[RTTY] Take Two RTTY Exchange

[Hank Garretson]

Ho Boy! I really, really swatted the hornets nest with this one. Yee Haw.

I started this thread by saying that, as a reasonably well-known six in
California with a reasonable signal, I *usually* send 599 CA instead of 599
CA CA. I have a macro key to send more than one CA if circumstances
dictate. I also said with 1250 contacts, I got only four requests to repeat
my state.

Hmmmm lets see if he had 623 contacts and lost 11 because of errors I
> wonder how many mults he had.


The 623 contacts were in 2011. I lost one mult because *I* miscopied the
number from a DX station. This multiplier loss had nothing to do with me
sending 599 CA.

As I stated, only two guys miscopied CA. Three guys miscopied my call. Five
guys miscopying me out of 623 contacts (0.8%) isn't bad. I don't lose
points if the other guy miscopies, although I consider it my responsibility
to help him get it right.

so I'll take the couple milli sec lost per contact to
> not  loose them pts.
>

It's more than a couple milliseconds. One sixty-WPM Baudot character takes
163 ms. To send an extra CA takes 489 ms. For a 1500-QSO effort, sending
599 CA instead of 599 CA CA saves 12 minutes.

Granted, we're not talking huge numbers, but for a serious effort, an extra
twelve minutes can be important. And, there's more to it than the time. In
a contest, you want to make hay when the sun shines. During a hot run, you
want to show people you know how to work fast--stations are more likely to
stick around for a second or third try if they know you can take care of
business. It's all part of the contest game and calculus.

That reminds me I forgot to send in my log because I only made under 50
> contacts I wonder how many total pts I caused people to loose in the 10 mtr
> rtty  contest
>

Not sending in your log will not cause others to get dinged. Indeed,
submitting your log could have just the opposite effect, if someone in your
log miscopied your call or exchange. No matter, always send in your log--it
makes for better log checking.

As W0YK very correctly points out, there are many variables to maximizing
your score. These variables have different weights for each operator and
station and additionally change for each operator during the course of a
contest.

The W6SX Rule: The first rule of contesting is to have fun.

Each of wants to maximize his fun meter. Some want to win overall, some
want to beat their buddies, some want new band-states or countries, some
want to contribute to their club score, ... Each of us will go at it in
different ways. There is no one right way.

Contest Exuberantly,

Hank, W6SX

Mammoth Lakes, California

Elevation 8083 feet in John Muir's Range of Light