Charlotte Hamfest 2019

Well, I got a chance to go by the Charlotte Hamfest this weekend.  It is always fun to see old friends and make a few new ones, browse the flea market, and see what's new with the onsite vendors.  I picked up a little stubby antenna for my new DMR radio and a few other small parts, but didn't walk away with any big purchases -- and that's just fine.

Bill, W4WNT has been a long time neighbor of mine, and he gave a really nice forum talk on FT8 to a room of folks that hadn't dabbled much in this mode.   I was astonished to hear that this has become one of, if not THE, most popular mode on the bands these days.   A combination of a sunspot cycle low, the continued integration of digital into the analog RF domain,  the increasingly difficult time folks are having putting up a decent HF antenna, and the increase in typical noise floors all contribute to the rise it FT8's popularity.   I'm putting it on the list....