[RTTY] Upsidedown

[Shelby Summerville]

It is with great interest that I read some of the posts, here, and also on
the 3830 scores page. I get the impression that many expect everyone to be
as efficient, and proficient, as they are? All of the “gnashing of teeth”
regarding the format in which an exchange is sent, when posted is actually
“preaching to the choir”! Those that you chastise about the format, don't
subscribe, nor seldom post to 3830. They just happened to turn their radio
on, and notice “wall to wall” RTTY activity, and either just want to make
contacts, for which we should all be grateful, or they need a particular
State, or DX entity. Personally, I couldn't care less about how the
information is sent, as long as it contains the required information. Some
of the contacts, especially the very low number ones, sounded as if the
were using a CW key to send RTTY? One station, in particular, called me at
2132Z, on Sunday, with his number 1 contact. It's difficult to imagine, 45
hours into a 48 hour contest, I was his first contact. I had no reason to
question it, I logged it, and continued on my way. After exchanging email
with the aforementioned station, my suspicions were confirmed. He answered
with: “Turned on my rig and there was rtty everywhere”! For those that
answer me with their call and exchange, I just acknowledge, log it, and
continue. Hopefully, especially if the send in their log, they will have
logged it, also? For those that advocate ignoring them, as an educational
tool, IMHO, are not familiar with the term educational? Please explain how
ignoring their shortcomings is educational? I keep a note pad handy, write
down their call, and post contest, if I can find their email address, send
them a “gentle” email, welcoming them to RTTY contesting, and refer them to
AA5AU's very educational site. What works for me, will not work for
everyone! While the intent of any competition is to do the best possible,
never underestimate the advantage of being cordial, as I assure you it will
pay off, in the future. Spend less time being concerned about the operating
style of others, and concentrate on your own. If you're not enjoying it,
quite possibly you're in it for the wrong reasons?

For whatever reason, at age 74, soon to be 75, I have experienced a renewed
interest in contesting, regardless of the mode, but especially RTTY. I had
seldom, if ever, had a pre-contest plan, I would just “go with the flow”. I
now have a operating time, and band plan. It differs greatly from the “go
with the flow” style, and has yielded some exceptional, at least for me,
results. I had all time, personal bests in Roundup, and WPX RTTY, exceeding
1K contacts for the first time, as SO, in WPX.
​
73, Shelby - K4WW
As I don't have an iPad nor iPhone, sent from my PC