FT8 and the death of ham radio as I knew it

If you are an FT8 troll then please just move on, this is not for you.

I've been a Ham radio operator since 1986 so you could say I'm an experienced ham radio operator in comparison to all 'FT8 only' operators. I know that I can get more contacts and get further using FT8.

Q) Why don't I use FT8 all the time then?

There is the potential for an exponential gain in pleasure and satisfaction through using other richer communication modes. I know 'FT8 only' operators will enjoy them more than FT8 because I have experienced FT8 and other modes with all types of setup ranging from simple to contest grade.

Q) Why do I hear other experienced hams using FT8?

They are using them only when conditions necessitate i.e. marginal conditions where you cannot properly hear any desired signals on the band. It's also tempting for an experienced operator to be lazy and switch off the brain and leave the computer to have fun whilst doing something more interesting instead. 

Q) FT8 can hear signals that other modes cannot. I can get further on a very meagre setup due to power, antenna, noise problems. Why therefore wouldn't I use this all the time?

Firstly due to lack of experience 'FT8 only' operators do not understand that if you can hear an FT8 signal with your own ears, you are in the wrong mode. If you can hear FT8, then you will be able to make CW contacts and listen to SSB signals. What percentage of FT8 contacts did you make where you couldn't hear any signal coming back (10%??). Most operators would not use FT8 all the time because compared to other modes its NOT a proper communication mode. A simple report is NOT communication, but 'FT8 only' operators wouldn't know this because most are inexperienced. Believe me an exponential gain is to be had by trying out ANY real communication mode.

Q) When I listen to the SSB or CW portions of the 10m band they are dead, but I can always HEAR FT8.

Join the club. It's frustrating isn't it? If you can HEAR FT8 it means the band is open for all modes. The vast majority of those using FT8 don't know this and through lack of education or shear laziness continue to use a weak signal mode even when conditions are excellent. It's not unusual for me to tune an entire 10m band and hear nothing except a solid 3KHz window of S9 FT8 signals and the entire beacon section bursting S9 with every country in Europe....and for the FT8 smart asses - yes, I did call CQ in both CW and SSB to no avail. Between 1986-2010 this was unheard of. So again take it from experience, FT8 has killed ham radio as I knew it.  

Q) It's a real challenge to get FT8 working correctly and there is a science behind getting good results

Bollocks. Most 'FT8 only' operators don't even understand how to improve the sensitivity/selectivity of their receiver. This is made painfully obvious by the majority of FT8 users who use SSB and 3KHz filters and inject tones into the transmit audio chain. Its odd that you strive for the best your meagre setup can achieve by using FT8, then use the general convenience of an audio based setup and ignore all the available facilities your receiver provides??? There is no way you should be using 3KHz SSB for these marginal contacts. DSP alone won't hack it when FT8 is being as misused as it is today (due to lack of strong signal handling performance). You should be using a mode that can select a narrow filter and the VFO to place the FT8 signal within the passband of the narrowest filter possible i.e. digital mode with 300Hz roofing filter, for increased signal to noise ratio. This is difficult to get right but yields better results in crowded misused FT8 band conditions. Which is it then? Just being lazy/uneducated or striving for the best for you meagre set up???

Q) Why don't you just get on with your hobby and not comment on mine?

Because we have a shared hobby (i.e. communication??? kind of infers more than one person???) and a lack of understanding by a majority of new operators therefore directly affects my hobby.

When a good skier chats to a novice skier and they tell you to stick with it because the hobby comes into its own if you persevere and get past the 'snow plough' technique, do you tell him to mind his own business, as you want to do the snow plough forever because its easier... no, probably because you've seen good skiers on the TV doing parallel turns and can see how awesome it looks you'll realise you would gain by making an effort to get better. Trouble is there is no equivalent in the ham radio world. The nearest we come is education (or elmering), so take it from me, if you are doing nothing but FT8 you are missing out on a lot of fun and also you are not contributing in a positive way to the rest of the hobby.

More and more lazy 'FT8 only' operators are joining the hobby and a lot of good 'all mode' operators are dying of old age. This is causing the death of ham radio as I knew it.

Please contribute to the continuation of ham radio by educating yourself in the use of your receiver and use other modes.