REAL TRUTH ABOUT MIKE, K8MRD!! I am just an old nobody Vietnam Marine and saw Mike, K8MRD, at the recent Huntsville Hamfest. He was walking, in a hurry, down one of the outside aisle and I recognized him and thought I would say HI. He really surprised me by what he did. Mike stopped and and acted as though he was an old friend. He had just released his TH-cam video telling the truth about one of the rigs he had had been sent to review. We shared a few laughs over the video and talked a while longer. He did not try to rush me or leave in a hurry. I found him to be a super nice, friendly and humerus person. The kind of person you really enjoy meeting. THANK YOU, MIKE for being exactly as you appear on your TH-cam videos. You are an asset to the amateur radio community. 73 and hope to meet up with you again, 73, Ray AA4EZ
Well, I must have been entertained since I watched all the way to the end! It was definitely the funniest FT8 POTA activation I've seen! Wonder if all the digital activators talk smack about who they are contacting like you! LOL
I like your honesty. Keep it real. Those of us who’ve been hams for years laugh at some of these TH-camr’s out here. If you don’t know… just say so … we understand… we are all learning all the time.
Great, timely video. I recently set up and used FT8 for the first time. I had no idea how to set it up for activating POTA. Didn't realize it was just changing the standard message. Duh!
I wish there was a DIGITAL K8MRD VOICEOVER built into WSJT software ... I would be on FT8 every day enjoying the fun 🤣🤣🤣 U are amazing my HAMmer friend! 73 KJ6ER, Silicon Valley
Really entertaining. For me, FT-8 is the perfect distillation of HF. Can I set up all my equipment properly, can I make it do what I want, and can others as well? As for chatting, I'm happy to chat locally, with the people I'll actually meet.
Of the 600 unique parks I’ve activated, the majority were FT8 on 20m. My reason is that I don’t have to find an open frequency or deal with operators trying to use the same frequency and I can use lower power to TX. Also between spotting on POTA and visibility on GridTracker, it is very easy to activate a park and have numerous DX QSOs. I also enjoy FT4 because of the shorter cycle. Jim C W6ZD
600 parks?!?! Damn , I’ve got some work to do! Those are some great reasons one would want to do FT8. Thanks for sharing, you make some great points. There’s still a lot of people who just don’t get it. Which is fine but it also helps to share others experiences and reasons. Sometimes it’s just fun to do something different.
What's the smoothest workflow you've found to take your WSJT-X log and get it into the format to upload to POTA? You'd need to get the Kilo identifier in there so are you doing that in ADIF master?
@@yeahitsk I use HAMRS to log POTA QSOs. It is extremely easy to create an ADI file and then upload to POTA. As for uploads to QRZ, LoTW, eQSL, and ClubLog…I have GridTracker set up to automatically upload to those at the end of each QSO.
I've done an activation with mixed ssb / FT8. FT8 saved the day when I had an issue with my setup I was using for ssb and had to revert to my G90 sitting inside my engine compartment to get power from the car battery. I'm trying to work up the nerve to try a qrp ft8 activation with my USDX radio at 5 watts. As for HAMRS, I'll probably run FT8 on my laptop and HAMRS on the IPAD.
Mission accomplished. This FT8 video definitely wasn't boring 🤣 I did my first FT8 POTA activation last weekend. It seemed to take longer than phone. Keeping count was definitely a challenge!
This was a fun video, good job on the commentary. I find SSB POTA vids tend to be too long, slow and boring. More folks need to make it fun like you did.
Yeah I totally understand. It ebbs and flows with me. When FT8 first came out I was doing it a lot, then grew bored of it. Now I'm getting back into it.
Thanks for the ft8 activation Mike. Those of us who enjoy and activate using ft8 appreciate you sharing our passion with all the non believers. 73 Brad n0dpr
NICE JOB !!! .... I have a Kenwood TS-130SE and a 12v 35ah battery with a Chameleon SS17 with a Sporty Forty coil ... worked 23 countries on 40m a couple nights ago with 50 watts ...... GREAT ANTENNA ..... de N2JNZ :)
I always do FT8 aside from the occasional phone for a park to park I'll chase, yes I'm afraid of a pile up lol I usually log Hamrs along side while I do FT8. That way I have the log ready to go for when I get home.
It wasn't hard to export the .adif from WSJT-X to upload my log. Just imported it into my main logging software to make sure everything was good and uploaded it to POTA no problems.
Did my first FT8 only activation with a FT-817 about a month ago. Slow. Took about an hour for the 10 QSOs. But I got a new park and state to my credit.
I liked the video, Mike! I have two questions. 1. Did the G-90 get very hot running full duty cycle inside the gobox? 2. Were you running Gridtracker with internet access at your setup location or did you download map data, etc. into Gridtracker ahead of time? Gerald - KG0VA
I have no idea how hot the radio got, but I get someone asking me this Every. Single. Time. I do a video with this go box. It probably did. I don't worry about it. Grid Tracker does not need internet. That's all just part of the program. It's all over RF.
As a hunter I find it harder to work FT8 stations from the spot list since they get in a rhythm of working the next station and not calling CQ Pota which is what I'm looking for. I'm sure there must be a trick I've not learned yet.
I usually will just go back to calling cq. In my experience when I come back to another station they don't come back or are working another station. It's not different to when I'm operating SSB.
Wow. Unbelievable. Could you do a video on a how to do ft8. What I just saw was amazing. But not doing ft8 yet. I’d like to see a little more step by step. Excellent video
Hey Mike! You invented NOTA - Naps on the Air.... Seriously, it was good. Not into FT-8 myself but if I was, I'd have loved it. You do a pretty good Swartzeneger, so I gave it a thumbs up! I'd watch an FT8 Pota video with you again!
