Hi Bob And I can tell you,,,,I feel same,,,,PLUS it has also destroyed the fun on 50 mc. NO CW or SSB to be heard ( except TZ4AM and TT8SN still on CW/SSB). Both 5V7RU/ ty5RU and J28MD ONLY FT 8 unheard mode. NOT even a try on CW,even that conditions are perfect. This is VERY SAD and will impact of activity in future for many of us.
Take care and stay safe Hans SM6CVX / NO Ft 8 ever > 5 nov 2022 kl. 19:39 skrev [email protected]: > > > On Tuesday I heard but could not work VK6IR, but I did work VK6GX on Thursday > for my first zone 29 qso on 160 since VK6HD about 3 decades ago. > My antenna is a modest 160 Inv L with elevated radials. When the band has > very good cndx I can work almost anything that I can hear. But on the > marginal days there is quite a bit of long-haul DX that eludes me. ;-) (I'm > still missing zones 22, 23, 24, 26, and 27) > > What is maddening to me is that it used to be that FT4 / FT8 was used by some > DXpeditions AFTER they had already worked 160 CW. Now, to my great > disappointment, more and more DXpeditions are routinely using FT4 and/or FT8 > IN PLACE of 160 cw, even though they are perfectly capable of operating 160 > CW. Sadly, this trend seems to be getting more and more pervasive. > > Recently, 5V7RU has ONLY been on FT4 / FT8 on 80 and 160, with NO cw at all > on those bands. > This follows the previous country they were in where they operated 80 cw but > no 160 cw. > > J28MD has operated 160 cw very briefly and typically avoids it, instead > preferring FT8. > > I get it.... It is far easier to work stations on FT4 or FT8 than on cw. > And using those unattended modes allow qsos to be made > while the Dxpedition operators sleep. But that does not make me feel better > about it. > > I am not interested in the digital modes, preferring the traditional modes of > CW and SSB. I understand that others feel differently, > which is fine. But it bothers me that DXpeditions are now avoiding CW on > 80/160 because they just don't want to bother. > > 73 > > Bob, KQ2M > > > > On 2022-11-05 12:45, Tom wrote: >> On thursday night conditions here in w1 land were outstanding! J28MD >> (cw) and 5V7RU (ft8) got in the log and I heard HS0ZOY (ft8) at his SR >> at -5 for about 5 minutes. first HS I have ever heard. >> hope i get a chance with T88. >>> On Nov 5, 2022, at 12:00 PM, David Raymond <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> Greetings Topbanders. . . >>> I've spent a considerable amount of time on watch this past week for J28MD >>> on Topband (CW). While they've spent a fair amount of time on TB I haven't >>> yet had success yet in spite of my ongoing efforts. I believe it was this >>> past Tuesday night when Joel, W5ZN, said they appeared briefly out of the >>> noise (about 10 minutes or so and did have success with his BSEF-8 and Hi-Z >>> 8 arrays in diversity) then disappeared the rest of the evening. Wednesday >>> night's opening to NA was much longer starting on the East coast and slowly >>> sweeping westward with quite a few NA making it in the log (EC + 5's, 8's, >>> & 9s', VE). Unfortunately the prop just never quite made it this far west. >>> They barely peaked out of the noise here in Iowa Wednesday evening (NA >>> time) just enough to get me excited and dump my call a few times hoping for >>> even a marginal QSO. . . but no cigar. It's a little frustrating to see >>> that they always QRT about 30 minutes or so prior to their SR but they get >>> credit for being on faithfully on CW and FT8 as well. I know they're >>> getting close to wrapping up but hopefully they'll be on (CW) again this >>> evening. >>> It's been good to have some DX operations QRV and bring some much needed >>> life to TB (which sure hasn't had much). . .TY0, 5V, and now J28, A3, and >>> T88. The prop has been very poor. CQing here in the evening brings no DX >>> responses and only a handful of EU EBN hits so far this season. Thankfully >>> mornings have activity from our very stalwart VK friends (VK3HJ, VK2WF, >>> VK6GX, VK6IR, VK6LW, others) but only a handful of JA QSOs so far this >>> season (8 to be exact). JA1LZR gets kudos for being QRV almost every >>> morning (NA time), but without much prop, I think only limited success. >>> I have yet to hit the VK4CT RBN CQing here in the mornings. I don't think >>> this is totally attributable to the increased SFI. . . prop from here was >>> only marginally better two seasons ago when the SFI was very low. >>> All that said, I encourage everyone to get on and make some noise. >>> 73. . . Dave, W0FLS (in Iowa) >>> _________________ >>> 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 _________________ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
