WQ6X TipToes through another NAQP RTTY ConTesT

Because NAQP contests allow us to operate only 10-hours out of the full 12 for the event,
the question is always WHEN to take those 2-hours.  Some operators start an hour or two later
and then end an hour or two earlier.  Some operators take an hour break when the propagation gets
dicey, on the hopes that it will again improve, or QSY'ing to the next lower band will make up for it.

In my situation, client commitments kept me out of the char for nearly 4 hours.  I started up in the afternoon just as 15-meters was closing-out for the day.

With the starting time "pre-ordained", the major focus became how to maximize the more-or-less
~8-hours remaining in the contest event.  For this remote operation, the decision was made to use
an MSI gaming-oriented (4-Ghz) laptop, with its relatively stable internet access.  The downside to
this approach is that N1MM+ was unable to establish CAT control of the RRC-1258 interface unit, requiring that operating frequencies required manual entry, an encouragement to run frequencies
as much as possible.

A goeswith in remoting to Ramona was the periodic drop in internet signal levels from the remote
end, creating a sort-of "internet jitter" effect.  Similar to running remote-Cw a couple of weeks earlier was the need to be able to decode signals in between the dropouts.  

 

I frustrated a number of S-9+ calling stations by asking for multiple repeats.  I lost count of the stations who weren't waiting around for a "mere W6" station, altho I really dunno what their hurry really was.  Adding a 2nd RTTY decoder is of no use when the difficulty is due to dropped audio.

Switching to Search & Pounce (S&P) mode enabled entering the other station's exchange
(name and state) into the N1MM+ entry screen BEFORE calling in.  This at least insured the
correct data made it into the log when the QSO was made.

Thanks to a significantly lower Solar Flux Index (SFI) 20-meters became THE band - same
as in the NA SPRINT contest which usually opens on 20-meters, working down to 40 & 80 later.  Around 02:30 it was time to make the transition downward running 40-meters until no new stations could be worked.  The rest of the evening was spent "leapfrogging" between 80 & 40 and then back again.

Using a Shorty-40 yagi allowed slowly sweeping between 30- and 100-degrees azimuth. 
On 80-meters the inverted-vee (@55') offered reasonable coverage between Illinois and Texas
(and all points in between).  On the higher bands the 3-el Stepp-IR offers the option to instantly
switch a N-E pointing antenna 180-degrees to pick up a quick KH6 multiplier or run BI-directional.  With the Shorty-40, a F/B ratio of 20db means that my 69-watt RTTY was often heard somewhat
off the back end.  (The Front/Side ration of yagis are usually quite exceptional.)

By the 06:00 contest end, only 142 QSOs made it into the log on 80 to 15-meters after 7+ hours
of OP-time.  Let the 3830Scores score entry document the actual operation.  While an 8.7k score
isn't much, it keeps WQ6X callsign recognition very much alive.

 

As much a struggle as the contest, a side-benefit of operating physically from the Concord location
was the availability of the necessary filters required to run what I call Stereo-RTTY.  The essential idea behind Stereo-RTTY method is to utilize the peaking function of both external audio filters to specifically PEAK the MARK/SPACE tones (effectively deemphasizing the frequencies surrounding the tones).

When running AFSK, my choice of MARK frequency is quite low: 915-Hz (with a SPACE frequency
of 1085-Hz). Running S&P early in the contest enables the opportunity to determine the best L/R filter settings providing the most legible/intelligible RTTY decoding.  When running a frequency the aux. notch control in those filters can knock-out single tones from joker's attempting to disrupt legible copy.  Also when running a frequency, using the R-I-T control, the desired signal can be centered between the "goal posts".  Stations calling slightly off frequency will be shifted away from the goal posts.  

When 2 or more stations are perfectly aligned
with the MARK frequency, their tones often "collide" resulting in garbled copy.  By shifting the R-I-T, one of those signals might "jump out of the jumble"
just enough to be copyable over the other callers.  

Each station worked will reduce the layered jumble somewhat unless new stations show up and add more jumble to the jumble.  Because the internet dropouts were so annoyingly problematic, w/o Stereo-RTTY things would've been utterly hopeless.  

Theoretically Stereo-RTTY could be applied to the transmit audio eliminating the potentially troublesome 2nd-harmonic (1830-Hz).  A multi-band equalizer slipped in the transmit audio line
can make for a simple yet effective approach to cleaning up transmit audio.  However, remember
to check the audio drive BEFORE and AFTER the filtering - overdriving will of course create new
(and potentially worse) harmonics.

When it was all over, WQ6X submitted a 142-QSO Low Power Log - enough to say we wuz there.

What about YOU?  Were YOU there?

Is WQ6X in YOUR Log?