Here’s the thing… FT8 is kinda for low power, dx contacts for people with limited antennas to get into places they can’t with SSB. It’s not bad. But for POTA activations it’s not needed. The activator is the prize, it’s his call sign and park on the spotter. Lots of people will search you out to make contact, and a clean, fast, SSB exchange takes under 30 sec- way faster than FT8. You don’t get extra “points” on POTA activations with FT8. Doesn’t matter how many states you work as an activator. All that matters is bands, park to park, and raw QSO numbers. So for activators is kinda bad. For hunters, well it better than bad because states hunted DOES matter; so if you can have an FT8 QSO as a hunter with a state you need which you can’t hit with SSB, that’s good. I’ve had that with NV.
That is a very common misconception. FT8 is NOT a low power mode. It is a weak signal mode. If you need 100, 500, etc. watts to make the contact, so be it. Unfortunately a lot of people misconstrue weak signal with low power.
@@hamradiotube Well… maybe. I suppose your definition of weak power vs weak signal is on the receiving end, not the transmitting end. I would argue (and so would many others) that a 500w FT8 signal is perfectly legal, but inappropriate. Crazy strong FT8 signals Have the unintended consequence of washing out the other signals on the extremely small 3kHz bandwidth. It isn’t like CW, which many would argue is a “weak signal” mode compared to SSB as well, where there is 100-200 kHz of bandwidth to play around in. You can’t simply move a few clicks down from the +15 db signal to hear the -19 db signal. I’ve seen you talk about this on your videos, and its simply a point of disagreement. If everybody could keep their power to say…50w or less? Sounds reasonable? Maybe FT8 wouldn’t be the quasi $hit show it is on 20M. Also, I would encourage you to test your antennas on wspr at even lower powers than you do. I know that you like to use 5w, I would say that’s too much. WSPR is so efficient, that even -10, -even -13 db down from that power (off the sides of a dipole or beam) you’re gonna radiate enough patters won’t be discernible. I ran WSPR last weekend, 20% duty cycle, 40 m, at 200 mW, for 12 hrs overnight. I got into Australia and off the coast of Madagascar. It’s just that nuts. And I still think, quite honestly, I need to even run less power, so that I can better define my antenna pattern at different frequencies. Anyway, it was nice chatting with you over the weekend, please do pick up a flex 1500 if you can, you may never go back to another qrp radio. It’s just that good, and it’s less than the cost of a ridiculous Chamaeleon “tactical” antenna.
I feel like I just watched a ham radio minecraft video... While I was entertained, I also kept getting the urge to yell at myself to turn the volume down (as I would with my kids) :) As usual, thanks for what you do. 73
@@one4gimp a few people have asked similar questions. Perhaps I’ll have to dive deeper into this subject on video. The short and skinny is to watch the POTA spotting page for ft8 activators. I don’t think everyone is putting POTA in their cq message so you wouldn’t know just looking at wsjt-x.
@@hamradiotube I was born in Easton, Pa and drank that stuff in high school. In the mid 60s! My dad drank Ballentine Ale. Anyway I can get RR in CN89. Not enough alky though!
I liked the video. Enertaining and educational. Do have a question for you. How do you setup the CQ Field to include POTA & the Grid Square info? I read somewhere something about 13 charactors allowed and your CQ was a few more than that. Thanks
I enjoyed it, but I'm a hard core FT8 type of guy. All my POTA activations have been by FT8. I do it a bit differently since I'm a Linux nurd. I can see that you wouldn't want a steady diet of this.....but can reach out and touch someone dx. Strangely you don't see many POTA guys when you are "hunting" on FT8. I work all of them that I can. I've worked most continental states and a few DX contacts as a Hunter.
FT8 certainly isn't as popular as SSB for POTA but I see stations on the spotting page fairly regularly doing FT8. Perhaps they aren't putting POTA in their CQ call like I did??
Mike you need to put a line choke at the radio end of that antenna for common mode suppression .Its almost manditory if your using a computer with you field radios . Hope this helps out .73 de ve3mne
And a very modest station per his QRZ profile to boot lol! I have a high to extremely high noise level at home. It's a good reason to get out into the parks.
It's a cool mode. If the bands aren't so hot, usually you can still make contacts, or if you just don't feel like talking but still want to play radio.
It sure isn't that easy from CN89! But 10-20 has been hot the last few days. How do you get that list in Gridtracker? Where is it? BTW Rolling Rock is in Latrobe, PA.
The list is called Call Roster on Gridtracker. It's the top left of the icons. Looks like a yellow pad on a clipboard next to a gold medal. I sort it so the newest are on top. And yes, Latrobe, PA.
Well mike i really think you have lost the plot lol....very funny thats how ham radio should be. There's too many up tight hams out there that have lost the funny side of life .... good on you bud keep up the great vids rob 👍 👏 👌
So did you use the WSJT-X log and modify it in Adif master or something? That's my biggest question about FT8 and POTA- how do people get their logs into the right format for upload to POTA? As you mentioned, it would be awesome if it integrated with HAMRS.
I kinda explain that in this video: th-cam.com/video/pvm35CPhgII/w-d-xo.html WSJT-X already has a .adif you can export. You don't really need to do anything else except upload it from that point. BUT...WSJT-X keeps a log of EVERY contact you make, and unless you regularly delete that, which I do not because I would lose my Grid Tracker info (I think), I import it into my main logging software to sort the date I want, then I can export just those contacts into its own .adif and submit it to POTA. It sounds more complicated than it is. It's really just a few mouse clicks. Hope this helps.
@@hamradiotube We port the logging data from wsxt-x into grid tracker, then port that logging data from grid tracker into N3FJP. That way you can manage the files for each day and park.
@@hamradiotube I don't think I'm asking my question very well. Beyond what's in both videos, you try uploading that and the POTA site will still wonder what park you activated, the Kilo identifier. That's nowhere in the WSJT-X log, so you're presumably adding a column in your mac logging software to associate it with each contact? It looks to me like you need to at least add "my sig info" with the Kilo number for every contact. That might a good snippet for one of your videos, how to turn the WSJT-X log into one ready to upload to POTA. I've thought I might try an FT8 activation but log it real time into a HAMRS POTA template, but if it's just easier to manipulate the existing log that's probably the way to go.
