[RTTY] Contest Operating

[Bill, W6WRT]

ORIGINAL MESSAGE:

On Mon, 5 Jan 2009 13:54:03 -0800 (PST), John Netro <n9wvm at yahoo.com>
wrote:

>
>What is the right way for CGing, answer a C G and sending the exchange?  I don't see the correct way in your email, and does this go for all digi modes?
> 
>I am new to contesting and I don't want to do it wrong
> 
>When I answered a CG I sent his call twice de my call twice or I would de my call twice
> 
>The exchange I sent his call once de my call once 599 In In

REPLY:

When you said "CG" I assume you meant "CQ", right?

I recommend CQing like this:

CQ <name of contest> W6WRT W6WRT CQ

For example, CQ RU W6WRT W6WRT CQ

You don't need the "DE", everyone knows the CQ is from you. Also,
putting the CQ at the end is highly recommended because it alerts
someone tuning you in halfway through that you are CQing and not
calling another station. That way they can answer immediately instead
of waiting through another cycle  to see which one  you are doing. 

When answering someone else's CQ, just send your call twice or three
times. There is no need to send his call except in the very rare case
where two stations are CQing on the same frequency and not hearing
each other. Even then, I would rather pass them by and come back
later. Too much confusion.

When the CQing station answers you back send your exchange like this:

W1XX TU 599 CA CA W6WRT

That tells him three things:  1. You got his call correct.  2. You
received his exchange.  3. It sends your exchange and it lets him see
your call one more time just in case two stations are calling him at
once. Sending your info twice (CA CA) is good because if you send it
only once, he can not always detect a garbled character (CO instead of
CA for example).  

Also - VERY IMPORTANT - please put one <enter> command at the start of
each macro and one <space> at the end of each macro. DO NOT put an
<enter> at the end of any macro. That causes your print to scroll up
the screen just as the other station is trying to click on it. Very
frustrating! Putting the <enter> at the start assures your macro will
start on a new line and not be word-wrapped part way through. Also
very frustrating.

Hope this helps. Welcome to RTTY contesting, the best part of the
greatest hobby.   :-)

Bill, W6WRT