WOW! My first time participating in the NA RTTY Sprint and it sure took
me a while to get my act together tonight.
The first thing I found out is that it's not real easy to rapidly QSY
and tune in another station using FSK mode and a 400 Hz filter. I can
only see one station at a time on the waterfall. I had never used AFSK
before, but quickly learned how and completed the contest in that mode.
It was much easier being able to see several stations on the waterfall
and being able to click on them to tune and let AFC take care of things.
Secondly, after participating in CQ WPX and the NAQP, I am more
convinced that Logger32 is not the right software to be using for a
contest other than for a casual effort. I found it a little clunky and
time consuming to log the exchange. And of course there is no way to
export a Cabrillo log which requires a little more effort on my part.
Altogether, it was a fun learning experience. I only managed to work 34
stations in 23 states and 1 province...mostly on 40 meters. I think my
next main effort will be to download N1MM logger and install it and
spend some time learning it in preparation for the next RTTY contest.
And then I need to work on getting my 80 meter dipole back in the trees.
Tim W4IOU
On 3/6/2013 4:33 PM, Ed Muns wrote:
Please join the NA RTTY Sprint this Saturday NA time (00-04 UTC Sunday, 10
March). The format is a lot of fun and doesn't take much of out of the
weekend from other activities. Teams add to the fun, so be sure and join
one ... or organize one yourself!
If the QSY format is intimidating, just find a clear frequency and call CQ.
The QSY rule requires that you move after each QSO from a CQ, but you don't
have to win a "jump ball" or pileup on another CQing station. The CW Sprint
was won one year by a station who alternated between two frequencies, always
calling CQ, so there are different ways of operating in Sprint. Use what
works best for you. For example, if you are QRP or Low Power, or
propagationally-challenged, then calling CQ at the fringes of the major
activity will work well. Stations will find you because they need your QSO!
As a band gets worked out you will have more success answering others' CQ.
There will be a practice this Friday evening:
0230-0300 UTC Saturday
This will provide a way to test station, software and operator. Follow the
regular NA Sprint rules (http://www.ncjweb.com/sprintrules.php).
Submit your log immediately afterward as the log deadline is only 7 days and
it is easy to get distracted later in the week. Upload your Cabrillo format
log file at http://www.ncjweb.com/sprintlogsubmit.php. Preliminary results
will be posted at http://www.ncjweb.com/sprintrttyprelim.php within a day
after the log deadline. Official results are published in the May-June NCJ.
73,
Ed - W0YK
NCJ NA RTTY Sprint Manager
---------------------------------------------
Ed Muns
www.ncjweb.com/contests.php
_______________________________________________
RTTY mailing list
RTTY@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rtty
_______________________________________________
RTTY mailing list
RTTY@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rtty
|