[SCCC] W1AW/6 Digital

[Dennis Younker NE6I]

Just wanted to comment that I had a W1AW/6 digital slot this morning and 
pickings were slim on 20m RTTY. Apparently we in SoCal have done a great job 
already of handing out W1AW/6 contacts. I was monitoring some of our digital 
slots last night and pickings were slim for those ops as well.

Today, half way into my second digital slot, with things really thin on 
RTTY, I decided to go to JT65. I'd prepared myself earlier by setting up 
WSJTX2 and ACLog (N1MM does not support JT65) so the QSY was easy.

I was quite popular there! I filled the entire hour with contacts very 
easily.

So if you have an assigned digital slot this week and are not getting much 
action on RTTY, consider going to JT65. If you've never been on JT65, this 
is probably not the time to try it. The exchange and operation is radically 
different than on RTTY, CW and SSB.

If you are on the fence about signing up for a W1AW/6 slot, I encourage you 
to sign up for a digital slot. Plenty are still available and if you elect 
to go JT65, the bands are open much longer than on RTTY, CW or SSB. JT65 
works well into the very low signal to noise ratios. Again, I would 
discourage anyone from trying JT65 for the first time as W1AW/6. We are 
representing the ARRL and operation on this mode is quite different than 
other modes. If you really want to go nuts and are experienced on the 
digital modes, put W1AW/6 on JT9. Identical exchange and operation but even 
lower S/N ratios work well. Unfortunately though, fewer ops are on this 
mode. I had plenty of action on JT65 so I did not go to JT9.

Also, don't forget the daytime 40m slots. I'm sure you can work plenty of 
western stations regardless of mode. And the "locals" will appreciate 
finding you there.

--Dennis NE6I 


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