[RTTY] NA RTTY Sprint Saturday

[Tim Richardson]

WOW! My first time participating in the NA RTTY Sprint and it sure took 
me a while to get my act together tonight.

The first thing I found out is that it's not real easy to rapidly QSY 
and tune in another station using FSK mode and a 400 Hz filter. I can 
only see one station at a time on the waterfall. I had never used AFSK 
before, but quickly learned how and completed the contest in that mode. 
It was much easier being able to see several stations on the waterfall 
and being able to click on them to tune and let AFC take care of things.

Secondly, after participating in CQ WPX and the NAQP, I am more 
convinced that Logger32 is not the right software to be using for a 
contest other than for a casual effort. I found it a little clunky and 
time consuming to log the exchange. And of course there is no way to 
export a Cabrillo log which requires a little more effort on my part.

Altogether, it was a fun learning experience. I only managed to work 34 
stations in 23 states and 1 province...mostly on 40 meters. I think my 
next main effort will be to download N1MM logger and install it and 
spend some time learning it in preparation for the next RTTY contest. 
And then I need to work on getting my 80 meter dipole back in the trees.

Tim W4IOU

On 3/6/2013 4:33 PM, Ed Muns wrote:
> Please join the NA RTTY Sprint this Saturday NA time (00-04 UTC Sunday, 10
> March).  The format is a lot of fun and doesn't take much of out of the
> weekend from other activities.  Teams add to the fun, so be sure and join
> one ... or organize one yourself!
>
> If the QSY format is intimidating, just find a clear frequency and call CQ.
> The QSY rule requires that you move after each QSO from a CQ, but you don't
> have to win a "jump ball" or pileup on another CQing station.  The CW Sprint
> was won one year by a station who alternated between two frequencies, always
> calling CQ, so there are different ways of operating in Sprint.  Use what
> works best for you.  For example, if you are QRP or Low Power, or
> propagationally-challenged, then calling CQ at the fringes of the major
> activity will work well.  Stations will find you because they need your QSO!
> As a band gets worked out you will have more success answering others' CQ.
>
> There will be a practice this Friday evening:
>
> 0230-0300 UTC Saturday
>
>
> This will provide a way to test station, software and operator.  Follow the
> regular NA Sprint rules (http://www.ncjweb.com/sprintrules.php).
>
> Submit your log immediately afterward as the log deadline is only 7 days and
> it is easy to get distracted later in the week.  Upload your Cabrillo format
> log file at http://www.ncjweb.com/sprintlogsubmit.php.  Preliminary results
> will be posted at http://www.ncjweb.com/sprintrttyprelim.php within a day
> after the log deadline.  Official results are published in the May-June NCJ.
>
> 73,
> Ed - W0YK
> NCJ NA RTTY Sprint Manager
> ---------------------------------------------
> Ed Muns
> www.ncjweb.com/contests.php
>    
>
>
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