[RTTY] NCJ North American RTTY Sprint This Saturday!

[Ed Muns]

The fall edition of the NA RTTY Sprint runs Saturday evening (NA time), from
00-04z Sunday, 14 October.  Besides being a lot of fun, its a great
opportunity to tune up your RTTY operating skills.  And, it only takes 4
hours out of your weekend!

If you find the pileups difficult or the QSY rule confusing, try this.  Move
a bit off frequency from the concentration of greatest activity and call CQ.
There will be lots of stations wanting to get your callsign in their log.
Just set your two VFOs about 10 kHz apart (at least more than 5 kHz to meet
the QSY rule) and alternate between them, calling CQ on one frequency and
swapping VFOs after you work someone.  Be sure, of course, to check the new
frequency to be sure it is vacant.  If it has a QSO going on, you can either
call the remaining station or tune off to a clear frequency and call CQ
again.

Although this is less efficient than working "couplets" on each frequency by
first getting through the pileup, there is at least one example of the CW
Sprint being won by a station who did exactly this technique of always
calling CQ and never calling a station first.

In any case, don't let the Sprint format intimidate you.  Your reward will
be a fun four hours and improvement in your operating technique.

73,
Ed - W0YK
NCJ NA RTTY Sprint Manager
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Ed Muns
www.ncjweb.com/contests.php