[RTTY] Contest Happenings??

[Jerry Flanders]

RST is not required in the BARTG Sprint.

You must be somehow using WL differently than I am. My WriteLog module does 
not send it automatically - in fact, my exchange is set entirely within my 
memory macros. I sent no RST at all, but around a third of the guys sent 
them to me.

I agree both ends need some sort of a QSL. When I am running I send a TU 
and his name if it is in the list, followed by my next CQ. No extended 
"thanks" phrase or even a QSL - everybody seems to accept "TU" as a QSO 
terminator.

The bands were the worst I can remember. On top of that, I didn't check the 
station out prior to the contest and found that when I tried to fire it up 
just minutes before the contest one station in my SO2R setup couldn't 
operate because its computer wouldn't boot! Never did get it working for 
the contest, but I patched its' antennas to the operating station and 
worked SO1R. But later in the day my 40+15 meter antenna died just when I 
needed 40! Most trouble I ever had in a single contest.

Found out after the contest the CPU socket retainer had busted and the CPU 
had unseated. Cheap plastic!

Jerry W4UK

At 19:34 1/24/05, Roger Cooke wrote:
>Hi.
>
>   The poor propagation in the BARTG Sprint contest presented some
>difficulties with exchanges.
>I realise that the ubiquitous use of 599 is now more or less accepted,
>but I was quite pleased
>in one way to receive 449 from one station. Unfortunately the Writelog
>module does not allow any
>change from the 599 that is automatically sent. I could never quite
>see why the report was used
>owing to this fact, something that the Sprint obviously takes into
>account.
>
>   I realise I am making waves here, but should we not consider this in
>future contests? What is
>the point of sending 599 when we all know that both columns in the
>contest log are going to say
>599? It really is a waste of time. This is probably designed with
>"saving time" in mind?
>
>   One thing I noted in the Sprint from about half a dozen (if that)
>stations was when a station
>was running a freq. I called, he came back and issued his exchange. I
>returned and issued mine.
>As soon as I went back to receive he was calling CQ again, no QSL, TU,
>Have a nice day, kiss my
>butt or anything. This really p....d me off and I insisted on one
>station giving me an acknowledgement
>of my number. I know I am a GOM now I have reached 65 but come on
>guys, give me a break! How long
>does it take to say TU? Are we that hell bent on saving time?  RTTY is
>the last bastion of gentlemanly
>behaviour and friendship, let's not spoil that!
>
>   Does anybody else share my grief? Am I the only Luddite on the air?
>
>Having said all that, I did exchange a few niceties with old friends
>and must admit that the few that
>did not bother to acknowledge were far outweighed by the majority!
>It's still an enjoyable mode.
>
>  But what do YOU think about sending either a genuine RST or nothing
>at all?
>
>
>73 de Roger G3LDI GOM, BOF + Bar
>rcooke at g3ldi.freeserve.co.uk
>g3ldi at amsat.org
>g3ldi at qsl.net
>g3ldi at gb7ldi.#35.gbr.eu