It’s a “learn your craft” kinda thing. Just like people running way to much power and blasting the digital portion. Same thing as when everyone starts talking too loud in a small room.
@@dark30welderwelding11 well technically it's a weak signal mode not low power so as with any mode you use the minimum required for you to make the contact but just like with phone people tend to use all the power all the time 🙄
Hi Mike great video I thought of FT8 on pota but it’s logging it do you put there signal -6 or just leave it blank. That program in top right of your screen black background is that a part of grid tracker ?. Keep up the good work.
When you make a contact and that window pops up (you have to have "prompt me to log QSO" checked under the Reporting tab), there is a box that shows the signal report. Click the "retain" button and it will save that to your .adif. But, signal reports don't mean anything in POTA so it doesn't really matter. I do upload them that way though. And yes, that is part of grid tracker. It's the Call Roster button. The icon looks like a yellow pad on a clipboard with a gold medal next to it. Top left of all the icons.
well Mike... that s fine !! but now a new challenge for you, never seen on youtube : a CW POTA activation !!! ha ha ha ha ha !! we can allowed you, to use a decoder to help you !!!!.... deal ???????? ha ha ha !!!
Hahahaha that’s a good one🤣🤣🤣. I do plan on premiering the first ever cw pota video ever at some point in my life. It’s funny you mention that though because I was actually thinking about that last night. Both the g90 and x5105 have decoders in them. How well they work is another story though. Certainly not Elecraft good I wouldn’t suspect but they might be good enough.
I still think FT-8 isn’t for me. Look at all of the commentary you had just to keep people interested in the video. I have to admit it’s a bit more challenging than I thought it was. From what I’ve seen it requires a lot more equipment than I already bring and I already bring too much. I really do need to come up with a to shrink it down a bit.
Oh no, that's just what I do when I'm doing ft8. I have to keep myself entertained. I really do like it though. Not always, but it has its place. Especially when I'm at home. My noise floor is better than it was but it's still pretty bad a lot of times. Right now I'm looking at a solid S9+ on the 7610. It's def coming from someones house as its not always like this but still. This is what I get to work with. FT8 is great at weak signals so it's a way for me to enjoy the hobby at home. Sure, I could learn Morse Code, but let's not be silly lol. It's really not that challenging. It is a new mode you need to learn but if you can click a mouse, you're already half way there. It doesn't require any more gear than I would normally bring either. Well, except for a USB cable. I already have the laptop with me for logging so it's not a big deal at all. I do understand the whole "shrink down" the gear thing though. It's a constant battle of ups and downs. Shedding gear, getting a really nice light weight pack, then you slowly start adding things one by one...rinse, repeat. You should give it a try sometime. You never know. You could end up working a rare DX entity on 80 meters. Just sayin'...
In before “ft8 isn’t real ham radio” “it’s just computers talking to each other!” 🙄 Hope to decode you soon. When to give up on a QSO? If people are calling you, no reason to go back to calling CQ. Savvy operators know you don’t need to wait to hear CQ to contact an activator. Also as far as “stepping on people” remember, it only matters who is transmitting on your cycle. When you are tx’ing you aren’t listening to your cycle, so looking at the scope doesn’t matter much. Just listen to 3 cycles in a row and find a spot that’s open on the cycle you want. If someone else is on the same frequency, but the opposite cycle, who cares. 73 K9MKE
Oh also you should click “hold tx freq” right there in the middle of the window. By default it moves your tx freq to the same freq as the person you are responding to, which is honesty really stupid and kinda defeats the point of ft8. That’s why your tx keeps moving.
Nah, like I say in the video, I suck at ft8 pileups. Usually when I come back to the other station, they've moved on and I end up just calling and calling. Patience is not a quality I would say I excel in. As far as people being stepped on, I'm keenly aware of how FT8 works. But when I'm on TX first, and they are on TX first and I wait and see they are calling on the freq I'm on, and the time slot, then they are stepping on me. And if they are on the opposite cycle, they could be transmitting over a station who is trying to work me if they are on the same freq as me. Like I say, it's the Wild West of Ham Radio.
@@hamradiotube I’ll be honest I tried making sense of that second paragraph and I’m convinced one of us must be having a stroke. As an activator, this is what I find works best. When you start, listen for 3 or 4 cycles. Look at the waterfall, and see if you can find a spot that’s open on both cycles. If you can’t, no worries, just find a spot on one of the cycles where you can fit in. Then, just remain there with the Hold TX checkbox. You’ve staked out your spot, on XXXXhz and Even/Odd. Whoever else is on the same freq but opposite cycle isn’t relevant. If someone is trying to call you, and they are not using Hold Tx and using a different frequency, then that’s on them if they step on someone. Unless I am totally missing your point. I wouldn’t call it the Wild West really, it’s far more civil than 7200 will ever be for example 😅
@@osculant lol you’re right about 7200! But your never had someone step on you? You’ve never completed a qso only to see another qso happening on the same freq your on? It’s literally happening to me right now. I’ll typically notice it’s happening when I’m calling and calling and no one is coming back. Chances are someone is on the same freq etc I am, calling cq at the same time. It just happens.
@@hamradiotube how would you know if someone is stepping on you? You wouldn’t unless you were running two rigs. Every once in a while, maybe every 20-30 minutes, I’ll take a 3 second pause before a transmission to check and see a stronger signal hasn’t muscled its way in, but other than that I would have no idea. My goal is to always remain tx’ing in my cycle so I’m not taking a lot of breaks to surveil the landscape. If you’re talking about decodes in the right pane that aren’t directed at you, it’s only because there is a station close to the one you are listening to, not necessarily the frequency you’re transmitting on. I’m very ADHD in my operating as well, so I get what you mean about bailing on a contact, but the thing I always try to stress specifically for POTA is if you are spotted, and you have stations calling you, you shouldn’t need to send CQ. Sure you could drum up some non-hunter contacts, but most FT8 hunters know that they can start calling as activator as soon as they can decode them, even if they are already in a QSO. Some may wait to hear CQ, but the way I work FT8 is if I am spotted and transmitting, I would rather be in a QSO (even repeating myself) than be calling CQ. I will give up eventually to give the more timid operators who wait for CQ their sign, but I’m always conscious that every CQ is one cycle less I have and that much less battery I have in an activation.
