[RTTY] Pet Peeve # 2

[Bill Turner]

On Mon, 18 Oct 2004 10:11:32 -0500, FireBrick wrote:

>And I've learned a while ago to start buffers with a CR to separate my signal from the 
>chaff

Very important.  New guys, listen up!


>I no longer use - between rst and sn

Also very important.  Using the hyphen in your exchange destroys the
working of UnShift On Space (USOS) and will cause many requests for
repeats when conditions are poor.  The best way is like this:

W9OL 599 61 61 DE W6WRT

Not like this:

W9OL 599-61-61 DE W6WRT

Don't believe it?  Try the next contest without hyphens and see if you
get fewer requests for repeats.  USOS is a subtle concept and I don't
blame anyone for not understanding it at first.  

The original RTTY contesting program, RTTY by WF1B, came with buffers
which used hyphens, unfortunately, and the habit has stuck ever since.

Trust me on this: NOT using hyphens will improve your exchanges. 

Thank goodness nobody uses the slash (/) anymore.  That was a REAL
nightmare.  :-) 

--
Bill W6WRT