What Makes RTTY Different?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Throughout most of my "career" as a radiosport contester, I've focused mainly on Cw contests,
w/Ssb (and mixed) GiGs thrown in about 25% of the time.  Initially, RTTY never figured into my operations, largely because I lacked the proper hardware configuration(s) to make it all happen.  Aligning w/N6GEO (George) in 2010 quickly found me immersed in the RTTY (and to a lesser extent digital) world.  George has run many different RTTY operations over the years; both FSK and AFSK.

 

 

 

 

The secret to running RTTY contests successfully is a stable hardware configuration in conjunction with accurate character decoding; nothing is worse than RTTY hardware/software not properly synchronized.  When everything IS in order, I find RTTY contests to be very relaxing affairs. 
My WQ6X operations are conducted using tone frequencies around 900-hz.  While the RTTY
decoder ICON helps tune signals precisely, most of the time near-perfect copy can be attained audibly.  (I know people who claim they can read the RTTY tones, like one copies Cw - I can
ALMOST do that.)

Running RTTY remotely, perfect copy can be obtained even tho there are repeated dropouts in the internet signal.  Because all RTTY keying and decoding is performed on the remote end, the decoded text is still on the remote decoder screen when the connection resumes a second or two later.  With Cw/Ssb the information is lost, requiring a repeat of the information exchange.  Running Ssb remotely requires a pristine internet connection at all times, unless all phrases are spoken by way of Macros and/or .WAV/.MP3 files on the remote end.

Depending upon the transmitting hardware in use, running full-power full-duty RTTY may not be effectively possible.  With my ICOM 7000 backup radio, running the radio over 50-watts on RTTY makes the radio so HoT, you can [literally] fry an egg on top of the unit.  The previous ICOM-706,
got HoT at 50-watts; powering down to 30 watts was recommended.

When N6GEO and I ran the 2014 RTTY RU event as WP2/WQ6X (taking 1st-place for Dx), we ran
a 5-watt Flex-1500 mini-transceiver into a Tokyo Hy-Power HL-45B to about 42 watts, enough to drive a Alpha 89 amplifier to 149.49 watts.  150-watts was the Low Power (LP) limit in those days; today it is 100-watts max for low power.  Contrast that with the FT-2000 and FT-1000mp transceivers currently in use for WQ6X @W7AYT.  Both radios can run 100-watt full-duty - NO PROBLEM.

The current radio setup for WQ6X utilizes an AWEsome FT-2000, and excellent step up from the
now sidelined FT-1000mp.  When I get the hang of SO2-R, I may well give the two radio a try. 
Meanwhile, the FT-2000 into the Stereo-Cw setup is giving me new knobs to twiddle.

What about YOU?

Do you enjoy participating in RTTY radiosport GiGs?

If NoT.... you are truly missing out.