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Re: [RTTY] Contest Happenings??

To: "Roger Cooke" <rcooke@g3ldi.freeserve.co.uk>,<rtty@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [RTTY] Contest Happenings??
From: Jerry Flanders <jeflanders@comcast.net>
Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2005 20:35:59 +0000
List-post: <mailto:rtty@contesting.com>
RST is not required in the BARTG Sprint.

You must be somehow using WL differently than I am. My WriteLog module does not send it automatically - in fact, my exchange is set entirely within my memory macros. I sent no RST at all, but around a third of the guys sent them to me.

I agree both ends need some sort of a QSL. When I am running I send a TU and his name if it is in the list, followed by my next CQ. No extended "thanks" phrase or even a QSL - everybody seems to accept "TU" as a QSO terminator.

The bands were the worst I can remember. On top of that, I didn't check the station out prior to the contest and found that when I tried to fire it up just minutes before the contest one station in my SO2R setup couldn't operate because its computer wouldn't boot! Never did get it working for the contest, but I patched its' antennas to the operating station and worked SO1R. But later in the day my 40+15 meter antenna died just when I needed 40! Most trouble I ever had in a single contest.

Found out after the contest the CPU socket retainer had busted and the CPU had unseated. Cheap plastic!

Jerry W4UK

At 19:34 1/24/05, Roger Cooke wrote:
Hi.

  The poor propagation in the BARTG Sprint contest presented some
difficulties with exchanges.
I realise that the ubiquitous use of 599 is now more or less accepted,
but I was quite pleased
in one way to receive 449 from one station. Unfortunately the Writelog
module does not allow any
change from the 599 that is automatically sent. I could never quite
see why the report was used
owing to this fact, something that the Sprint obviously takes into
account.

  I realise I am making waves here, but should we not consider this in
future contests? What is
the point of sending 599 when we all know that both columns in the
contest log are going to say
599? It really is a waste of time. This is probably designed with
"saving time" in mind?

  One thing I noted in the Sprint from about half a dozen (if that)
stations was when a station
was running a freq. I called, he came back and issued his exchange. I
returned and issued mine.
As soon as I went back to receive he was calling CQ again, no QSL, TU,
Have a nice day, kiss my
butt or anything. This really p....d me off and I insisted on one
station giving me an acknowledgement
of my number. I know I am a GOM now I have reached 65 but come on
guys, give me a break! How long
does it take to say TU? Are we that hell bent on saving time?  RTTY is
the last bastion of gentlemanly
behaviour and friendship, let's not spoil that!

Does anybody else share my grief? Am I the only Luddite on the air?

Having said all that, I did exchange a few niceties with old friends
and must admit that the few that
did not bother to acknowledge were far outweighed by the majority!
It's still an enjoyable mode.

 But what do YOU think about sending either a genuine RST or nothing
at all?


73 de Roger G3LDI GOM, BOF + Bar rcooke@g3ldi.freeserve.co.uk g3ldi@amsat.org g3ldi@qsl.net g3ldi@gb7ldi.#35.gbr.eu


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