28-05-2018, 12:10 PM
I agree with the comments. It's becoming harder and harder to have a DX QSO as we approach the Solar Minimum and although it's a minimalist QSO, it's no less so than the average CW QSO when working DX stations. On the odd occasion that we get a coronal hole, I head for the higher frequencies during the morning and late afternoon for that occasional opening on 12m and 10m. A high A index is not good news for phone operators on 20m, but it's better for FT8 on the higher bands where there is a lot of QSB.
I achieved the DXCC once before under another callsign (and it took me a few years mainly using CW). I decided to try for DXCC from scratch using digital modes in January last year. I thought it would be a challenge given the poor band conditions. I got my DXCC after three months in April 2017, and I'm now working towards 5 band DXCC and 5 band WAS. That was mainly on JT65, but I'm now up to 164 countries and 3300 confirmed QSOs, mostly on digital modes. Electronic QSLs via LOTW make it a lot easier. If I had to write out 3300 cards, I'd have a serious case of RSI by now.
It's called the zombie mode, and I remember once being distracted after calling a station and coming back 10 minutes later to find I had completed a QSO. One of the strangest things that happened was when I had just switched on and was listening on 30metres, when I was called by a PA station out of the blue. Of course I use PSK Reporter, which means that anyone can see what I am hearing. I sent him a text through JT Alert, and confirmed that he had called me after seeing me on PSK Reporter.
There are a few tricks and tactics that work on FT8. It's also one of the few modes that work to any extent when we have OTH B QRM from China.
I achieved the DXCC once before under another callsign (and it took me a few years mainly using CW). I decided to try for DXCC from scratch using digital modes in January last year. I thought it would be a challenge given the poor band conditions. I got my DXCC after three months in April 2017, and I'm now working towards 5 band DXCC and 5 band WAS. That was mainly on JT65, but I'm now up to 164 countries and 3300 confirmed QSOs, mostly on digital modes. Electronic QSLs via LOTW make it a lot easier. If I had to write out 3300 cards, I'd have a serious case of RSI by now.
It's called the zombie mode, and I remember once being distracted after calling a station and coming back 10 minutes later to find I had completed a QSO. One of the strangest things that happened was when I had just switched on and was listening on 30metres, when I was called by a PA station out of the blue. Of course I use PSK Reporter, which means that anyone can see what I am hearing. I sent him a text through JT Alert, and confirmed that he had called me after seeing me on PSK Reporter.
There are a few tricks and tactics that work on FT8. It's also one of the few modes that work to any extent when we have OTH B QRM from China.