Ok, FT-8 is about like watching paint dry. To each their own I guess, I ain't hating on any one. I saw a T-shirt at a Hamfest that said, "Don't confuse FT-8 with real Ham radio!" I had to laugh....Sorry, not sorry.
I feel that way about CW. ....and yes I know Morse at least I did when I did radio communication engineering at college and didn't touch it since. I do use FT8 and I do like it. Different strokes.
Hi Mike just wanted to let you know using these cables with the Digirig and making good contact.JSAUX USB-C Cable 3.1A Fast Charging, 3-Pack (10ft+6.6ft+3.3ft) USB A to Type C Charge Cord. 181 FT8 contact's so far. 73 K4BWN
Same here, only mode that you can enjoy the sounds of nature while playing radio. Love hearing the sounds of boats blasting down the lake or hearing and watching a cicada killer take out a cicada while sitting at a picnic table
I’m not as isolated as you, but there’s no one on 40 here working Parks. It’s dead until nightfall. When I’m activating I often have more Europeans than Ws and VEs. It’s good to have FT8 to fall back on, I saw a VE7 spotted last night. Was it You?
@@blomidon Could have been. I am on every day, 10/15/17/20. Today it is open to Europe again. Worked Spain and France. So why can't I work VO??? Not enough of you maybe. PSKr shows me getting out 3000-4000kms of more with the KX3. 72
Thanks!
Hey thanks so much!
@@hamradiotube 😅
😅
REAL TRUTH ABOUT MIKE, K8MRD!! I am just an old nobody Vietnam Marine and saw Mike, K8MRD, at the recent Huntsville Hamfest. He was walking, in a hurry, down one of the outside aisle and I recognized him and thought I would say HI. He really surprised me by what he did. Mike stopped and and acted as though he was an old friend. He had just released his TH-cam video telling the truth about one of the rigs he had had been sent to review. We shared a few laughs over the video and talked a while longer. He did not try to rush me or leave in a hurry. I found him to be a super nice, friendly and humerus person. The kind of person you really enjoy meeting. THANK YOU, MIKE for being exactly as you appear on your TH-cam videos. You are an asset to the amateur radio community. 73 and hope to meet up with you again, 73, Ray AA4EZ
Well thank you very much for your kind words. Glad we got a chance to chat at the fest!
Well, I must have been entertained since I watched all the way to the end! It was definitely the funniest FT8 POTA activation I've seen! Wonder if all the digital activators talk smack about who they are contacting like you! LOL
I hope so. Makes looking at your computer all that much more interesting.
@@hamradiotube And makes people looking at you wonder!
That was really funny well done! Your commentary is pretty much what I’m thinking while doing FT8
Haha, thanks man. You gotta keep yourself entertained when staring at the computer don't you?
I like your honesty. Keep it real.
Those of us who’ve been hams for years laugh at some of these TH-camr’s out here.
If you don’t know… just say so … we understand… we are all learning all the time.
Dude this has to be the funniest FT8 video I ever saw. Had me 😂😅lmfao
Thanks so much!
OMG! We need a whole FT8 episode with you as the Terminator! DO IT!
Lol!
Great, timely video. I recently set up and used FT8 for the first time. I had no idea how to set it up for activating POTA. Didn't realize it was just changing the standard message. Duh!
Well there you go! Glad to help.
I wish there was a DIGITAL K8MRD VOICEOVER built into WSJT software ... I would be on FT8 every day enjoying the fun 🤣🤣🤣 U are amazing my HAMmer friend! 73 KJ6ER, Silicon Valley
It would just go WOO-HOO this is K8MRD!!!
good to see you got the laptop working out in the field. mine wont even recognize the digirig itself
You should watch my video on the Digirig. I suspect it would be the drivers though.
Really entertaining. For me, FT-8 is the perfect distillation of HF. Can I set up all my equipment properly, can I make it do what I want, and can others as well? As for chatting, I'm happy to chat locally, with the people I'll actually meet.
Totally agree.
That was entertaining Mike, thanks. I agree GridTracker makes FT8 a lot more interesting.
I'm so glad you watch "Let's Game It Out." That dude is hilarious!
lol I just discovered him a few months ago. He’s great.
Sorry that I'm not a hot foxy babe LOL! Tnx for the Q! 73 - Scott KA9FOX
Doh!! Well thanks for playing along anyway.
lol.. I just got you as a contact on FT8..
FT8 may be boring, but your commentary of it is hilarious and very entertaining. Great Job!
Thank you very much. That's honestly how I do ft8. Camera or not. I've gotta entertain myself.
Of the 600 unique parks I’ve activated, the majority were FT8 on 20m. My reason is that I don’t have to find an open frequency or deal with operators trying to use the same frequency and I can use lower power to TX. Also between spotting on POTA and visibility on GridTracker, it is very easy to activate a park and have numerous DX QSOs.
I also enjoy FT4 because of the shorter cycle.
Jim C
W6ZD
600 parks?!?! Damn , I’ve got some work to do! Those are some great reasons one would want to do FT8. Thanks for sharing, you make some great points. There’s still a lot of people who just don’t get it. Which is fine but it also helps to share others experiences and reasons. Sometimes it’s just fun to do something different.
What's the smoothest workflow you've found to take your WSJT-X log and get it into the format to upload to POTA? You'd need to get the Kilo identifier in there so are you doing that in ADIF master?
@@yeahitsk I use HAMRS to log POTA QSOs. It is extremely easy to create an ADI file and then upload to POTA. As for uploads to QRZ, LoTW, eQSL, and ClubLog…I have GridTracker set up to automatically upload to those at the end of each QSO.
