It's an interesting one and I am torn. I worked over 250 entities on topband before FT8 came along and became irritated that newcomers were achieving similar in a lot less time (50+ years in my case) by using it. On the other hand, it has its uses! Notably, as a good example, when I worked T88 on 160 for my last zone (T88WA 2022). There had only previously been two QSOs between T88 and G - working through the East European wall was always a challenge. But one night, with T88WA on FT8, a whole bunch of G stations (including myself) made it. I wrote to thank the op afterwards and he explained that he was aware how rare T88 was in G so when G stations started to come through, he made a point of working all the ones he could see on the display (the opening was short but he did a great job!). On CW that almost certainly would not have happened.
73 Don G3XTT On Thu, 4 Jun 2026 at 11:17, uy0zg via Topband <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Jim > > Of course, FT isn't a means of fraud. It's interesting to many. However, > it has proven very useful for DX WEB SDR users. > > > But it is a completely different form of amateur radio. Absolutely. A > robot instead of a human. > > Whoever combined the achievements of man and robot either does not > understand what DX _g , or was pursuing commercial goals. > This is a fact. > > --- > Nick, UY0ZG > http://www.topband.in.ua > > Jim Brown via Topband писал(а) 2026-06-04 12:12: > > I don't know hams who do this. > > > > You are a lucky one, who has a quiet location. 99% of hams are not so > > lucky. > > > > For my first 50 years in ham radio, I lived on small lots with limited > > space for antennas. Receive antennas were out of the question. When > > I've traveled in Europe, I've seen even greater congestion in every > > city I've visited, and have been told that's why so many EU hams > > operate from club stations. > > > > In my retirement, I was able to buy a wonderful QTH with my life > > savings and have enough to live on. Here, with help from neighbors, > > I've built the ham station beyond my wildest dreams. I have receive > > antennas. BUT - two are pointing to strong noise sources. So there's no > > escaping it. > > > > WSJT modes, including, but not limited to, FT8, provide SOME help with > > the noise, and without the cheating you site. And using FT8 and similar > > modes as they were designed, without the automation that those who > > don't use it claim that it's widely used to vilify it, is NOT cheating. > > Believe it or not, as much as I love CW, it is not "God's" way to do > > ham radio. > > > > 73, Jim K9YC > > > > On 6/2/2026 10:51 PM, uy0zg via Topband wrote: > >> If there's no way to have RX antennas and no prospects? > >> > >> Then what? Look for workarounds like the internet? > >> > >> Currently, on the first page of this list > >> > >> http://www.arrl.org/system/dxcc/view/DXCC-160M-20260602-USLetter.pdf > >> > >> , 90 percent of listeners in Zone 16 are SDR receiver users from other > >> continents ... > > > > > > _________________ > > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > > Reflector > > _________________ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > _________________ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
