Friday, April 17, 2026

Running RTTY Remotely WQ6X Sparks an affair w/Ashley@A-I

In recent weeks, much of my remote operating has been via WA6TQT's Radio Ranch atop the hill
in Anza California due the KN6NBT station in Ramona experiencing weird internet latency problems. 
For the weekend's EA RTTY contest, I had been working on proper cabling to accomplish running RTTY from m end of the connection, with no stable results.  Then, the "DuH" hit me upside the head.

To make traveling lighter, I recently repurposed a Windoze-10 Toshiba TECRA Z-50 computer. 
The goal was to discover a cable free way to run RTTY using a Remote Rig RRC-1258 box with
this laptop.  Then it occurred to me that "Ashley @A-I" can guide me to make this a reality. 
Ashley is a euphemism for Google's GEMINI A-I system.  The inquiry that started it all was:
"Troubleshoot controlling an RRC-1258 box with a K3/0-Mini using the N1MM+ logging
software under Windows 10
".

While it took 90+ minutes of back and forth between Ashley and the K3/0-Mini installation,
eventually we managed to produce reliable RTTY from the Anza setup at 05:00z (more than
1/2 way into the RTTY contest).  Earlier in the afternoon during the troubleshooting, I heard
(and missed) a juicy 15-meter opening to JA - Bummer DewD!  Also on the "miss list" were
LAQP, MSQP and the Polish SP-DX contest.

The last 7-hours of the EA RTTY contest made for a BiG disappointment.  Finding no activity
on 80-meters (altho WQ6X was spotted all over the RBN system), focus was largely on 40-meters
with an occasional switch to 20-meters to work weak EU stations there and then come back to 40.

The original ideas was to run QRP, based on being able to utilize the stacked yagi's on 10 and 15 meters.  Because I missed the daytime openings, the power level was set to 69-watts and run into
a pair of stacked yagi's on 20 and 40 meters, along with a 4-Square Vertical array for 80-meters.

RBN stats made it clear that WQ6X was being heard across the USA and into EA (Spain).  Unfortunately, lack of activity after 07:30z made for a dearth of actual RTTY activity. 
When it was finally over @12:00z a whopping 38 QSOs made it into the log - Bummer DewD.

At LEAST I can say "I WuZ THERE!"

What about YOU?  WuZ YOU there?

WuZ WQ6X in YOUR LoG?

No comments:

Post a Comment