[RTTY] WAE & QTC's

[Ken Anderson, N0AS]

Phil, thank you!  Your explanation really helped me a lot!

Hoping to give the contest a go this weekend. The only fly in the ointment now is that my antenna rotor is acting up. It only wants to turn CCW! 

Ken
Amateur Radio Callsign: N0AS

Irritating nearly everyone since 1956.

ARRL: arrl.org
Twin City DX Association: tcdxa.org
INDEXA: indexa.org
FISTS: fists.org
DMC: digital-modes-club.org

On Nov 7, 2011, at 1:55 PM, "Phil Cooper" <pcooper at guernsey.net> wrote:

> Ken and the group,
> 
> WAEDC is great fun, and you probably will find a new one there, or at the
> very least some new band-slots.
> 
> Firstly, take a look at http://www.guernsey.net/~pcooper/waedc.html where
> you will find some help on using N1MM with QTC's.
> However, I should say that I do not use N1MM (I use Writelog), so I cannot
> vouch for the accuracy of the info there.
> 
> Now to answer your questions:
> 
> Are QTC's generally sent with *each* QSO?
> ++++++Only for a contact with another continent, and then only when
> conditions allow it. There is no point trying to work me on 80m and
> exchanging QTC's. Wait till 20m is open, and do it there.
> The way the higher bands have been lately, we could probably do it happily
> on 10m.
> Note that you can only exchange QTC's with any given station ONCE. We can't
> exchange QTC's on each band, only one.
> 
> Will I be expected to send QTC's with each QSO? 
> ++++++Expect to get asked for QTC's. This usually occurs either with the
> exchange, or just after.
> For example, if I am CQ'ing, and you answer me, I will send TU 599 001 001
> ANY QTC FOR ME?
> You can then send RRR 599 002 002 PLS SEND QTC. (Maybe using two separate
> macro's).
> 
> Should I expect to receive QTC's with each QSO?
> ++++++Some people find it easier to send than to receive, but PLEASE make
> sure you know how to send any specific line requested.
> For example, if you send me 10 QTC's, I may get all but #8. In that case,
> when you have finished sending, I will send Number 8 AGN PLS.
> Make sure you know how to send #8, and ONLY '8, not the whole lot again. 
> Also, send it twice, as it is more likely to get through.
> If I get more than a few messed up, I may ask ALL AGN PLS.
> When I have them all OK, I will send RRR TU. Now YOU must "log" them as well
> as me.
> 
> If I'm understanding this right, the QSO's could be long by contest
> standards.
> ++++++Yes, it can, and it can be a pain when you are in S&P mode, only to
> find some nice DX, and then see them start to send QTC's! But, they will
> still be there in a few minutes, so go work someone else, and come back.
> 
> Some folk call CQ with the added bit saying they have QTC's.
> 
> You CAN work WAEDC without QTC's, but it will greatly affect your score.
> Each QTC is another point, so a batch of 10 QTC's is worth TEN points in
> addition to the contact itself.
> 
> What I do is to start on a band where I am not going to make DX (ie another
> continent) contacts, and build up a stock of contacts for later on when the
> bands open up a bit more. I will hope to have a few hundred in the log by
> this time, so I potentially have 20 QTC batches available to send.
> 
> Also, note that if you have just worked the 10th call in your log, you
> cannot send that QSO as a QTC to the person you are working. N1MM (and
> Writelog) will work this out, and only allow you to send 9.
> 
> The other important bit is the batch number of the QTC's you receive.
> You MUST log this as well. It is usually of the format 001/10.
> 
> If you use MMTTY as the RTTY interface with N1MM, then start MMTTY
> beforehand, and set it up to log all screen text. Got to File, then SCREEN
> TEXT TO FILE.
> This way, if you check your log after the contest and realise you missed
> some QTC data, it will be in the log file. I always have this set, as it is
> frequently very useful.
> 
> To give you an idea of the way QTC's help your score....
> Imagine you have made 10 contacts for 10 points. Your score would be 10 X 10
> = 100.
> Now imagine you have worked the same contacts, but had 10 QTC's from each.
> Now your score is (10+10) X 10 = 200.
> 
> So, check out my web page on the contest, and I hope that
> helps....................
> 
> I'll be there, and with QTC's, and more than happy to exchange them with
> you, either way.
> If it takes time, that's fine by me, and don't worry if you mess it up!
> 
> 73 de Phil GU0SUP
> 
> 
> 
> ---
> avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean.
> Virus Database (VPS): 111107-0, 07/11/2011
> Tested on: 07/11/2011 19:55:52
> avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2011 AVAST Software.
> http://www.avast.com
> 
> 
>