[RTTY] Active in the ARRL RTTY RU only?

[Jeff Stai WK6I]

At 02:26 PM 1/11/2006, Waldemar DK3VN wrote:
>what is the
>reason for it, that so many US-stations are active in the ARRL RTTY Round-Up
>only, but not in any other RTTY contest during the year?

my personal perception is that US activity took a huge jump upward 
this year from the previous two years - we'll know if that's right 
when we know how many logs get submitted.

A couple years ago the ARRL added club competition to the RU, which I 
do believe has caused clubs to actively promote the event more to 
their memberships - I know this has quite strongly been the case for 
my contest club. Add the "activity encourages activity" effect and it 
goes from there.

Other contests ought to see some gains as a side effect of RU 
popularity, as the ability to run RTTY is developed by more ops for 
RU, they will look for other ways to use it and practice it.

I have found that most ops who are only becoming aware of the "RTTY 
World" are amazed at the level of activity in contests they have never 
heard of. For example, even some relatively RTTY experienced ops in my 
club were a bit dumbfounded to hear that I worked 918 contacts in a 
casual effort in the 2005 JARTS, and after I explained what a "JARTS" 
was many of them vowed to show up for it next time.

So, now that we have them 'hooked' with the RU, I think it is 'simply' 
a matter of talking up some of these other contests to our contesting 
friends who are just starting to learn this mode, and showing them 
what is possible.

- jeff wk6i


--
Jeff Stai               jds at twistedoak.com
Twisted Oak Winery      http://www.twistedoak.com/
Rocketry Org. of CA     http://www.rocstock.org/
Amateur Radio           WK6I ~ Calaveras County, CA