[RTTY] Take Two RTTY Exchange

[Bill Turner]

On 1/16/2012 6:13 AM, Richard Cariello wrote:
> Bill W6WRT,
> I am just getting back into RTTY myself and greatly enjoying the mode.
> I am wondering why you are signing as the other station:
> ME:    K1XX 599<EXCH>  <EXCH>  K1XX
>
> I would use:
> ME:    k1xx 599<exch>  <exch>  w6wrt (your callsign)
> If conditions are bad then double the callsigns as needed to make the QSO.
>
> Rich AA2MF
>
Hi Rich: Here's my thinking:

1. Since K1XX answered my CQ, he already knows my callsign. There is no 
need to send it again at this point. I will send it later at the end of 
the QSO with the TU macro.

2. I sent his callsign at the start of my macro so he (and others on 
frequency) know my response is for K1XX.

3. In a busy contest, often the first part of my reply will be covered 
by QRM, so I send K1XX at the end also. When K1XX sees his own callsign 
at the end of the message, it just confirms that the message is for him. 
He will not be confused by thinking the message is signed by K1XX, 
obviously.

and (perhaps most important of all)

3. It tells other stations that may have called me that this message is 
for K1XX and not them. If part of the message is covered by QRM or QRN 
and they see ONLY my exchange and my callsign, they might think the 
message is for them. If they already know my callsign, as they should if 
they called me, and if they only see K1XX and not my callsign, they will 
know the message is not for them.

This style I would only use during a contest. When DXing or ragchewing I 
use the more conventional K1XX DE W6WRT on every transmission. This 
style may appear odd to a new contester but with a little experience 
they understand and catch on quickly.

Make sense?

73, Bill W6WRT