But anyone who operates FT8 knows that it’s not really that easy to earn awards at high levels with it. In fact it’s actually easier with CW, especially if you use memory keyers, the DX cluster and CW skimmer.

And you could have always earned DXCC in a weekend with any major DX contest (unless you’re way out West).

The automation argument is also not that straightforward. To begin with we just banned it for our awards. But in reality a lot of hams have an automated workflow for CW already. I pretty much do. It’s largely a push button affair now. In a contest you can run ESM (enter sends messages) mode where the software will auto sequence. All you need to do is copy the callsign and exchange and with machine CW decoders it can be automated. I believe Tree N6TR famously did it for one contest but did not submit a log. 

I think that by and large the weak signal digital modes have done a lot of good for the hobby. I couldn’t find a digital contact to save my life outside of a major contest. Now they’re plentiful. I’ve got a couple of friends who live in restricted areas where they can’t put up antennas. They can still operate with FT8 with limited indoor antennas like mag loops. JT65 has now enabled moonbounce for the masses. Previously this was a serious big iron affair (see W5UN with his array which rotated on wheels). Now you can do it with 1-2 small Yagis and 100w. Ned, AA7A will tell you that there was a lot of heartburn in the EME community but it has brought so many into the fold. But at the same time some HF DXers out west are now working DX they’ve never heard before. 

So while doing antenna work today I turned my radio to 20m. Haven’t really been on 20 in a while. I found that the band was full of SSB signals and some CW on the lower end. Of course FT8 was going.

People were on the radio and having a good time. So if FT8 is supposed to be killing ham radio I don’t see it doing that good of a job...

Ria

N2RJ