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
_________________
Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