@@hamradiotube
0f the 600 parks, 592 were activated in 2022. I will activate more before year’s end….gives me something to do. LOL
Jim C
W6ZD
I've done an activation with mixed ssb / FT8. FT8 saved the day when I had an issue with my setup I was using for ssb and had to revert to my G90 sitting inside my engine compartment to get power from the car battery. I'm trying to work up the nerve to try a qrp ft8 activation with my USDX radio at 5 watts. As for HAMRS, I'll probably run FT8 on my laptop and HAMRS on the IPAD.
"Where's my map of Michigan" - Only Michigander things lol
Great video Mike, it was a lot of fun to watch!
Darn right!
Great mike
Thank you
Mission accomplished. This FT8 video definitely wasn't boring 🤣 I did my first FT8 POTA activation last weekend.
It seemed to take longer than phone. Keeping count was definitely a challenge!
Awesome, thanks Rob!
LOL you should do more of these! Paisan FT8 Yo!
Great video. Not just anyone could pull that off.
Thank you very much.
Great video. You made it fun.
Thanks Mike!
Best POTA video ever !! Keep it up Mike.
That’s only because the best person ever typed that message!!
I love it ! FT-8 is my new hobby in ham radio. Keep them coming ! I saw you on the spotting page tonight but no dice from NJ.
Awesome! I'm on fairly regularly from home. Hope to catch you on the air sometime.
I worked W2CG today from CN89.
great FT8 videos ........... I'm a big FT8, FT4 fat I'm hoping to have a go at portable this summer if i can some easy for my wheelchair lol..
This was a fun video, good job on the commentary. I find SSB POTA vids tend to be too long, slow and boring. More folks need to make it fun like you did.
Thanks Ron, I appreciate that. I'm trying to innovate as much as I can. Stay tuned!
Great video as always.
I personally don't get the FT8 craze but to each and their own.
Yeah I totally understand. It ebbs and flows with me. When FT8 first came out I was doing it a lot, then grew bored of it. Now I'm getting back into it.
Thanks for the ft8 activation Mike. Those of us who enjoy and activate using ft8 appreciate you sharing our passion with all the non believers.
73
Brad
n0dpr
My pleasure. Thanks for watching.
NICE JOB !!! .... I have a Kenwood TS-130SE and a 12v 35ah battery with a Chameleon SS17 with a Sporty Forty coil ... worked 23 countries on 40m a couple nights ago with 50 watts ...... GREAT ANTENNA ..... de N2JNZ :)
To blave! I love the random references! That way, I don't feel alone when I randomly say stuff like that! Thanks!
Haha, nice. Glad you caught that one.
I always do FT8 aside from the occasional phone for a park to park I'll chase, yes I'm afraid of a pile up lol I usually log Hamrs along side while I do FT8. That way I have the log ready to go for when I get home.
It wasn't hard to export the .adif from WSJT-X to upload my log. Just imported it into my main logging software to make sure everything was good and uploaded it to POTA no problems.
Did my first FT8 only activation with a FT-817 about a month ago. Slow. Took about an hour for the 10 QSOs. But I got a new park and state to my credit.
Awesome. This activation took about 40 minutes and I made 17 contacts. So long as you're out playing portable radio, that's all that matters.
Lets face it FT8 can be dry but your commentary was awesome! I laughed several times. Great video as always.
Glad to hear it!
Very entertaining for FT8
Where did you get the grid tracker and the. Call roster??
Great vid!!!! Ft8 can be fun for sure!!!! Some call it ft-hate lol. Definitely a great mode with rough conditions. I’m a fan!
Thanks, I appreciate that. I do call it FT-Hate sometimes though. Just because it sounds fun.
Hi Mike,
That was incredible. I've never had a session like that on FT8, then again I'm not the almighty K8MRD. 🙂 Stay safe. 73 WJ3U
Well, lest we forget, I have the magic power of editing! That whole activation was about 40 minutes.
I liked the video, Mike! I have two questions. 1. Did the G-90 get very hot running full duty cycle inside the gobox? 2. Were you running Gridtracker with internet access at your setup location or did you download map data, etc. into Gridtracker ahead of time? Gerald - KG0VA
I have no idea how hot the radio got, but I get someone asking me this Every. Single. Time. I do a video with this go box. It probably did. I don't worry about it. Grid Tracker does not need internet. That's all just part of the program. It's all over RF.
What video screen software application do you use? You managed a fun FT8 video...🙂
Great video and entertaining! What mast were you using and how tall is it? Was it in a sloped configuration?
Great video Mike BTW Rolling Rock was Latrobe, PA!!
Yes it was!
Not a FT8 operator but you did make it fun to watch. Love the vidios!
73, Steve, k7ofg
As a hunter I find it harder to work FT8 stations from the spot list since they get in a rhythm of working the next station and not calling CQ Pota which is what I'm looking for. I'm sure there must be a trick I've not learned yet.
I usually will just go back to calling cq. In my experience when I come back to another station they don't come back or are working another station. It's not different to when I'm operating SSB.
Do you show up on PSK reporter as home or the park? I assume you changed the grid but wondered how that worked
Wow. Unbelievable. Could you do a video on a how to do ft8. What I just saw was amazing. But not doing ft8 yet. I’d like to see a little more step by step. Excellent video
I think I would be capable of doing that, yes.
Hey Mike! You invented NOTA - Naps on the Air.... Seriously, it was good. Not into FT-8 myself but if I was, I'd have loved it. You do a pretty good Swartzeneger, so I gave it a thumbs up! I'd watch an FT8 Pota video with you again!
That’s exactly why you should do FT8!! I love it!! You can damn near nap and still make contacts. Glad you liked it. I’ll be back.
I'd call it LOTA ... Laughs on the Air!
Best FT8 video ever! Hilarious! W8DON
Hey, thanks so much!
