[RTTY] Death of RTTY?

[Frank Fallon - N2FF]

RTTY ain't dead.  We are just resting up between contests!!!!!

>Jim, N2HOS, in
>his latest Gazette, stated "There is plenty of
>room for both [PSK63 and RTTY], but RTTY has already given up this battle.
>Peace!"

I really do not think RTTY has given up the battle, but we do have a problem in that we are NOT using the bands between contests.  I mentioned this at the RTTY Forum that we are not seeing any casual or net use on 20 the way we did a few years ago.  Given the proliferation of new digital modes that is not a good thing.  Folks are going to be looking for space to put some of the new modes and it is very likely that they will select the unused/lightlyused portion 14.080 to 14090.  It's the old use it or loose it thing.  let's find some activity to get rally around in the late afternoon or early evening between contests.

As for PSK 63.....  It's too fast for keyboarding at 100 wpm (I think that's what I heard quoted as a speed) as few us can get to 60 wpm without the use of buffers of at least the type ahead type. It may be great for sending multiple brag tapes etc but that is going to get old fast.  A few years ago someone decided to have a contest for 100 wpm ascii, remember that one, I do.  It didn't work because it was just too fast.  Forget searching and pouncing, by the time you found a station he was at the end of his CQ buffer and you had to wait.  I found it very frustrating and decided it was a contest in which I had no interest.  For all of the above reasons I do not think PSK63 is going to replace RTTY or PSK31 which are at keyboarding typing speeds.

Is PSK31 contesting on the increase?  I don't think so, but must admit that I did not listen to the last few contests, so I could be wrong here.

I really would like to see some form of activity that protects the RTTY DX Window from new mode incursion.  I admit selfish motives here for sure.  I am at 299 for RTTY DXCC and would like to get RTTY Honor Roll with all Baudot QSO's.  BTW if there is a GD reading this that I have worked (I have worked at least four) who did not send a card please send a QSL card and that will get me to 300.  I have been in GD, and almost spent Christmas there one year as they were about to close the air[port due to bad wx, but never got a card returned.

No, Jim, I don't think RTTY has given up the battle.

BTW we had over 120 people at the RTTY Forum this year - a record, I believe.  None of the audience looked like zombies to me.
  
Frank Fallon........  N2FF