[RTTY] Point-and-click vs typing

[Mike]

Hello,

To "add" to the discussion, a single computer is used for my all my amateur
operating, including contest SO2R.  Running on two radios, each on a
different band and interlacing the QSOs so only one transmitter is on the
air at a time, is my preferred RTTY contest operating.

Writelog plus Fkeys S/W are used with MMTTY and 2 Tone decoders for each
radio.  Guesstimate 90% of all QSOs are made using just a multi-key
wireless mouse (Logitech M510).  From time to time, entries via the
keyboard have to be made.  Fortunately, only the right hand has to move
from the mouse to the keyboard should an entry using the right hand be
necessary and then return to where the mouse was left on the mouse pad.
The right hand can stay on the mouse if a left hand keyboard entry is
needed.

You could operate a contest with just the keyboard although doubt if you
could with just a mouse.  However, being proficient in data entry,
manipulation, using either the keyboard and, to a large extent the mouse,
will definitely increase your enjoyment of RTTY contesting.

  73,
  Mike, K4GMH




On Sat, Oct 4, 2014 at 11:59 PM, Don Hill AA5AU <aa5au at bellsouth.net> wrote:

> Ditto... Ed has it right and his scores prove it.
>
> Switching the same keyboard and/or mouse between two PCs is a huge waste
> of time and effort. Running SO2R with separate keyboards is
> actually ergonomic since you can relax your hands at the base of each
> keyboard when no action is required at a particular time. It's
> this small amount of "rest" that is actually particularly important,
> especially when you start to age! A continuous effort of
> switching between PCs or in the case of a single PC, switching the focus
> between two radios is energy consuming and therefore
> counter-productive to efficient SO2R or SO3R operation.
>
> 73, Don AA5AU
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: RTTY [mailto:rtty-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Ed Muns
> Sent: Saturday, October 04, 2014 10:48 PM
> To: rtty at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [RTTY] Point-and-click vs typing
>
> Multiplicity and other KVM switches are inadequate for one-PC/radio
> contesting.  The context switching overhead kills the ability to
> run multiple radios effectively, efficiently and fast in high-rate
> contesting.
> Yes, KVMs "work", but that's not nearly good enough for this application.
>
> In SO2R RTTY contesting, for example, I have one hand on the keyboard
> associated with each radio.  I can time and synchronize runs
> on each radio with a single key press.  There is no time available to also
> be doing context switching for every key press, to move
> the UI from one PC to another.  That effectively doubles the amount of key
> presses or actions needed to accomplish the same results.
> It is an unnecessary additional action that has to be made thousands of
> times during a weekend's contest.
> Furthermore, it is far too easy to inadvertently wind up on the wrong PC.
> With distinct, separate keyboards/trackballs/LCDs, that seldom, if ever,
> happens.
>
> If I wanted to run SO2R from a single UI (keyboard/mouse/monitor), I'd
> simply use the native SO2R capability built into the contest
> logging software.
>
> KVM make sense when the amount of typing or key presses on each PC is far
> greater than the key presses, or other action, to switch
> between PCs.  That is not the case in radio sport.
>
> Ed W0YK
>
> ------------------------------------------------------
>
> Michael N1EN wrote:
>
> If you're using one-computer-per-radio and are using Windows, take a look
> at Multiplicity (http://edgerunner.com/multiplicity)
>
> Multiplicity is a virtual KVM switch.  You run it on two or more
> computers, and it allows you to take mouse and keyboard input from
> one computer to drive multiple computers connected via IP.  Properly set
> up, the effect is similar to having multiple monitors on
> your desk.
>
> I've been using it for years.  It isn't necessarily intuitive to set up,
> and I have had an occasional glitch, but it beats having
> multiple keyboards and multiple mice/trackballs if you have to use
> multiple computers.
>
> Warning: if using it for with shack computers that will be doing digital
> modes, I recommend disabling audio-sharing between
> computers in Multiplicity.
>
> There is (was?) also a free, multi-platform program called Synergy that
> claims to do much the same thing.  I tried it several years
> ago; at that time it had issues, but if it's still around and actively
> maintained, I suspect it has improved.
>
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