[RTTY] SO2R vs SO1R vs monobanders vs G5RV vs 486 vs Pentium IV vs AMD??

[Dean M. St. Hill]

I feel the need to add my $0.02 worth.

Basically, I'm a SO1R in RTTY because I do it for fun and a SO2R in SSB =
where I try to be very competitive. Nor do I think that I truly maximise =
the use of the 2R either, but you know what, that's part of the FUN of =
the hobby. Eventually I'll get there.

Will I do SO2R in RTTY? Definitely. When? Whenever I feel motivated. Can =
I? Right away. Got all the necessary Dunestar filters etc. etc.  But =
right now I'm just learning this RTTY contesting thing, so I think right =
now other things are more important.

In other words - STRATEGY. One guy will figure that his antennas are =
critical, when he gets the TX antennas really solid, and he has the =
space, he'll add beverages, maybe one in every direction of the compass, =
maybe phased beverages... maybe...=20

YES! One day I'll run beverages too... but this is a hobby. So maybe for =
the CQWW this year I'll finally get the missing pieces and try a =
Beverage. I'm sincerely happy for the guy who can put up more aluminium, =
or even buy a better rig. But just because you've got a 1000MP with lots =
of filters and I only have some other brand X rig with stock filters... =
I don't think you should be in another category.=20

In fact, according to the rules of most contests, it might not be a bad =
idea to have a rig and amplifier per band and at least three computers, =
6 decoders, a backup for everything and a UPS to run the entire thing =
all week-end (just in case). Heck you wouldn't need to tune. Add perhaps =
6 monobanders per rig - why waste time with rotors... just switch =
directions... why we could even have it so that depending on the prefix, =
the computer (one of the three that is) chooses the best antenna... heck =
we could right the software and add %Q to the buffers (to tell the =
station which band and freq. to QSY to if and only if its a new mult, =
unless propagation is exceptional)

(Not a bad idea - if we have mono-band antennas - why not monoband rigs =
and matching monoband amps- heck they'd be cheaper... and then each of =
us could truly afford a SO5R setup for about the cost of an ALPHA and =
fully loaded pair of 1000MP's - Yaesu what say you??)

And you know what - I'd still admire and want to read about the ham who =
got all that implemented. It would give me something else to aspire to =
or maybe I'd think he was eccentric or simply crazy. But I'd still be =
interested in learning about what he's up to.

We're like the Chief Engineers of our own broadcast stations, but then =
we're also the CEO, Programme Manager, and CFO too. I work in broadcast, =
and I think if every station had unlimited funds, their only limitation =
would be the collective imaginations of the staff.

Guess what? That's our only limitation. Today its SO2R vs SO1R tomorrow =
it'll be SO4R vs SO2R and yesterday it was AM vs SSB... or was that RTTY =
vs PSK31.

One day I hope I can beat AA5AU in some contest or another. From 8P, I =
figure I could probably beat him with one radio, and better antennas but =
maybe I'll use two or three, that's not important. What's important is =
your own individual goal, and setting that goal, just like life you need =
to be realistic.=20

And it's a learning exercise, like the power supply that was cool for =
SSB but freaked out under RTTY and even the amp which I thought would =
stand up to the RTTY mode, but didn't. Heh I was mad, but we can't start =
complaining about the guy who has an ALPHA or a decommissioned broadcast =
amp for that matter.=20

Have fun, and be good to yourself and be proud of your scores.

That was a mouthful, sorry for the bandwidth but I'll see you in the =
next contest SO2R, four decoders, three computers and one operator!!!

I'm not trying to insult anyone, nor even hide that fact that I =
genuinely believe there is a difference in potential scores between the =
2R and 1R -- but as I discovered there are several other factors. If =
you're not getting into the top ten with 1R - I don't think you should =
get flustered about 2R, a 2R op with one radio IS going to beat you =
anyway. BUT when you close the distance, then the final 10% is =
achievable through either 2R or coming to a rare locale like 8P!!

73's and remember in this hobby - "It's all good"

Dean - 8P6SH -=20

PS Thanks to AA5AU for his website. I used SO1R - Two decoder during the =
BARTG and it definitely improved my score - it was amazing how often my =
KAM was not copying cleanly but the soundcard was, and later, how clean =
the KAM was under certain conditions when the soundcard was printing =
just garbage. This was the single most important modification to my =
normal setup in two years and will be a permanent addition. That and =
recording the entire contest on the computer (one of Writelog's greatest =
features)

What I'd like someone to figure out is how you can click on that second =
decode screen to enter the info into the right place in the log - or do =
I need to implement a second radio for that???

BTW - Shouldn't there be a seperate category depending on the software =
you use? - I'm JOKING!!!




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