[RTTY] The "age" thing, and the 599 issue

[Phil Cooper]

Hi all,

Just been looking back at past JARTS logs, and interestingly, there has
really been that many "young-un's" in past years either.
I have seen a few from the top end disappear, but it would appear that
although we aren't really seeing the young-un's joining in, we are getting
an influx of folk new to the joys of RTTY that are in their 40's and 50's.
I am sure that todays' twenty-something's will be the new folk on RTTY in 10
or 20 years time! Well, we can hope, anyway.

I did get a couple of 599-73-73 73, which was amusing, and I will be more
than happy if I am still entering RTTY contests at such an age! I'll
probably be sitting on a commode, hands shaking, trying to press the right
buttons, and then trying to remember why I am sitting there.

I think I had one good response from a YL station in JARTS: GU0SUP TU 599 00
73 88 DE XX1XX !!
And no, I didn't ask for a repeat!

As for the 599 or even 5NN, well, I don't mind it, as it does provide a
buffer between callsign and what you want to hear.
In CW, (yup! I do play that too!), it gets your brain ready for what is to
come next.
And even those contests that specify that NO RST IS NEEDED, there are still
plenty of folk that send it anyway.
I would prefer 599, rather than 5NN, though! I just assume that anyone
sending 5NN is a CW convert to RTTY, or someone who doesn't understand how
RTTY works! Same as those guys that send PSK in all capital letters!
My guess is that some of them never bother with half the knobs and dials on
their rigs because they don't understand what it can do for them!

Ain't RTTY fun!!

73 de Phil GU0SUP




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