[NCDXA] W3ICM on FT8

Thu Jan 26 21:18:32 UTC 2023

Fred,

Good job, Fred. I have been an equal opportunity mode operator for years. Without FT8 I would have missed an ATNO, FT8WW. I learned the value of exotic digital modes back in the 1970’s when I was on a team that designed the Harris RF3466 2400 baud modem for NVIS on bands near 80 meters. 

I still prefer CW, but last evening I worked 75 stations in the pacific rim on 10 meter FT8, including many JAs, and some from YB, BY, 9M6, VR, PY, DU, HL, XE, VK. Not bad for a short session of casual operating.

Rick

K0GD

From: NCDXA <ncdxa-bounces at ncdxa.org> On Behalf Of Fred Matos via NCDXA
Sent: January 26, 2023 10:31 AM
To: ncdxa at ncdxa.org
Subject: [NCDXA] W3ICM on FT8

Hello DXers,

I finally modernized and got into FT8.  

Many thanks to N3HU, Rob, for setting up my WSJT-X on Saturday; and to W3IP, Mike for operating advice along the way. 

I was a diehard analog guy, but there were more and more DX spots on FT8, especially the 3C3CA who only does digital modes.   The 3C3CA would be an ATNO.  So it was time to go digital.   It was actually a new year’s resolution for 2022, but I procrastinated until Dec 30.  😊

I began operating as soon as Rob left on Saturday afternoon.   Watched some YouTube videos on WSJT-X and began making QSOs.  The bands were hot and the QSOs came very easily.

Except to learn how to use the software, I didn’t have any goals at the onset, but the DX and U.S. QSOs kept coming.  VU, HS, YB, and BX were among my first QSOs, and that was a great motivator to continue.  I was having great fun.  I began setting goals like 50 countries confirmed on LoTW, but I kept increasing the goal to 70 and then 80, etc.  My final goal was DXCC confirmed on LoTW in seven days.  

I began working states when the DX slowed, with a strategy of working 7’s and 0’s first to get confirmation on the rarer western states like ID, UT, NV, MT, WY, and the Dakotas.   That was going smoothly, except for WY, but I finally caught WY7AA.   The goal was WAS in seven days. But MS and NM were elusive, with NM being the 50th in seven days.

On the DX, I logged over 100 countries, maybe 110, but some like S01WS, TN8K, 7Q7EMH, and VR25XMT either don’t use LoTW or will upload later.   OD and LY QSOs on LoTW were my last confirmations to achieve my DXCC goal in seven days.  YB, HS, 4I, VU, BX, and BY are part of the DXCC, but places like KV4, Aruba, Bonaire, and the two St. Martins are not.   

I was completing a QSO with ZP6LMR on 20 on Friday when I was called at the same time by two China stations, an Asiatic Russian, and a European Russian.   Amazing!!  Never had such an experience before.  

I also worked D1DX and D1NVG.  Bernie said that they are Russians in the Donesk region of Ukraine.  They don’t count for anything.  

3C3CA.  I worked him on 20 on Saturday afternoon after I achieved my DXCC goal.   I thought that he would have a huge pileup, but he was easy, requiring only a few calls.   It was a different story on 15 on Sunday afternoon when he had a huge pileup, but I finally worked him.  He was an easy QSO on 10 on Monday afternoon.   He quickly uploaded to LoTW, providing my ATNO confirmation and for the Challenge on three bands.  Going digital was the only way to work him.   

Worked some good DX on surprising bands and times, e.g., VU2CPL on 10 meters at 9:00 local time.  JT1CO on 17 at 8:30 EST after I got home from the Annapolis PVRC meeting.  He was an easy QSO.   UB0Y in Kyzyl and Zone 23 on 20.   Sergey’s QRZ.com page says he has a Flex 3000 and QSL’s via the bureau.  Sent him an email encouraging LoTW.  DP0GVN in Antartica on 17 was nice.  

Writing this at noon Thursday.   Now have 123 confirmed on LoTW.   Logged but not yet confirmed are KV4, HZ, A6, FR, and RA2F.   My big misses were ET3AA and a T88, both with huge pileups.   

73 and see you at the roundtable tonight.  

Fred

W3ICM

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