[UK-CONTEST] Data modes cc contest.

[M5ZAP]

In preparation for the 80m cc data modes contest I have been trying to plan
the contest and would appreciate some help / information.



1 - From any 80m data mode regulars, what are the normal centres of activity
for PSK31 and RTTY on 80m.
2 - What modes are people on this reflector planning to be active on. PSK63
is a contest variant of PSK31 is anybody planning to use it ? PSK seems the
most popular casual operator mode on HF but data contests are nearly always
all RTTY even if all modes are allowed. However I presume that this contest
will be made up of mostly casual data mode operators so PSK31 will maybe be
the most popular mode.
3 - I was planning to use writelog for logging and also for RTTY operation
(mainly because I have used before in RTTY contests) and Digipan for PSK31
and PSK63. Another option is using Mixw which supports all the modes even
though switching between PSK31 and 63 requires the running of a macro. What
is everybody else planning to use.

I think that the data modes contest should be a lot easier than the SSB
contest as 50w on PSK should be quite affective.

One further comment to run 100w on PSK (or RTTY in AFSK mode) will require
that the operator has an amp so the 100w class (which I presume was
introduced to allow people to run barefoot), will still benefit the amp
users. I think that a better rule would of been no amplifier use allowed.
This would help level the playing field in the SSB leg also, when I think a
few people where using an amp to give 100w average rather than peak power,
again disadvantaging the non amp users.

Also does anyone know where the SSTV ops usually hang out on 80m so I can
avoid confrontation with them in the next SSB contest.

Regards Andy M5ZAP