While MMTTY itself may not be "as easy as Digipan", the MMTTY engine can be
controlled via a PSK-style user interface. I did exactly that in WinWarbler:
the waterfall display and major controls are identical. Changing from PSK to
RTTY involves clicking on a single radio button and QSYing to an appropriate
frequency. The only unavoidable operational difference is the appearance of
mark and space traces; clicking on a frequency in the waterfall display sets
the desired mark frequency. WinWarbler does offer the ability to
simultaneously operate soundcard RTTY and an RS232-connected RTTY modem
(KAM, PK232, etc) for diversity decoding, or to allow simultaneous reception
of a DX station and its pileup (if the pileup lies within 4 khz of the DX).
WinWarbler is free, and available via www.qsl.net/dxlab.htm .
I took an IC706, laptop, and WinWarbler to FJ about 18 months ago, and
generated a RTTY pilup whenever I was QRV. I had some very enjoyable PSK
QSOs, but many others involved thumb-twiddling through a brag-macro. At the
time, the concept of a "callsign and signal report" PSK QSO was simply not
recognized. I'm not sure that's a bad thing, though I can do without the
automated equipment recitations.
73,
Dave, AA6YQ
-----Original Message-----
From: rtty-admin@contesting.com [mailto:rtty-admin@contesting.com]On
Behalf Of Dave Barr RDS Inc
Sent: Friday, May 31, 2002 15:40 PM
To: Kok Chen
Cc: rtty@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [RTTY] ARRL.org Vote -
Kok Chen wrote:
>
>
> It is their own bloody fault for not using narrow filters, opting
> instead for the armchair-like operation of clicking on barn
> door-wide waterfalls.
>
>
> Chen, W7AY
I do run qrp a lot (on RTTY mostly) Chen, but I agree with you.
When I mentioned as reasons for PSK's popularity free software, not
having to buy a TNC and ease of operation a couple of days ago, a few
folks wrote back that MMTTY also met those parameters. Well, I'll
grant that the first two items meet those claims, but MMTTY just isn't
as easy as digipan. It's just push an arrow key and type. It's not
much more difficult than screwing in the microphone connector and
opening your mouth. Hence, PSK is quite popular especially for those
new to digital. I am afraid that ease of operation is a prerequisite
nowadays for any Amateur Radio activity that will garner better than 1
our of 10 participation.
But it is good to have participation, and the two modes seem to satisfy
somewhat different areas of activity - ragchewing and casual DXing vs.
contesting and viscious pile-ups.
As for getting ready for PSK to be the only digital mode that some
country-entities are available on: well, if they're rare, the PSK rate
will be dismal compared to RTTY, where your brain can still provide some
of the flow of what's really going on.
73
Dave
K2YG
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