[SCCC] Attention RTTY Contesters

[Bob Grubic]

I need some reeeaaaly basic advice.

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Though I am accustomed to operating in CW and Phone contests with both
hands on a keyboard, ready to enter the call signs and exchanges into a
logging software program, for the first time EVER this past Saturday, I
operated in an RTTY contests--the North American RTTY QSO Party. A friend
had to come over to get me started with FLDIGI and a Signalink device and
after of rough but productive start, I was actually able to make 24 QSOs on
my own! Changed a few macros (F-keys) to suite me better. Sent some “ad
lib” keyboard comments to a friend. Even read the entire FLDIGI User's
Manual.

.

What was readily available to me on my computer this time was FLDIGI and
N3FJP logging software for the NAQP RTTY Contest. I “linked up” FLDIGI and
N3FJP so that the Call field in FLDIGI would automatically populate the
Call field in N3FJP, but no more “automation” occurred. The Name and the
QTH fields did not populate over. Maybe it’s my lack of knowledge in using
these programs, but I had to use the mouse a lot (much to my dislike) and
had to shift focus back and forth between FLDIGI and N3FJP (Alt + Tab and
then mouse) to enter the proper information before logging the exchange. I
did have a lot of fun doing this--for the first time--but I’m so used to
operating in CW contests where my fingers don’t leave the keyboard, I found
all this mousing a big waste of time. I even searched for keyboard
shortcuts for FLDIGI, but there were none of the type I wanted.

.

So, what do other RTTY contesters do/use? Is the FLDIGI-N3FJP combination
just not adequate? Is N1MM+ and MMTTY a (better) combination that allows
both-hands-on-the-keyboard operating? Is there something else that RTTY
contesters use? I’d appreciate if someone can point me in the right
direction to operate more efficiently in RTTY contests (and/or digital like
PSK31 even). I DON'T want to use a mouse in these contests! Is that
possible? Maybe I need 2 monitors?  Help! Digital Newbie here!

.

Thanks a lot.

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73,
Bob NC6Q