[RTTY] Re: Contest Happenings??

[Dick Kriss, AA5VU]

>> guys, give me a break! How long does it take to say TU?
> 
> I look for some kind of ACK too else how do I know you received my NR NR
> without hanging around to see if the next guy gets the next higher NR?
> 
> -- 
> 73,
> Peter Laws  
> N5UWY/9

I agree with Peter Laws comments.  Thanks to Chen, W7AY, the cocoaModem
contest macros worked great in the ARTG RTTY Sprint. I enjoyed having two
banks of macros for CQ and S&P.  I used both modes and worked the contest
with a only a few macros. One new item added to cocoaModem by W7AY was the
%X macro that would respond with the received report. This new macro really
helped with the ACK Peter mentioned.

When operating in the CQ mode, I would select (right mouse click) the
calling station's call and when his transmission ended I clicked on the Exch
macro. It would send the calling station's call and his report three times
followed by his call for him to transmit. Like others have said there was no
need for K at the end. I did go to school on the AA5AU tip to add a space
before the return at the end.

N5UWY/9 181 181 181 N5UWY/9

While the station was responding, I would mouse on his report (555 555) and
when he finished, I would click on my QSL macro. It would QSL or ACK his
report, thank him for the QSO and call QRZ for the next call.

N5UWY/9 QSL 555 ES TNX
QRZ de AA5VU 

I think the stations worked appreciated me ACKing their report.  Like Peter
said they could tell it was a good QSO and move on without having to stick
around for the next number..

When operating in the S&P mode, I used two macros.  I would respond to a CQ
using

DE AA5VU AA5VU

Note I retained the leading DE so it would take most of the hits. Ninety
percent of the stations would respond with my call and my report. I would
select the report with anohter mouse click and the cocoaModem Exch macro
would then send his call, ACK his report and send his report three times.

N5UWY/9 TNX 555 UR 181 181 181 de AA5VU

Most of the time the calling station would respond with a TNX 181 or TU and
call QRZ for the next contact. A few ask for the report again and there was
another repeat macro for that purpose.

Soapbox: Some people were still sending 559 and 579  RST reports and some of
the programs failed to send spaces.  It made it hard to select calls and
reports - like DEK0LIDK0LID and 123123.  I noticed this several times and
there must be some software package that was failing to send the space.

Off the soapbox.  The contest was fun and W7AY's Mac OSX cocoaModem software
made it even better. TNX to all for the contest Q's. I learn something new
in each contest. Will try to tighten up the exchanges next time.


73 de Dick, AA5VU