[RTTY] What causes RTTY with longish character spacing?

[Joe Subich, W4TV]

Jim, 

> Every now and then during a RTTY contest, I hear a station 
> that sounds like they are typing the characters as they go, 
> such that the letters get printed more slowly than if they 
> had been sent out automatically (in one "burst").  But the 
> spacing between the letters is too regular for it to be just 
> someone typing in real-time.

I believe those stations have (accidentally?) moved the 
"Char wait" and/or "Diddle Wait" sliders in MMTTY from 
the left most positions.  If I recall correctly, "Char 
Wait" will add extra space between characters. 

The comments pointing to "Strict BPS" in microHAM Router 
are off the mark.  "Strict BPS" will slow down the RTTY 
marginally as the Eltima Driver used in Router treats all 
data as 8-bit codes (start, 8 data bits, one stop bit) ... 
this results in Baudot/ITA2 (a 5 bit code) which normally 
consists of 7.5 bits (start, 5 data bits, 1.5 stop bits) 
being sent with 10 bits (start, 5 data bits and 4 stop 
bits).  "Strict BPS" is only needed with some software 
(like Writelog's RTTYrite or MMTTY without the "Limiting 
Speed" setting) that does not pace character output in 
FSK. 

73, 

   ... Joe, W4TV 
  



> -----Original Message-----
> From: rtty-bounces at contesting.com 
> [mailto:rtty-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Jim Reisert AD1C
> Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 3:27 PM
> To: RTTY Reflector
> Subject: [RTTY] What causes RTTY with longish character spacing?
> 
> 
> Every now and then during a RTTY contest, I hear a station 
> that sounds like they are typing the characters as they go, 
> such that the letters get printed more slowly than if they 
> had been sent out automatically (in one "burst").  But the 
> spacing between the letters is too regular for it to be just 
> someone typing in real-time.
> 
> Assuming no one is still using old (pre-computer) hardware, 
> what accounts for this?
> 
> 73 - Jim AD1C
> 
> -- 
> Jim Reisert AD1C, <jjreisert at alum.mit.edu>, 
> http://www.ad1c.us _______________________________________________
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