Its not what you think. Working all states is no small feat, no matter where you live. I am quite prone to mild obsessive-compulsive behavior and as such WAS appeals to me. I also enjoy strange digital modes. I have only tried a handful. RTTY is coarse but heck of a lot of fun especially for contesting. I thought I really liked PSK31, and while I play a little there, it doesn’t really float my boat like it should. Don’t get me wrong, PSK31 is what brought me back to the hobby and I have a soft spot for the mode. Kinda formuliac, however…you can tell everyone is using Digital Master 780 without taking time to customize the macros. Again DM780 is great, but in the words of Arrested Development’s Job Bluthe…“Come on!”
The digital modes currently holding my interest are JT65A/WSPR on HF, Olivia, and Feld-Hell…Especially Feld-Hell.
Feld-Hell is a strange little throw-back to the 1920s, and as such is perfect in every way. I like directly heated Triodes like 45s and 2A3s, and I like old-assed teleprinting modes. DM780 and MultiPSK make Feld-Hell operation a breeze, and as such is a great Ragchew mode. Surprisingly a lot of activity throughout the world, with fun Sprint-style contests every month. Check it out: http://feldhellclub.org … great bunch of folks if I don’t say so myself.
So, when I say I am in WAS HELL, it’s only because I am trying to complete QSOs with every state using Feld-Hell is all. Worked a new on on 80M…Washington state! Hellish? I think not!