[RTTY] RTTY DX'ing tutorial

Alex, VE3NEA alshovk at dxatlas.com
Mon Apr 11 09:44:14 EDT 2016


Thank you to everyone who shared their pileup cracking techniques with the group. I do not have a second receiver in my radio, 
so until I find a better method (or write better software), I just use a SoftRock-based waterfall display to find the frequency 
where the DX OP is listening. I look for a signal trace that starts right after the end of the RST message sent by DX. Usually 
there is more than one such message, so I also look at the trace end, it should align with the start of DX's "TU-QRZ" message. 
If there are still multiple signals that match both requirements, the final test is to check that the signal disappears after 
the end of the QSO. If it is still there after "TU-QRZ", then this is an out-of-turn caller and not the one who was in the QSO.

This method is not ideal, I am able to find the DX listening frequency in about 1 QSO out of 5, while in CW I know the right 
frequency in 90% cases (I just read Morse code off the waterfall). Despite its modest efficiency, this method helped me to work 
in RTTY all recent expeditions that I was able to hear, except K5P. I used the waterfall display in CW Skimmer just because I 
was used to it, I believe any other waterfall would work.

73 Alex VE3NEA


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