[RTTY] A glimpse into the future...

[Robert Chudek - K0RC]

The debate regarding SO1R / SOnR got me looking down the road. (No, I'm not moving.) In the future, these terms may become totally irrelevant. I'm going to lighten this up a little bit. Here's my summary of the current "state of the art" and what I see the distant future of radiosport might hold for us.

John, WA9ALS asked about CW and SSB contesting in relation to our discussion of operator/station classifications. In my mind, there is no doubt the digital modes lead the way and are poised to move ahead more quickly into full station automation. I would categorize CW next and SSB last.  My definition of "full station automation" is probably different than you're thinking. It is not auto tune amplifiers, electronic band switching, packet spotting, rotor controllers, CAT control, etc.

For my context of automation, I am talking about adding artificial intelligence to the game.

The current RTTY contesting software will both decode and log contest exchanges. Minimal operator intervention is needed when compared to CW or SSB. The RTTY operator turns the knob to the next signal and pushes a key. A digital contest exchange is actually diligently orchestrated button pushing or mouse clicking.

CW contesting currently requires an operator to decode and provide input to the logging software. Although CW decoders are available, they are not effective in a contest situation. SSB trails these other two modes in available automation. Voice recognition could be put to the task but, again, I believe this would be more difficult to implement than the digital or CW modes. Sure, there are voice keyers, but they do nothing on the receiving end of the circuit.

For example, when operating a CW and SSB contest the software does not fill in the sending callsign and contest exchange. This concept is unique to digital modes. Don't confuse packet spots as automation. This source of information does not come through the HF receiver.

Now, imagine a software defined radio receiving and decoding multiple RTTY sub-bands. This is already done on PSK in the audio passband, as was pointed out in another message thread. The next evolutionary step would be to implement a SDR that will monitor all 5 digital contest bands simultaneously. As the digital signals come and go, your SDR will receive them.

Side note: Hey, there goes packet spotting out the window! Why would you need packet spots when you already are receiving EVERY signal that can be heard at your QTH?

The digital data from your SDR would then be fed into a computer to analyze and manage the multiple data streams. No receiver tuning would be required! A single computer system might be running the SDR and the contesting software. Basically you would turn on your system and let the "Mini-Borg" collect all the signals and data.

Managing dozens of data channels simultaneously is a task best suited to a system that can analyze data and effect the most efficient response scenario. Contesting could become the sport of the expert programmers! One programmers algorithm might be more efficient than another. I can visualize the NCJ ads now, "Assimilate your competition by turning your Mini-Borg into a Maxi-Borg with our HAL 2000 contest module!"

Then, within minutes of the contest end, logs would be submitted and the results would be tallied. You would receive an SMS ping on your cellphone letting you know how your NO1R (no operator, one radio) station fared against all the others. Imagine all the time a system like this will free up for you!

Sound improbable, impossible??? Let's see... man has flown, harnessed the atom, walked on the moon, deployed a rover on Mars...

73 de Bob - K0RC