Here’s the thing… FT8 is kinda for low power, dx contacts for people with limited antennas to get into places they can’t with SSB. It’s not bad. But for POTA activations it’s not needed. The activator is the prize, it’s his call sign and park on the spotter. Lots of people will search you out to make contact, and a clean, fast, SSB exchange takes under 30 sec- way faster than FT8. You don’t get extra “points” on POTA activations with FT8. Doesn’t matter how many states you work as an activator. All that matters is bands, park to park, and raw QSO numbers. So for activators is kinda bad. For hunters, well it better than bad because states hunted DOES matter; so if you can have an FT8 QSO as a hunter with a state you need which you can’t hit with SSB, that’s good. I’ve had that with NV.
That is a very common misconception. FT8 is NOT a low power mode. It is a weak signal mode. If you need 100, 500, etc. watts to make the contact, so be it. Unfortunately a lot of people misconstrue weak signal with low power.
@@hamradiotube Well… maybe. I suppose your definition of weak power vs weak signal is on the receiving end, not the transmitting end. I would argue (and so would many others) that a 500w FT8 signal is perfectly legal, but inappropriate. Crazy strong FT8 signals Have the unintended consequence of washing out the other signals on the extremely small 3kHz bandwidth. It isn’t like CW, which many would argue is a “weak signal” mode compared to SSB as well, where there is 100-200 kHz of bandwidth to play around in. You can’t simply move a few clicks down from the +15 db signal to hear the -19 db signal. I’ve seen you talk about this on your videos, and its simply a point of disagreement. If everybody could keep their power to say…50w or less? Sounds reasonable? Maybe FT8 wouldn’t be the quasi $hit show it is on 20M. Also, I would encourage you to test your antennas on wspr at even lower powers than you do. I know that you like to use 5w, I would say that’s too much. WSPR is so efficient, that even -10, -even -13 db down from that power (off the sides of a dipole or beam) you’re gonna radiate enough patters won’t be discernible. I ran WSPR last weekend, 20% duty cycle, 40 m, at 200 mW, for 12 hrs overnight. I got into Australia and off the coast of Madagascar. It’s just that nuts. And I still think, quite honestly, I need to even run less power, so that I can better define my antenna pattern at different frequencies. Anyway, it was nice chatting with you over the weekend, please do pick up a flex 1500 if you can, you may never go back to another qrp radio. It’s just that good, and it’s less than the cost of a ridiculous Chamaeleon “tactical” antenna.
hell man you must be board me like to hear guys like a Mike K8MRD talk my eyes to bad to keep looking at a screen !!!
Hey come on I though this was a fun video lol! Your eyes shouldn't hurt that bad, I made myself really small in the corner of the screen!
Hi This is Andrew KJ7POO 73 FT8 On 10m 20m
"Caaaalifooorniaaaaa" reference... The Wizard.
I feel like I just watched a ham radio minecraft video...
While I was entertained, I also kept getting the urge to yell at myself to turn the volume down (as I would with my kids) :)
As usual, thanks for what you do. 73
I don't know what that means but thank you for watching lol!
The video was ok. I'd like to see more FT-8 videos. I'm an FT-8 newbie and I'm still trying to figure out how to hunt with it.
Cool man I appreciate the feedback. When you say “hunt” are you referring specifically to hunting POTA contacts or just making contacts in general?
@@hamradiotube POTA contacts
@@one4gimp a few people have asked similar questions. Perhaps I’ll have to dive deeper into this subject on video. The short and skinny is to watch the POTA spotting page for ft8 activators. I don’t think everyone is putting POTA in their cq message so you wouldn’t know just looking at wsjt-x.
Rolling Rock. Classic. 🍺🤘📻⚡
It was good before they got bought out by one of the big brands.
@@hamradiotube I was born in Easton, Pa and drank that stuff in high school. In the mid 60s! My dad drank Ballentine Ale. Anyway I can get RR in CN89. Not enough alky though!
I like to know how to use FT8!
I liked the video. Enertaining and educational. Do have a question for you. How do you setup the CQ Field to include POTA & the Grid Square info? I read somewhere something about 13 charactors allowed and your CQ was a few more than that. Thanks
You just type POTA into the field. I show it at the 1:50 mark. As for grid square, you set that under Settings > General > My Grid
I enjoyed it, but I'm a hard core FT8 type of guy. All my POTA activations have been by FT8. I do it a bit differently since I'm a Linux nurd. I can see that you wouldn't want a steady diet of this.....but can reach out and touch someone dx. Strangely you don't see many POTA guys when you are "hunting" on FT8. I work all of them that I can. I've worked most continental states and a few DX contacts as a Hunter.
FT8 certainly isn't as popular as SSB for POTA but I see stations on the spotting page fairly regularly doing FT8. Perhaps they aren't putting POTA in their CQ call like I did??
Mike you need to put a line choke at the radio end of that antenna for common mode suppression .Its almost manditory if your using a computer with you field radios . Hope this helps out .73 de ve3mne
Um, no I don't. If it was mandatory, how did I manage to do this activation?
N0GTO is Sam in Grand Junction. He is somewhat limited on antennas, and has a moderate to high noise level. Thanks de n0km
And a very modest station per his QRZ profile to boot lol! I have a high to extremely high noise level at home. It's a good reason to get out into the parks.
Fun video.. thanks, so if outside your home Grid you would use the Grid info of the pota you are activating?
That is correct
How do I show my park information
Whatever floats your boat Mike, but FT8 for me is like watching paint dry. VE3FI
Hey, I got contacts while being in the park. Win win for me.
Great. Perfect length. How long to it really take to get the contacts?
Thanks Peter. I think I was on the air for about 40 minutes or so.
How do they know what park you are on? Is that because you spot yourself?
He could use TX5 but usually people spot on the POTA app.
Unless they look at the spotting page, they won't know. But, that doesn't really matter. They will see it once the activator uploads their log.
I kind of dig FT8. I get more contact with it than I do SSB.
It's a cool mode. If the bands aren't so hot, usually you can still make contacts, or if you just don't feel like talking but still want to play radio.
VERY FUNNY! You just need two more monitors!
Nah
Nice...................
So nice
(2:45), I see a yellow line and a red line,what do they mean,is one your signal to the other,or how well you get the signal from theother station???
Mike I see that you have the Sent/Rec in the comments. How do you get that to populate by itself?
