[RTTY] question re: MTTY, N1MM sound (tone) in your headphones

[Mike & Coreen Smith VE9AA]

Hey RTTY contesters
sorry if this is long winded, but couldn’t figure out
how to condense this much. (hi)

 

This is Mike VE9AA in NB
..

 

IC7410, AFSK(via USB to rig), MMTTY, N1MM. (LSB-d mode on radio, which has a
monitoring level volume control)

 

OK, so after doing +20 RTTY contests in the past 2½ years I think I am
finally getting the hang of RTTY contesting (kind of) but I have maybe a
really stupid question re: the frequency tone(s) I am hearing in my
headphones.  I like to hear who I am working. I can’t turn the volume off.
Wouldn’t be contesting to me.  Being a longtime CW and SSB op, it doesn’t
particularly bother me to have the volume up loud (probably too loud) for
long stretches and I still have good hearing @ age 50
.but I digress.

 

I found (I think?) I must have had the AFC enabled in all contests in 2010
thru 2013 and so practically every QSO while running, the tone was
different/changing as it tunes in the various callers.  This is *MOST*
annoying.   Also, I had headaches and a weird buzzing ringing in my ears
after 10-20 hrs of rtty contesting.  A couple times I was actually a bit
dizzy for the entire day following a contest with an odd thumping in my
head, which I would have a hard time describing.  I can do 24 hrs in the
chair on CW @ 33wpm with no ill effects.

 

I had to find a better way.

 

OK, so for the recent ARRL RTTY Roundup I think I now have the AFC shut off,
so every caller, if they are on my frequency, are the same tone. 

 This is (almost) heaven.  The tone(s) is still way too high for my liking,
however, at least it’s the same tone for every QSO.

 

The problem is, not every caller is bang on my frequency, and I flatly
refuse to go chasing them with my RIT on the IC7410, because in fine tune
mode, I have to spin the wee RIT knob many many many times to find them.  By
the time I do, they have stopped calling.  RIT is out.  2nd VFO is out.  I
don’t like callers off frequency, so I programmed a macro in the ‘Roundup’
to say “ take off your RIT and please call me on my frequency”. (I could’ve
said AFC I suppose, but most hams would know what RIT was, compared to some
(like me) that may not know about AFC)

 

I apologize if anyone thought this macro was rude, but it got my point
across.  About 50% of callers “instantly” came to my frequency and 50% found
other people to call after several tries. (Again, I apologize
.)

 

So, to recap.

Can I leave AFC off and RUN stations? (or S&P for that matter)

Is there any way to have the tone in my ears even lower in frequency than
what it might be? (700Hz would be nice)

 

Does any of this make sense? 

 

I’ve done some reading on some RTTY contesting sites and didn’t see this
specifically mentioned, but surely I can’t be that odd that I am the only
one this bothers.   I don’t particularly “need” to do RTTY contesting, but
got into it on lark a couple years ago and I know some of you appreciate the
MAR or NB surprise mult at times, so have stuck with it, if for nothing
else, just to give it to the deserving.  If I am to continue, I need to
hammer this out.

 

Comments? Suggestions?

 

Thanks much, 

 

Mike VE9AA (NB)

 

Mike, Coreen & Corey

Keswick Ridge, NB