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[K4HB]

First noticed this guy calling himself at 1134Z. This went on for at least 1 1/2 hours. I've been notified by JT Alert that I was getting a call from myself before, and figured it happened to him. Figured he walked away and this kept going on until the Runaway Watchdog stopped it. Noticed the Watchdog can be set for up to 99 minutes.

Noticed he was calling himself again at 2116Z. At 2235Z, he's calling BE4CON, whoever that is. What's going on here?

[WW5F]

<sarcasm>  He's providing a valuable service.  He's letting everyone who can hear him know that 6 meters is open to his grid square. </sarcasm>

[AF5CC]

Looks like he copied BE4CON out of China and is trying to get his first BY on 6 meters!

73 John AF5CC

[AE5X]

So now there are FT8 beacons...is this a common thing on 6m?

[WC4R]

It would seem, since he does not QSL, he wants to hear himself when away from his station while traveling. This goes in the category of a LID. I guess beacons aren't good enough for some.

[K4HB]

I don't believe anything is common about anything I sent in my post. Don't know what the heck is going on, and was hoping someone could clue me in.

First thing I did before sending the post was to check QRZ, HamQTH, & Buckmaster/Hamcall for the call BE4CON. If that's actually a call in China, it's not listed at any of those. Just checked DX Summit and the call has never been spotted. Got four results with DX Heat, but that was to spot beacons. Guess they used a 4 in place of an A so the spotting network would accept it as a call sign. Checked my ALL.txt file, and found no transmissions of BE4CON other than the same op who was sending on Jul 17 between 2156Z & 2207Z.

As for calling one's self, I've had that to happen when calling a station several times. Suddenly, I'm alerted someone is calling me, and see that red line. But it's K4HB replying to K4HB. Guess it's some flaw in the system that causes it. Maybe if I clicked on that red line, I would transmit calling myself, never tried it and never will. I thought maybe that's what happened to the op, and he had runaway watchdog set high. But after he came back nearly 10 hours later with the same thing, and was calling BE4CON, I'm completely clueless of what's happening.

<edit> Thanks for the replies, there's some possibilities mentioned here. It's amazing what some will do.

[VA3VF]

Don't know what the heck is going on, and was hoping someone could clue me in.

The "artists" have already figured out many "ingenious" ways of using FT8. From political to other asinine themes.

One this weekend was getting a kick out of calling others fools, by using the call-sign FO0L. I did no see a single contact completed, just the replies XX1XXX FO0L, YY1YYY FO0L etc.

As for the case you described, I think he thinks he is providing a service. Me thinks it's not necessary, but as always, what do I know?  

[KA1PPV]

I think that the last three letters of the call sign are a clue. CON

[K4HB]

He was at it again today calling himself. Someone called him a couple of times and he went QRT. He must have been thinking.. "What are you calling me for? I'm not calling you, I'm calling myself."

He must be trying to be one of those who gets talked about a lot like a couple of others in North Georgia. One used to hang out on 50.125. Though it's a calling frequency, he would park on it. We can give FT8 the credit for breaking that habit with him. Another one was the king of 10 meters. Had his own frequency, and had a machine to call CQ 10-10 all day long when 10M was open daily. If anyone replied, it would take him a while to get to the radio, turn the machine off, and answer them.

Here's a little info about the newest member to their North GA club... http://www.n4ip.com/

Perhaps his latest activity on 6M FT8 has something to do with Passive Radar Experimentation.

[VA3VF]

Perhaps his latest activity on 6M FT8 has something to do with Passive Radar Experimentation.

Bingo! Advancing the state of the art. That's what it's all about.