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

[Pete Smith N4ZR]

Good points, Jeff and Ed. Certainly, there's no benefit in moving 
someone to 14091.13 rather than 14091.1.

One part of this is the old "accuracy vs precision" conundrum.  Doesn't 
do much good to report frequencies with 10-Hz precision if the 
frequencies are 120 (or whatever) Hz off.  On the other hand, if you log 
spots from stations with GPSDO or TCXO  and compare their spots with 
yours, you should be able to adjust your QS1R clock to get closer than 
that.  Then, of course, the other problem is oscillator stability; I 
don't know of either a quoted spec or measured stability of the QS1R's 
internal clock, but I do know the receiver gets hot inside.

73, Pete N4ZR
Download the new N1MM Logger+ at
<http://N1MM.hamdocs.com>. Check
out the Reverse Beacon Network at
<http://reversebeacon.net>, now
spotting RTTY activity worldwide.
For spots, please use your favorite
"retail" DX cluster.

On 10/14/2015 3:15 PM, Jeff AC0C wrote:
> There are several issues being comingled here.
>
> I think that the absolute accuracy of the spot is more important. If 
> you are running S&P assisted, and the spots are accurate, then with a 
> tight AFC you don't have to hunt and rate is higher. So in this case 
> the 2nd DP is a benefit here.  But if the spot tolerance is already 
> sloppy, then a 2nd DP is of no benefit.
>
> As for the length of the pass frequency resolution, that's something 
> that the logger should really let you specify because in RTTY, 0.1 may 
> be FB but the same logger running CW probably would want that 2nd DP.  
> Of course Ed is THE MAN and so I will definitely take his word that 
> 0.X is better in RTTY than 0.XX.
>
> 73/jeff/ac0c
> www.ac0c.com
> alpha-charlie-zero-charlie
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Ed Muns
> Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2015 1:59 PM
> To: 'Pete Smith N4ZR'
> Cc: 'RTTY Contesting'
> Subject: Re: [RTTY] Contester preference - 1- versus 2-decimal-place 
> spots
>
> 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
> Download the new N1MM Logger+ at
> <http://N1MM.hamdocs.com>. Check
> out the Reverse Beacon Network at
> <http://reversebeacon.net>, now
> spotting RTTY activity worldwide.
> For spots, please use your favorite
> "retail" DX cluster.
>
>
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