Reflections of an old 160 ham:
In 1970, after trip around the world as a hippy i returned to the US and worked
in California for Signal One. You may remember my operations as AC3PT, YA1CQ
and others.
Moved to Arizona in 1973, bought 2 acres and got serious about contesting and
DX. One of the local hams suggested thar we have a lunch bet on who got the
highest score in the 160 meter contest. I had no interest in that band but a
challenge was never let unanswered.
I shunt fed my 120 foot Rohn tower. For receiving I just laid 200 feet of wire
on the ground and used a preamp. Didn't know about BOG or beverages. The guys
in Phoenix cleaned my clock! At the next DX club meeting I asked around about
what the other guys were using? How much power were you using. they asked. Well
100 watts witch was the legal power at that time. NO, wrong answer. Antenna by
Eimac. Now i was hooked.
It has been a wonderful ride for the past 50 years. Memories that will never be
forgotten. working Jeff from JT at 30 over 9 and visiting him at the VY1
station. Amazing what he and his wonderful wife had built. S21XX at S9 plus and
many other great DX. Working my last zone on 160 CW and 82 countries in a
weekend contest.
FT8 is not for me. CW forever!
If I live until the next cycle you will find me still pounding brass.
73,LarryN7DDWAZ 160273 confirmed (CW)
On Tuesday, June 2, 2026 at 08:04:21 PM UTC, Mike Fatchett W0MU
<[email protected]> wrote:
I doubt any have made Honor roll as It is nearly impossible currently
and certainly not in the last few years.
W0MU
On 6/2/2026 4:55 AM, Stephen Hawkins via Topband wrote:
> I am aware of at least two people who have written software that will
> make FT-8 contacts, log them and upload the logs to LOTW with no human
> assistance. The ARRL knows this. A bunch of people, including me
> have tried to get them to move FT-8 off to a separate category but
> they ignored us completely. So a computer to computer FT-8 contact
> made autonomously by software counts at same a human getting through a
> CW pileup using skill and brains. Arrrrrgh!!!
>
> I wonder how many computers have made Honor Roll using FT-8?
>
> Enough. Back to chasing DX. 329 Current confirmed with no FT-8
>
> de NG0G
>
> On 6/1/26 2:03 PM, k1zm--- via Topband wrote:
>> Monday 01 June
>> I have been following this thread and YES - FT8 has materially
>> changed 160m. There is almost NO CW on the band today - except
>> during MAJOR contest weekends.
>> I can often hear 30-40 countries each winter night on 1840 on FT8 and
>> only a handful of the SAME stations on CW when I tune down the band
>> such as:
>> OK1CFF5INON7PQEA5CZS1COZ1BNN
>> and one or two random others.
>> And to make matters worse - FT8 Dx'peditioners seem to have failed to
>> operate at THEIR OWN SUNRISE peaks to make matters worse when they
>> come to 160m. They operate early evening looking into EU - and then
>> qsy to 80m or 40m when propagation at THEIR SR periods favors qso's
>> into North America on 160m. This is maddening to make matters worse...
>> OR
>> Pacific Dx'peditoners often fail to understand EAST COAST SR peaks
>> here on the EAST COAST - and come on the band LONG AFTER SR has
>> occurred here on Cape Cod. This too is disappointing....
>> For me - this has been a SEA CHANGE on 160m and I too have often had
>> no other choice but to HOLD MY NOSE and get on FT8 along with W8LRL
>> and AA1K both of whom I often see on 1840 these days. I am not IN
>> LOVE with FT8 - far from it - but it is either that - or not be able
>> to make any DX contacts most nights on 160m at all. I never thought
>> I would live long enough to see this take place on Topband!
>> And starting in 2020 the same thing happened on 6m during E season.
>> Now you just sit on 50.313 or 50.323 all day long now and work what
>> you SEE on FT8 mode - there is almost ZERO DX'ing on 6m CW or SSB
>> anymore - same thing that happened a few years thereafter to Topband.
>> FWIW
>> The 4 current160m DXCC Single Band honor roll members on Topband each
>> made all of their contacts on HUMAN modes - eg: CW or SSB - but most
>> future DXCC's almost assuredly will include entities worked on FT8.
>> I do not think there will be many more (IF ANY) DXCC single band
>> honor roll members on Topband with the exception of those that are
>> there today...So IT IS WHAT IT IS - sadly!
>> I fully understand that you cannot hold back technology - FT8 is here
>> to stay - but I am very glad I lived (like a DINOSAUR) in the glory
>> days of 160m.
>> About the only thing that remains today is that YOU STILL HAVE TO
>> UNDERSTAND PROPAGATION on 160m in order to run up a strong DXCC total.
>> That's about all that remains - everything else has changed - SO IT
>> IS WHAT IT IS - HI HI
>> Thanks for the bandwidth...
>> 73 [email protected]
>>
>>
>>
>> _________________
>> Searchable Archives:http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband
>> Reflector
>
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