[CQ-Contest] RTTY Reflections

[Shelby Summerville]

Guys/Gals...thanks for being on RTTY, and rather than being "part of the 
problem", I will offer some suggestions.
1) Visit  http://rttycontesting.com/tutorials/tutorials.htm  although it's 
directed to WriteLog users, there is valuable information, for all.
2) Make a note, during the contest, of any/all offending stations, and post 
contest, send them a "gentle" email, asking them to visit the above 
mentioned site. If you don't take the time to "privately" address the 
situation, with the offenders, "you're preaching to the choir"!
3) If you don't care for the "name" that others send, Don, AF4Z 
af4z at cfl.rr.com  maintains the "name" list. It probably won't get changed, 
by others, but you can let Don know the "name you prefer". Dedicated RTTY 
contesters tend to be more "laid back", than those on other modes, and the 
"name" file is just part of that "laid back" type of operation.
4) As in all contesting modes, I subscribe to "please just call me, and 
regardless of how you send the exchange, I'll sort it out"
5) Some may disagree, but RTTY contesting can be just as much fun, to many, 
as other modes. Participation in RTTY contesting is growing faster than 
CW/SSB, which may be good and bad? Good, because: "more participation = more 
contacts, more contacts = more fun".
Bad because: "more participation = more newcomers, more newcomers = possibly 
taking the time, to not only welcome them, but to adjust to "their 
operation"? I try to keep a record of "never before worked, on RTTY, 
stations, for each "major" RTTY contest. My general logging program provides 
me that information. Post contest, if I can find their email address, I send 
them a "welcome to RTTY contesting" email, that includes the above mentioned 
site, and other places where they can find valuable RTTY contesting 
information.
6) I suggest that, if you plan on doing much RTTY contesting, you subscribe 
to the RTTY reflector   RTTY at contesting.com   You will find most RTTY 
contesters there, and lots of valuable, along with some not so valuable, 
information.
7) Last but not least..."it's only a game, played for fun, and if/when the 
fun is no longer there, maybe it's time to find something else to do".  For 
me, "something else to do = going fishing, or riding my bike", which are 
both warm weather activities.

Thanks again for your participation, and I hope this has helped.

C'Ya, Shelby - K4WW