[RTTY] I need to ask !

[Jerry Flanders]

At 08:59 AM 1/18/2007, Russell Blair wrote:
>...
>Question : What do I gain by connecting it to ... other program that 
>displayes the radio on the
>PC monitor. I'm not trying to be a wise guy but if it
>can help me in contesting better more S&P, or just
>calling CQ contest I need you input. C U-ALL in the
>next RTTY contest. Russell NC5O

Hi Russell

Thanks for the 15 and 20 M Q's in the RU.

I don't see much reason to simply duplicate the radio's screen on the 
monitor, but when you add a genuine contesting program to the radio, 
new things become possible.

With Writelog, while connected to the cluster, you can just click on 
a callsign on the "bandmap" and the radio will immediately tune to 
it. You could do this back and forth among a few calls to find one 
that is not busy, work him, move to the next, etc.

While tuning around in S&P mode, you can click on the call of a 
printed station if he is busy and put him on your bandmap or into one 
of your memories so you could easily return to him later.

If you print a station you have already worked, his call sign prints 
in red to immediately let you know to move on. Same for the bandmap 
display - different colors.

I mostly call CQ and work whoever calls, so there are probably other 
S&P mode features that I haven't discovered yet.

Log submissions are simplified - most can be prepared for submission 
by WL or any good contesting program in a few mins at most. Same for 
LOTW submissions.

Unfortunate that WL doesn't have a time-limited demo mode. You have 
to pay up front just to try it out. www.writelog.com

The free contesting programs probably have all these function also. 
Nothing to lose but your time and a few bucks for an interface to try 
something like N1MM if you already have the computer and a compatible 
rig. http://pages.cthome.net/n1mm/ Even slow computers work OK.

Jerry W4UK