Actually the problem with the alleged QRM and FT8 is more about simply identifying ham computerized modes of digital transmission and reception and separating them out from the rest of the noise generated by poorly filtered appliances, leaky cable TV, power line data communications etc. I am evidently a troglodyte who does not have a computer in the shack and I refuse to run one for no reason other than to be able to demodulate and identify ham digital signals. I believe the onus is on the digital mode operator to make his emissions identifiable as ham radio to others, who like me, may be operating analog equipment capable of demodulating common basic transmission modes such as analog phone, and CW keyed with radiotelegraph code.
What I'm getting at is that a big mistake was made in the 1980s with the CW ID requirement for RTTY and SSTV was dropped to convenience those operators. It was burdensome then, but SSTV and Baudot RTTY was pretty easy to ID (although you couldn't tell a ham station from an intruder). Now, with seemingly zillion digital computer modes, it's impossible for someone like me to tell a licensed ham from an intruder, or a variable speed furnace motor. Ironically, an automatic fast CW ID at the end of each transmission would be easy to encode in a computer and implement, and it would not be disruptive since the transmission is ending anyway. It's time for FCC to reinstate the CW ID requirement. Until then, my default is to assume any emission I cannot identify, to be either an intruder, or noise from an appliance and carry on accordingly. 73 Rob K5UJ _________________ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