It sure isn't that easy from CN89! But 10-20 has been hot the last few days. How do you get that list in Gridtracker? Where is it?
BTW Rolling Rock is in Latrobe, PA.
The list is called Call Roster on Gridtracker. It's the top left of the icons. Looks like a yellow pad on a clipboard next to a gold medal. I sort it so the newest are on top. And yes, Latrobe, PA.
Don't worry, all videos you make are super.
Martin PA0KGB POTA Country Admin The Netherlands.
Wow, thanks
Well mike i really think you have lost the plot lol....very funny thats how ham radio should be. There's too many up tight hams out there that have lost the funny side of life .... good on you bud keep up the great vids rob 👍 👏 👌
Wait a minute, there was a plot?!?!
@@hamradiotube sorry mate im Australian it must have been a fast plote..lol..😉😉
@@ROB-M0LOL-VK2OMG I know. These are jokes!
So did you use the WSJT-X log and modify it in Adif master or something? That's my biggest question about FT8 and POTA- how do people get their logs into the right format for upload to POTA? As you mentioned, it would be awesome if it integrated with HAMRS.
I kinda explain that in this video: th-cam.com/video/pvm35CPhgII/w-d-xo.html WSJT-X already has a .adif you can export. You don't really need to do anything else except upload it from that point. BUT...WSJT-X keeps a log of EVERY contact you make, and unless you regularly delete that, which I do not because I would lose my Grid Tracker info (I think), I import it into my main logging software to sort the date I want, then I can export just those contacts into its own .adif and submit it to POTA. It sounds more complicated than it is. It's really just a few mouse clicks. Hope this helps.
@@hamradiotube We port the logging data from wsxt-x into grid tracker, then port that logging data from grid tracker into N3FJP. That way you can manage the files for each day and park.
@@hamradiotube I don't think I'm asking my question very well. Beyond what's in both videos, you try uploading that and the POTA site will still wonder what park you activated, the Kilo identifier. That's nowhere in the WSJT-X log, so you're presumably adding a column in your mac logging software to associate it with each contact? It looks to me like you need to at least add "my sig info" with the Kilo number for every contact. That might a good snippet for one of your videos, how to turn the WSJT-X log into one ready to upload to POTA. I've thought I might try an FT8 activation but log it real time into a HAMRS POTA template, but if it's just easier to manipulate the existing log that's probably the way to go.
People always zero beat you on FT8 it's really annoying. It's fine during the QSO but then they will call CQ on that same frequency. Grrr.
It’s a “learn your craft” kinda thing.
Just like people running way to much power and blasting the digital portion.
Same thing as when everyone starts talking too loud in a small room.
@@dark30welderwelding11 well technically it's a weak signal mode not low power so as with any mode you use the minimum required for you to make the contact but just like with phone people tend to use all the power all the time 🙄
Hi Mike great video I thought of FT8 on pota but it’s logging it do you put there signal -6 or just leave it blank. That program in top right of your screen black background is that a part of grid tracker ?. Keep up the good work.
When you make a contact and that window pops up (you have to have "prompt me to log QSO" checked under the Reporting tab), there is a box that shows the signal report. Click the "retain" button and it will save that to your .adif. But, signal reports don't mean anything in POTA so it doesn't really matter. I do upload them that way though. And yes, that is part of grid tracker. It's the Call Roster button. The icon looks like a yellow pad on a clipboard with a gold medal next to it. Top left of all the icons.
Thanks Mike.
@@hamradiotube Yes, thanks, I did find that Call Roster. I wish it would switch to TX though.
Were you working FT8 on 20m today about noon?
Negative.
@@hamradiotube Cool!
well Mike... that s fine !! but now a new challenge for you, never seen on youtube : a CW POTA activation !!! ha ha ha ha ha !! we can allowed you, to use a decoder to help you !!!!.... deal ???????? ha ha ha !!!
Hahahaha that’s a good one🤣🤣🤣. I do plan on premiering the first ever cw pota video ever at some point in my life. It’s funny you mention that though because I was actually thinking about that last night. Both the g90 and x5105 have decoders in them. How well they work is another story though. Certainly not Elecraft good I wouldn’t suspect but they might be good enough.
Who else looked Mike up on the pota page to see when this was at the park
You mean you looked away from the pota page? Had you not done that, you would have known when I was out lol!
You need a vaudeville contract
Lol, if only!
I still think FT-8 isn’t for me. Look at all of the commentary you had just to keep people interested in the video. I have to admit it’s a bit more challenging than I thought it was. From what I’ve seen it requires a lot more equipment than I already bring and I already bring too much. I really do need to come up with a to shrink it down a bit.
Oh no, that's just what I do when I'm doing ft8. I have to keep myself entertained. I really do like it though. Not always, but it has its place. Especially when I'm at home. My noise floor is better than it was but it's still pretty bad a lot of times. Right now I'm looking at a solid S9+ on the 7610. It's def coming from someones house as its not always like this but still. This is what I get to work with. FT8 is great at weak signals so it's a way for me to enjoy the hobby at home. Sure, I could learn Morse Code, but let's not be silly lol. It's really not that challenging. It is a new mode you need to learn but if you can click a mouse, you're already half way there. It doesn't require any more gear than I would normally bring either. Well, except for a USB cable. I already have the laptop with me for logging so it's not a big deal at all. I do understand the whole "shrink down" the gear thing though. It's a constant battle of ups and downs. Shedding gear, getting a really nice light weight pack, then you slowly start adding things one by one...rinse, repeat. You should give it a try sometime. You never know. You could end up working a rare DX entity on 80 meters. Just sayin'...
2 weeks. hahahaha
In before “ft8 isn’t real ham radio” “it’s just computers talking to each other!” 🙄
Hope to decode you soon.
When to give up on a QSO? If people are calling you, no reason to go back to calling CQ. Savvy operators know you don’t need to wait to hear CQ to contact an activator.
