[UK-CONTEST] RTTY in the RSGB CC Contests

[Roger Cooke]

Hi Ian and also Robin now!

   I did attempt to send a reply before but must have hit the wrong key
and the email disappeared! Another pill I should take!!
  Anyway, I thought I would see a response if I waited!

   The RTTY segment of any HF band was gained by default in a way. When the mode was first used, back in the late fifties early sixties, there was nowhere to put it, as there was no provision in the bandplan. The early users decided to put it at the top end of the CW band, then 14.090 and it became gradually accepted that the top ten KHz of each band should be left for RTTY. It was enough for normal contacts, but now, with the ease of using RTTY and the popularity of RTTY contests, 10KHz is nowhere near enough. However, stray out of that segment and you will be jumped upon! First we have avoid the beacon freqs, then the QRP CW people, then the PSK users ( also "grabbing" a frequency ), not to mention the Pactor and other data modes that also accumulate in there. 
  Listen to an HF RTTY contest, such as the CQWW or any of the big ones and you will find RTTY well above 3600, as far as 3630 and well below 3590, and I have heard it down to 3550. 
   With more stations using the mode it will happen, it's obvious that we cannot all stay in that small segment. However the rule states that NOBODY shall go below 3583 now. That depends on how your transceiver shows the freq too, because if you operate on 3585.5, you could be radiation below the 3583 limit. 
   Personally I am in agreement with Ian on this, with up to 100 stations all trying to use just 10KHz, it's just not viable any more. The contest is only for 90 minutes so I feel sure that this could be tolerated if we did spread out but then we would be penalised for that. 
  It really is a touchy subject, and a solution will have to be found if there are any more that take part, and there will be!
   RTTY is becoming more and more popular in contesting and DX-ing and is a super mode, but we will need more space! If you can suggest a solution I think we would all be grateful!!

  73 de Roger, G3LDI   (Chairman of BARTG)

   
  


Regards from Roger, G3LDI
Swardeston, Norfolk.



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