[RTTY] WHY put CQ at the end?

[Wes Cosand]

On Tue, Feb 17, 2015 at 2:15 PM, Jeff Stai <wk6i.jeff at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Tue, Feb 17, 2015 at 10:01 AM, Don Hill AA5AU <aa5au at bellsouth.net>
> wrote:
>
> > I think having CQ at the end of your CQ message facilitates you being
> > spotted by a skimmer but this is not exactly know even after
> > reading the RTTY Skimmer user manual located here:
> >
> > http://www.dxatlas.com/RttySkimServ/Files/RttySkimServ.pdf
> >
> > The "CQ synonyms" are described under the Contests.ini section. It does
> > not specifically state whether or not CQ has to be at the
> > start or end of the message.
> >
>
> I am now reading this for the first time. I noticed this in the section
> on RttySkimServ.ini -
>
> "The CqOnly setting determines whether RTTY Skimmer Server will spot all
> RTTY
> stations it decodes, or only those determined to be CQ-ing."
>
> The default setting according to the manual is:
>
> CqOnly=0
>
> Note that nowhere is the setting 1 or 0 actually defined. I know what my
> first guess would be, and the default would seem to be to spot all
> stations, but that's just assuming.
>
>
Hi Jeff:

I apologize for the lack of definition in the manual.   If CQOnly=1 then
only calls thought to be "CQ" calls are transmitted through the telnet port
of RTTY Skimmer Server.  But the normal way these calls reach the RBN and
the internet is through the "Aggregator", an excellent piece of software
written by Dick, W3OA, that sits on the computer with RTTY Skimmer Server.
Aggregator sends only CQ calls through to the RBN with the exception of
calls in a list of CW beacons.  The comment field of every RTTY spot you
see from the internet should say "CQ".

The CQOnly=0 is useful for local use in diagnosing problems but these spots
should never reach the internet.

I despair of every truly solving this problem unless the use of CR/LF
becomes ubiquitous.

Wes WZ7I