[RTTY] AFSK vs FSK question

[Bill, W6WRT]

ORIGINAL MESSAGE:

On Sun, 4 Oct 2009 17:38:27 -0400, David VE3VID <ve3vid at hotmail.com> wrote:

>
>I'm just getting started in RTTY.  Is AFSK just a problem to make work?  AFSK RTTY sounds alot like PSK?   My Kenwood TS450 does FSK, is it better to invest in the hardware for RTTY (KAM etc) than struggle with AFSK.

REPLY:

Nearly all the long-timeRTTY'ers will tell you FSK is the best way to go, all
things considered. It is true that AFSK can do some things FSK can not such as
NET operation, but the ease of FSK more than makes up for it for most ops.

As for using a KAM or other TNC, the MMTTY software program will do as good or
better job than all but the very high-end units like the HAL ST-8000. It beats
the pants off a KAM or AEA or similar mid-range TNC. I have run MMTTY in side by
side tests against most hardware TNCs over the years and except for the ST-8000,
MMTTY always comes out on top when signals are weak or covered by QRM and QRN.
And it's free.   :-)

You can buy ready-made interface cables for the PTT and FSK control signals, or
you can make your own. The MMTTY help files have all the info needed for
homebrew cables. I have homebrew cables I built back in the '90s and have been
using ever since on many different rigs and computers. 

You will also need a cable for VFO control of you rig, but that one is not
unique to RTTY. It is the same cable for CW and SSB. See your rig's owners
manual for details.

Hope this helps.

73, Bill W6WRT