For me (and many others I guess) it's all about satisfaction level. There
are still people piloting sailboats and peddling bicycles, right? They
don't all have motors.
Seems like a million years ago now, but in 1996 as CY0AA and 1997 as CY9AA
we did 160m-6m.in the (QRN) summertime
with nothing more than the Battlecreek Special on Sable and a helium balloon
and wire on St. Paul. (no RX antennas)
We made hundreds and hundreds of QSO's on 160m CW. (I don't recall if we
did SSB on 160m, but more likely than not, we did some).
Like Hans SM6CVX, FT8 would be the very last mode I would ever operate, not
because it's not technically fantastic ! (who could argue with that?) but
there is little to no challenge or satisfaction to doing it. I don't look
down on folks doing it. Do what makes you happy. Guessing of callsigns by
software, robot operations.my computer and soundcard works your computer and
soundcard,..<insert big yawn here>. It's just not for me. I want there to
be a human element to it that I need to decipher. Your voice, your CW etc.
I would rather make 10-Q's/hr on 160m CW than 100-FT8 Q's/hr
I also take a little exception to it as it has ruined my #1 favorite thing
I used to love to do in this great hobby we all share..6m and 160m DXing.
Thank goodness I worked what I worked before it hit the scene. It's like a
vacant post-apocalyptic wasteland most of the time there now *(outside
legacy contests).
Anyways.SSB and CW are still very much alive and well in HF contests, so I
have to be thankful for that at least.
Thanks for all the Q's from The Caymans last weekend. I had a blast on this
legacy mode. (SSB) in the CQWW.
Mike VE9AA (ZF2AA last weekend)
Mike, Coreen & Corey
Keswick Ridge, NB
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