[UK-CONTEST] PSK contesting

[Andy swiffin]

>>> Ian J Maude <ian at gb7mbc.net> wrote on 05/03/2006 10:58:29:
> Hi all,
> I am almost a PSK virgin having only had a couple of hesitant
contacts.
> I fancy having a go on Monday night during the contest and wondered
what
> the format of the macros would look like?  It would be interesting
to
> see the format of an exchange.  Also, has anybody used PSK31 Deluxe
for
> a contest?  If so, can it be made to auto-increment the QSO count?
> 

I don't know psk31 deluxe but from my experience few of the free psk 31
programs offer contest facilities - certainly not Digipan which is my
preferred tool for the mode.  

However,   N1MM does do it and would be my recomended choice,
particularly if you have a half decent PC unlike me.  N1MM may be a bit
of a steep learning curve at first but is well worth the effort.  My
problems with PSK31 and N1MM are highly likely due to my poor PC, I
found I had to limit myself to just 1 receive window, using the swap
button with more than 1 caused corruption in the display window and
eventually killed the program - also it caused glitches in the audio
output.  Limited to 1 the program worked well - YMMV so try more if you
want.

I'm assuming that you've not done rtty either or probably wouldn't be
asking, I use the same macros for rtty and psk.

Macros are straightforward and pretty much what you'd say/send on
SSB/CW
I have something like

running
F1  {TX} * * * CQ{RX}
F2 {TX}599 {EXCH} {EXCH} {EXCH}{RX}
F3 {TX}TU 73 * qrz{RX}
F5 {TX}!{RX}

S&P
F2 {TX}TU {EXCH} {EXCH} {EXCH}{RX}
F4 {TX}! de * * *{RX}

In N1MM ! is the call in the callsign box and * is your call.  N1MM has
this great facility called Enter Send Message which automatically
advances through a QSO on enter and now also with a right mouse click.

The way the qsos go are 

i) running

N1MM can be set to auto CQ untill you interrupt it,  with an adjustable
delay for the listening period (I use about 1.5 seconds) so it
repeatedly sends the F1 Macro, N.B I put CQ at the end not the start so
that when people tune onto me its clear I'm CQing and not sending my
call as part of an S&P.

When you hear/see something <escape> stops the auto sequence and with
N1MM you can click on the incoming callsign or now just hover over it
with the mouse (optional) and the call is transferred to the call
section of the enter box.  

Now a right click sends F5 (his call) followed by F2, I dispense with
niceties like GE or UR, because I'm a miserable s*d and they waste time.
 I _do_ send the exchange 3 times (many people say 2) because if one
gets corrupted you have two in agreement.

They send their exchange hopefully just space separated and not / - or
anything else and I click on the serial and  that fills the serial box
and then a right click or enter advances to send F3 - I do like to send
TU 73 (maybe not such a miserable s*d after all). This also logs the
contact.  A further right click advances you back to auto CQing again if
you've no immediate reply.

ii) S&P 

When you've got N1MM in S&P mode it starts at F4 which calls the
station.  You click or hover on his call to get it into the entry window
and then right click or enter to make your call with the macro.

They reply and you click on the serial which fills the box, you right
click/enter again and that sends F2 and also puts the qso in the log.

It's also a good idea to create an extra macro that just sends the
serial when asked for a repeat, something like 
{TX}{EXCH} {EXCH} {EXCH}{RX}


I hope all this makes sense, I'm sending it to the list because others
may want to add alternatives/corrections to my procedure.

73
Andy
gm8oeg

(hopefully I may _finally_ manage to get on for one of these
contests!)