[RTTY] Contest Exchanges from an OT

[Roger Cooke]

Hi.

 Somebody asked what an "old-timer" RTTY operator might think about the
contest exchanges. For what is's worth, and it might
cause a few chuckles, here is my opinion.  First, however, my
"qualifications" to the old-timer description.
1  My age - I shall be 65 this year - not many sunspot cycles left now.....
2  I was one of the first G stations on HF RTTY in the 50's  ( that's the
19   50's by the way! ) following Bill, G3CQE, my Elmer and
    the first G.
3  I have operated dozens of RTTY contests, in the days when we had to wear
ear-plugs, carry an oil-can, and write with a pencil
    in a real log-book, giving real RST reports, and greeting others by
name.

   I have been involved in HF contesting on all modes for years, mainly
from GB4ANT here in Norfolk, if anybody remembers that
station. I personally feel that to argue about a redundancy of hyphens, or
sending the exchange twice, or even greeting somebody
by name, and the worst in my opinion - having the so-called RST programmed
into a macro - all these are counter-productive to
the very spirit of the contest in the first place. I personally like to
send genuine RST reports, otherwise those three numbers, if all
are given as 599, are redundant as far as I am concerned. Extrapolating
this to the extreme, we might just make a list in Cabrillo
format of the RTTY lists and send those in as a contest entry.
  I had enough hassle in my working career, trying to meet and beat
targets, to improve productivity, ad nauseam. Entering a contest
is supposed to be an enjoyable experience. Agreed, we all strive to do our
very best, but let's not pick too many nits, or it will destroy
the amateur spirit altogether. Politeness does not take too much from the
time, and a GM or GE and a TU at the end is a nicety that
we ought to send. In any case, sending the exchange twice is better than
the other station asking for a repeat, which takes even longer.
I am definitely one of the OLD school. I enter a contest for the pleasure
of participation. WInning would be a bonus, but I guess with my
attitude I will never win. I don't really possess the cut-throat agression
that seems to be dominant in most competition these days.

  I am preparing my PC at present with Writelog and MMTTY and putting up a
few bits of wire in order to take part in some more RTTY
contests, something that I have not done for many years. I hope I won't
offend too many people my saying GM or whatever! By the way
I write a column in Practical Wireless, devoted to Packet, Pactor and RTTY,
so if you wish to air views or provide some copy or pictures
I would be pleased to receive them.

 I do hope you haven't been too bored by the ramblings of this "OT" - I
hope to see you on the green keys  -  which are now grey I see....

73 de Roger G3LDI
rcooke at g3ldi.freeserve.co.uk
g3ldi at amsat.org
g3ldi at qsl.net
g3ldi at gb7ldi.#35.gbr.eu



Regards from: Roger Cooke

rcooke at g3ldi.freeserve.co.uk
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