[RTTY] RTTY popularity in Italy?

[Tim Shoppa]

In any RTTY event or contest on the air, I cannot help but notice that so
many of the RTTY big guns as well as many smaller guns, are Italians. There
are many of them and they are prolific and hugely successful.

Obviously the RTTY guys in Italy are doing something right. I get to see
for example the Volta contest organized out of Italy, and that's been going
on for almost 50 years now!, so obviously there's a long tradition of RTTY
in Italy. Are the Italians also doing a lot of grass-roots local club
promotion of RTTY?

One of my goals this summer is to beat the drum and get some better
participation by locals in RTTY events. Any tips on local RTTY organizing
I'd like to hear. I've made some personal visits to help some non-RTTY
contesters get on the air, and they've shown up for a couple contests, but
keeping them in the RTTY fold has been difficult.

Tim N3QE