Hi Jim, I consider myself a hard core CW op, I think I've taken part in maybe 4-5 SSB contests total in the last 39 years, maybe 10-15 or so RTTY contests. However, I've been in easily several hundred CW contests, some of which I've taken 1st place in my class. I need 1 more ATNO for Honor roll and of those ATNOs' I have, only two were SSB, & no CW was available to work them.
With that, I have found FT8 interesting as a communication mode. Not exciting as when I pull CW out of the noise and make a Q, but it is a ham contact never-the-less. I do enjoy discovering signals are available below the noise level, when I can't hear them but the K3s & WSJT-x do. Those calls wouldn't be there on the screen if they didn't exist. If the band is dead for one mode but alive for another, I'll go for what's alive. I just ordered a 7 element M2 antenna for a dedicated 6M station with K3 & external pre to run CW and FT8, I'm looking forward to my first 6M CW contest. Yeah, I consider myself a hard core CW guy but I see a place for FT8 as well. 73, Gary KA1J > ## FT8 is indeed a game changer, but I dont think the hard core CW > ## op will buy > into the.... new fangled mode. > > Jim VE7RF > > _________________ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > _________________ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband