just a hobby, it should be fun. Learn from your experiments!
Ja, ik dat er veranderingen in onze hobby zijn die de beleving heel anders maken.
ReplyDeleteLange qso's hoor je steeds minder op HF, ook op de WARC banden. Steeds meet 599 next.
Jammer!
73, Tjeerd
Hallo Tjeerd, ja alles veranderd. Lange discussies voer je nu via messenger en whatsapp. Nog niet zo lang geleden deed ik hetzelfde met packetradio. En daarvoor met SSB en FM. Tijden veranderen...73, Bas
DeleteNo, it's not damaging amateur radio. It certainly is changing it, though. FT8 is the digital mode du jour. Next year, or two years from now, it will be something else.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely Dan, hamradio will evolve. Will hamradio operators do the same. Time will tell....exciting times! 73, Bas
DeleteIt’s not damaging it at all. If anything it’s probably bringing in some younger folks that thought it was just a bunch of old guys sitting in their basements...
ReplyDeleteCould be true. However, to us FT8 seems like a fast mode but for younger people it still is boring. I think it's depending on what person you are and this might not have anything to do with age. However I think FT8 opens up the possebility for working DX for the smaller stations with small antennas and low power, that could attract people. I can imagine that! 73, Bas
DeleteI changed the above post a couple of times. As my mind changes constantly about this topic it could be altered over the next couple of days. If so I will stamp the changes with a date. 73, Bas
ReplyDeleteFT8 is a great experimentation tool, particularly useful for antenna performance and/or propagation conditions. Period.
ReplyDeleteAlthough have not had time yet to copy your experiment with a macro program I support you experimentation Stathis. I don't care if I would make contact with a robot or not, you can't tell the difference with a computer (and who cares anyway). It's all about experiments, that's the goal of our hobby and that is what I believe. 73, Bas
DeleteHallo Bas, ik denk dat de schade van FT8 nog wel meevalt. Het was even een hype en is al weer behoorlijk ingezakt.
ReplyDeleteRadiozendamateur zijn betekent naast verbindingen maken ook experimenteren wat jij ook beaamt. Dat is ook wat we met digitale modes doen. En soms wordt een bepaalde digimode populair. Daarnaast veranderen de wensen en zijn er mensen die graag zo snel mogelijk en zo veel mogelijk verbindingen willen maken. Nou dat kan met FT8. Straks is er weer wat anders. Iedereen zoekt zijn eigen weg in deze hobby. Prachtig toch dat we die mogelijkheden hebben. 73 Hans, PE1BVQ
Ben het volledig met je eens Hans. Het is ook leuk als het een hype is, dan heb je tenminste wat mede experimenteerders. Heel anders als bijv. APRS messenger waar er maar een paar wat doen. 73, Bas
DeleteNo. WA2JSG
ReplyDeleteHello Curt, you certainly did make the shortest comment ever on my blog! ;-). 73, Bas
DeleteIt's a double-edged sword. FT8 has promoted more activity on the higher bands, where brief periods of previously-unrecognised propagation windows can be worked effectively and quickly.
ReplyDeleteOn the 'bread and butter' bands of 40 and 20, FT8 is a nuisance. Operators click from one call to the next, as though they are playing a computer game. The physical reality of radio is somehow obscured by the intervening computer tech.
The two main things for me are: (1) the lack of any form of consultation with representative bodies before new digital modes are released to the wild, and (2) that a lot of these digimodes reflect a very western, usually US-centric vision of what amateur radio is about. That is not always a good thing.
Interesting thoughts John. Luckely there are so many other modes and things besides FT8. 73, Bas
DeleteI become FT8 addict.. Layne AE1N
ReplyDeleteYes, it’s dying just because of FT 8. It was close to revive, but it can’t happen any more. When you’re sitting next to your keyboard and chat with people using FT 8 you don’t even feel, do you talk over the net or radio waves. They say radio waves, but I DON’T FEEL IT! What if they’re lying, if my computer is actually connecting to net?
ReplyDeleteOld radio amateurs will probably stay, but when some man who still thinks about ham radio exam wants something new, and he sees it’s the same sh*t then most of people will change your mind. It’s nothing new, you just have additional costs!
Why?
FT 8 is a boring digital modulation where you have nothing to do. No vocal, no telegraphy, nothing. And you even can’t believe if it says that my signal is hearing in Seychelles. Why? Hackers, bugs everywhere. And when you compete in this mode is everything depending on your PC. What if it crashes? What if is it slow?
FT 8 was also made for poor conditions, like moon bounce. Again, why would you do this IF YOU DON’T HEAR/FEEL IT? Again, to talk to people using keyboard you have net, and you won’t have any additional costs, FT 8 is just no sense!
Maybe old radio amateurs see sense in this, but you must think about future! When no one even dreamed about FT 8, I was always saying, until you will hear analog charm, it’s safe!
For me, sitting next to keyboard is not fun. You must do something like telegraphy or talking
ReplyDelete