Quick history:
August I did my first ramp test and got 243W. Started SSBLV1 but quit 1 week in.
September did another ramp test and got 230W. Completed SSBMV1 but was not challenged enough.
October did another ramp test and got 243W again. This is odd. This is my real FTP?
Did I just waste 6 week of base to not improve at all? Maybe 230W was my actual FTP?
Did you stop riding for a few weeks when you quit the plan? If so, your FTP likely dropped and then doing the plan helped you come back.
SSBMV1 shouldn’t be hard.
Consistent base training is building your aerobic base, which may or may not affect your FTP. If you come into Base highly trained (just off a race peak/season/specialty plan) and it’s now your off season, your initial FTP will test high, because you’re likely on form. As you continue thru base and are no longer training race form, your FTP may actually drop some or stagnate. If you come into base a bit untrained, then your FTP will likely gradually grow because you are doing consistent structured training.
Being already fit, though your FTP (high end fitness) my be dropping, your aerobic base is growing. Aerobic base is not really reflected in a FTP test if you are already highly conditioned as described above . FTP improvements are cultivated and built, well, in the Buid plans. Then later refined in Specialty plans.
If you’re not consistently training, then your FTP will fluctuate. If that’s the case and you test low and the rides are too easy, raise your FTP by a few %. Then stay consistent so your next FTP test will be accurate.