[RTTY] RTTY Digest, Vol 134, Issue 50

[James C. Hall, MD]

Hi Salvo:

Great post ! Thanks so much for your great advice. I look forward to being
the 'fox' !

73, Jamie
WB4YDL

-----Original Message-----
From: RTTY [mailto:rtty-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Salvatore Irato
Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 10:18 AM
To: RTTY Reflector
Subject: Re: [RTTY] RTTY Digest, Vol 134, Issue 50

Great questions Jamie!
You have had already great answers.But, from the lower standpoint of my
small experience I would just add something, as I would also like to have
answers from the group here.
Hope not to be annoying for anybody. Even if those written aren't real
advices. That's just "some" of my personal thoughts.

About the attempt to use MMVARI as a the main window, it's a nightmare.
You need to have something to transmit - FSK or AFSK - MMVARI IS AFSK if
standalone (memory?), EXTFSK is not an viable option  - and set the whole
thing shifting forth and back, looking at the lines ticketing call and
noise. MMVARI will not run in a secondary DI window. Also MMVARY ticketing
screen mean that you have to use a large filter in RX. How to maintain a
decent AGC signals suppression and still having large bandwidth? Maybe using
no AGC or ultra fast AGC. The first method require to use RF gain. The
second may not get the point, anyway.
In any case you must get acquainted to the whole configuration well before
the event, isn't?

About the use of more demodulators: what's the target?
Do you think you would have to deal weak and evanescent signals at most?
Do you think that different demodulators may give you a decent advantage
over AFC engagement, signals shredding and so on? (Oh, yes.) Do you have
enough screen real estate to open and look at two or more DI windows on
yours screen? (3 is better for any weak to strong kind of signals). I agree
with the Ed's idea about different filters on different 2Tone DI windows,
that's the way. All things must be showing all automatically and you made
the choice on the fly.

About call stacking.
I would use it - just in case, I wish to be prepared to use - with the Band
Map stacking method for  N1MM Logger. Changing the F4 "TU NOW"
ESM macro as the normal answer macro, whatever it is. Not to loose time
sending the NW now, but still having a double line in any answer from the
manually stored - program automated GRAB from the Band Map. Hum, two lines,
this will be shown on air.
(CFLF)
 TU IW1AYD(Space-CRLF)
IZ1TNL IZ1TNL 599 IZ1TNL(Space)
This will motivate people observing the pile up to come on other and call
all together, I would not use call stacking this way.
Maybe you could do it separating line leaving a strict close, but this in
turn - a two stroke stack retrieval is almost unusable. It will cut the
calling time and you will not have the time to listen who is coming back.
But I'd never seen the two line answer in a DX pile up. So I would forget
about. But anything new could be tested why not ....
BTW 599 is not an interesting thing to be repeated, the answered call is the
most important. That's for you and all other, you dont want that IZ1TNL
usually coming back late from her calling routine miss her call sing in the
answer, That's is the worse relenting example, a good one, but shortest is:
(CRLF)IZ1TNL 599 IZ1TNL(Space). Keep up with a late incoming call sign, I
had always seen it as the better DX answer in a pile up.
The GRAB routines may alter the sense of any callsign and introduce errors
in between I see the QSO end, a valid grabbed call, and I click the GAB
macro.
The Band Map manual stacking is much more usable.

K3 + P3.
So manually search in the pile up via the P3, O yes, if the pile up is not
that largely spread you could easy move the P3 cursor off centre, left
maybe, and have a small span, let me say 6 KHz for the whole screen.
By doing this you would see who is calling and, with the right combination
of the two VFO or the second receiver. So being on a rock steady on the TX
QRG and look around driving the knob you could use, main or secondary,
depending on the configuration you are able to use inside the K3. Have a
tight filter is quite a must. The 250 Hz set up to 300 Hz or the 400 Hz also
set up to 300 Hz with the filter menu of the K3.
By doing al this and getting acquainted you should be able to maintain a
good rate looking the P3, moving the know on relevant tracks or just on the
next, receiving the incoming call and answer that lucky one.
All, the P3 and the whole on screen decoders windows must be in focus,
better not to shift eyes that much or, worse, lay around the head.
Your focus must be on the screen, there is the actions. Your left hand on
the RX QRG knob, your right hand on the mouse. Get acquainted, it's like to
play a big musical instrument.

Some more macro ... have UP at the end of each QSO close is the must.
Another one to say SPREAD UP X-Y quite also. Then remember to say whatever
you will do, QRX, QRT, QSY and so on via any macro. there is plenty of space
into N1MM Logger to place macros you would need. Do it also on the run, it's
easy after all making correction on the fly, if you think that the plot you
are living may require it a second time.
Also some CAT commands may be needed, i.e. filters switching to RTTY audio
tones on/off for desperate cases of weak signals.
Don't hesitate to use CALL JA1?? CALL or ONLY JA1??? ONLY, have a macro for
it an write JA1?? onto the input filed manually. that's in case of elusive
signals or in a ferocious pile up where signals are shredding each one
anyone other and there is no way to say SPREAD UP.
Or in some other cases.

You would need to get acquainted with it all before, any solution that you
will pursue also on air, as to use it all with a sense of persistent and
clever timings in between repeated actions. This would control the pile up
much better than words.

Well, sorry for the long and noisy rants, but this is what I may suggest and
even more, a lot, could be done I am pretty sure. I write here to the list
just to have some more advices and suggestions. Also for myself. TU in
advance.

Last but not least, Jamie, by any mean: have fun and delight yourself and
us. Any show is the right way to understand how to be there.
Enjoy.

         73 de iw1ayd Salvo

PS I'd never was on P49, but I was there from my side attempting to and it
was a pleasure. Often well operated pile up are a great time to learn how to
do it. Well, also not so well operated pile up, just to understand
differences, isn't? Not any place, not any time, not any operator is the
same. that's part of ours pleasure with the hobby.
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