[3830] NAQP RTTY N5AW Single Op LP

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Sun Mar 1 18:40:38 PST 2009


                    North American QSO Party, RTTY

Call: N5AW
Operator(s): N5AW
Station: N5AW

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: TX
Operating Time (hrs): 5

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
   80:   85    36
   40:   41    27
   20:  114    40
   15:           
   10:           
-------------------
Total:  240   103  Total Score = 24,720

Club: Central Texas DX and Contest Club

Team: 

Comments:

Working this contest was a bit of a challenge for me. My only RTTY capability is
that built into the K3. In fact, until I got my K3 last August I had never made
a RTTY contact in 53+ years as a ham. With the new radio I had to try out the
CW to RTTY conversion. Was pleasantly surprised to make several contacts with
it. A casual QSO and a contest are two different things though. For those not
familiar with the K3, you can send CW with the built in keyer and it will
convert it and retransmit as RTTY (or PSK). It also decodes received RTTY and
scrolls it across the bottom of the radio's display panel. Fortunately there
are also built in memories for exchanges, call, etc. 

S&P is not too bad since you can usually get by without sending the other
stations call and can complete a QSO with the memory buttons. I stuck with S&P
for the first few hours I operated this contest. Contester that I am though, I
finally got up the courage to CQ. "Running" is another story. You have to send
the other guys call - the converter requires virtually perfect CW - a slight
pause between dit and dah for example will come out ET instead of A. Things
also come out a little smoother if you send pretty fast (30+ wpm) since RTTY is
operating at something like 60 wpm. Here is the way it works: push the CQ memory
button, if you get an answer you read a call off the screen and send it at high
speed with the keyer, push the exchange memory button, type his call in the
computer logging program, read his exchange off the display on the radio, push
the "73" button, enter the exchange data in the logging program, read another
call coming in on the radio display and start the process all over. Works OK as
long as you don't make an error but when you do it is hell getting things
straightened out. With some practice I actually managed a 60+ hour near the end
of the contest. Think I better get set up for RTTY right if I want to do this
again though. 

One reason for entering this contest was to see if I could make some progress
toward the "triple play. Started out with 3 states confirmed on RTTY via LOTW.
As of Sunday evening I'm up to 40! Still a few I have not worked but I am
pleasantly surprised to get so far so quickly.

My apologies to those of you who I messed up your call sending it on CW - some
strange things come out when you do. And I also managed to mangle two Q's so
badly entering them in the computer that those calls didn't end up in the log.
But it was a learning experience and they say that helps keep the mind
young:^)

Marv, N5AW


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