[RTTY] CQ WPX RTTY Contest

[Ed Muns]

The 2009 CQ WPX RTTY contest is coming up soon, on 14-15 February.  Rules
are in the January issue of CQ Magazine and on the web site,
www.cqwpxrtty.com.

Please read through the rules carefully.  We've tried to make the wording
consistent with the CW/SSB rules where the intent was similar.  And where
the rules were slightly different for no significant reason, we've
converged.  There are still a few rules where RTTY is significantly
different than CW/SSB: States/VE areas as mults, Packet in all categories,
30-hour limit for SO, single transmitter for MS.  So, while there have been
no major changes for 2009, there are some subtle changes from past WPX RTTY
rules that should be noted.  For example:

1.  The band-change limit for MS and M2 is increased to 8 per hour.

2.  Low Power limit is reduced to 100 watts.

3.  Single-band entries have been added to the Low Power category.

4.  The Rookie category has been eliminated.

5.  The SWL category has been removed but volunteers from the SWL community
are working on log-check software which may allow us to publish SWL results
anyway.  Check my next WPX RTTY posting in a week or two for an update.

6.  Added Spanish and Asiatic Russian call areas to awards.

As sometimes happens with a set of changes, an inadvertent contradiction
crept in for the M2 category.  The serial numbering is specified two
different ways, so either is acceptable for 2009.  The intention was for
both M2 and MM logs to have serial number sequences per band.
Unfortunately, in the Exchange paragraph of the rules, a typo states M2
should have one serial number sequence for the complete log, same as MS.
This will be corrected in the 2010 rules.

In addition, K4GMH, CQ RTTY contest plaque manager, has added a web page to
both the WPX RTTY and WW RTTY web sites to show sponsored plaques.  Please
consider sponsoring one or more plaques, either as an individual or by your
club, in support of the CQ RTTY contests.  AA5AU has begun the arduous
process of setting up the Results and Records web pages on the CQ RTTY web
sites.  Look for enhancements to this as we move forward.  Finally, thanks
to K5ZD for setting up the CQ RTTY contest web sites.

Start making plans for WPX RTTY.  There will surely be another increase in
participation which in turn increases fun for all!

Ed - W0YK