[RTTY] Contester preference - 1- versus 2-decimal-place spots

[Ed Muns]

Any spot should simply be a starting point to tune in, copy and validate the
transmitting station's call sign.  In less than 30 minutes, a new RTTY
operator should be able to develop the skill to tune in a signal by ear to
within 10-20 Hz in a second or two.  No different than zero-beating on CW by
ear.  That's good enough for most RTTY decoders.

Therefore, 2-decimal point spots are overkill and distracting.  The operator
has to ignore/discard/round off the second decimal position if manual
tuning.  Automatic spot tuning has no benefit from the second decimal.  One
decimal point is plenty of resolution for finding and IDing a spot.  For the
same reasons it is the optimum resolution for passing a QSY frequency, i.e.,
either 14083.7 or 14083.8 is better than 14083.76.

Ed W0YK

-----Original Message-----
From: RTTY [mailto:rtty-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Pete Smith N4ZR
Sent: 13 October, 2015 18:44
To: RTTY Contesting
Subject: [RTTY] Contester preference - 1- versus 2-decimal-place spots

I'm doing some analysis of RTTY spots made by RBN nodes reporting 2 
decimal place frequencies.  Some of them I know to be using GPS 
disciplined oscillators, while others aren't.  The GPSDO stations 
generally agree within 10 Hz, and are probably better than that because 
of rounding errors.  The others are surprisingly good, almost always 
within the +/- 0.1 KHz we seek generally from RBN nodes.

My questions:  Do assisted RTTY contesters like to get 2-decimal spots?  
Or are they so used to 1-decimal spots that they automatically joggle 
tuning to get on the proper mark and space frequencies?

And... are inaccurate 2-decimal spots (still within +/-1-decimal 
tolerance) worse than 1-decimal, or essentially the same from an 
operational perspective?

73, Pete N4ZR
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