Also as far as “stepping on people” remember, it only matters who is transmitting on your cycle. When you are tx’ing you aren’t listening to your cycle, so looking at the scope doesn’t matter much. Just listen to 3 cycles in a row and find a spot that’s open on the cycle you want. If someone else is on the same frequency, but the opposite cycle, who cares.
73 K9MKE
Oh also you should click “hold tx freq” right there in the middle of the window. By default it moves your tx freq to the same freq as the person you are responding to, which is honesty really stupid and kinda defeats the point of ft8. That’s why your tx keeps moving.
Nah, like I say in the video, I suck at ft8 pileups. Usually when I come back to the other station, they've moved on and I end up just calling and calling. Patience is not a quality I would say I excel in.
As far as people being stepped on, I'm keenly aware of how FT8 works. But when I'm on TX first, and they are on TX first and I wait and see they are calling on the freq I'm on, and the time slot, then they are stepping on me. And if they are on the opposite cycle, they could be transmitting over a station who is trying to work me if they are on the same freq as me. Like I say, it's the Wild West of Ham Radio.
@@hamradiotube I’ll be honest I tried making sense of that second paragraph and I’m convinced one of us must be having a stroke.
As an activator, this is what I find works best.
When you start, listen for 3 or 4 cycles. Look at the waterfall, and see if you can find a spot that’s open on both cycles. If you can’t, no worries, just find a spot on one of the cycles where you can fit in. Then, just remain there with the Hold TX checkbox. You’ve staked out your spot, on XXXXhz and Even/Odd. Whoever else is on the same freq but opposite cycle isn’t relevant. If someone is trying to call you, and they are not using Hold Tx and using a different frequency, then that’s on them if they step on someone.
Unless I am totally missing your point. I wouldn’t call it the Wild West really, it’s far more civil than 7200 will ever be for example 😅
@@osculant lol you’re right about 7200! But your never had someone step on you? You’ve never completed a qso only to see another qso happening on the same freq your on? It’s literally happening to me right now. I’ll typically notice it’s happening when I’m calling and calling and no one is coming back. Chances are someone is on the same freq etc I am, calling cq at the same time. It just happens.
@@hamradiotube how would you know if someone is stepping on you? You wouldn’t unless you were running two rigs. Every once in a while, maybe every 20-30 minutes, I’ll take a 3 second pause before a transmission to check and see a stronger signal hasn’t muscled its way in, but other than that I would have no idea. My goal is to always remain tx’ing in my cycle so I’m not taking a lot of breaks to surveil the landscape.
If you’re talking about decodes in the right pane that aren’t directed at you, it’s only because there is a station close to the one you are listening to, not necessarily the frequency you’re transmitting on.
I’m very ADHD in my operating as well, so I get what you mean about bailing on a contact, but the thing I always try to stress specifically for POTA is if you are spotted, and you have stations calling you, you shouldn’t need to send CQ. Sure you could drum up some non-hunter contacts, but most FT8 hunters know that they can start calling as activator as soon as they can decode them, even if they are already in a QSO. Some may wait to hear CQ, but the way I work FT8 is if I am spotted and transmitting, I would rather be in a QSO (even repeating myself) than be calling CQ. I will give up eventually to give the more timid operators who wait for CQ their sign, but I’m always conscious that every CQ is one cycle less I have and that much less battery I have in an activation.
Ok, FT-8 is about like watching paint dry. To each their own I guess, I ain't hating on any one. I saw a T-shirt at a Hamfest that said, "Don't confuse FT-8 with real Ham radio!" I had to laugh....Sorry, not sorry.
I feel that way about CW.
....and yes I know Morse at least I did when I did radio communication engineering at college and didn't touch it since. I do use FT8 and I do like it. Different strokes.
Sad ham is sad
Sounds like you are calling a horse race. Maybe you missed your calling.
Was that supposed to be an Ohio accent? 😂
Very colourful but not for me Mike
Not for me either. I akin FT8 to watching paint dry. I have to admit it’s a little more of a challenge than I thought it was.
@@truckinguy92 No way, watching paint dry is way more fun!
Hi Mike just wanted to let you know using these cables with the Digirig and making good contact.JSAUX USB-C Cable 3.1A Fast Charging, 3-Pack (10ft+6.6ft+3.3ft) USB A to Type C Charge Cord. 181 FT8 contact's so far. 73 K4BWN
Got you! KK4PAL
Yeah buddy!
I love doing digital in the park. KS4YX
Same here, only mode that you can enjoy the sounds of nature while playing radio. Love hearing the sounds of boats blasting down the lake or hearing and watching a cicada killer take out a cicada while sitting at a picnic table
It wasn't bad I have to admit.
Callllliffforrrrniia - the wizard
You got it!! And you’re the first. Nicely done.
Ft8 and chill.. 👊
👊
You know, it wouldn't be too hard to write a script to export the ft8 logs and maybe parse them into the hamrs log . I can see that as useful
I nominate you to do that. I’ll expect a report on your progress Monday morning.
@@hamradiotube brb. By the way, I'm off Monday
Hope to catch you on FT8. G6RVW. On this side of the pond. Great video Mike.
I would love it if I could hear the UK more often. I think our signals just skip right over each other.
Great opening into Europe today from CN89. Worked Spain and France but couldn't get the Manxman.
I use FT8 when the bands are “dead”. This means my recent activations have all been FT8. VO1OK
Lol! Bands have been pretty good for me.
Not completely bad but I couldn’t hear any of the spotted parks on SSB, yesterday but had a European pileup 17m FT8
It's about the only mode I can use in VE7-land. I haven't worked a VO yet though.
I’m not as isolated as you, but there’s no one on 40 here working Parks. It’s dead until nightfall. When I’m activating I often have more Europeans than Ws and VEs. It’s good to have FT8 to fall back on, I saw a VE7 spotted last night. Was it You?
@@blomidon Could have been. I am on every day, 10/15/17/20. Today it is open to Europe again. Worked Spain and France. So why can't I work VO??? Not enough of you maybe. PSKr shows me getting out 3000-4000kms of more with the KX3.
72