[WriteLog] CQ WW RTTY comments/question

[W6FFH@aol.com]

This contest was my first RTTY test, in fact my first RTTY 
contact ever was No. 001!! Had a ball, the only real problem with
WL was the highlighting of calls going to la-la land for a while
and then coming back as described today. I thought I'd done
something wrong for a while.

I used RTTY Write "as is" that is, no tuning unit, just the sound
board in FSK to the FT1000 FSK in. If your rig has the capability,
my advice (and that of others) is: USE FSK. I also used transistor
switching of PTT. I never could get opto-isolators to work for FSK,
I finally used a level convertor chip like I use on the rig control,
built into a DB25 connector, with the transistor for PTT. I used the
RTS line for FSK and DTR for PTT, and used external 12V. supply.
I don't like to rely on the computer for 12V. Anyway, I got around
VOX, I hate VOX.
I did have trouble when the PTT stayed latched on, but I've traced
that to RF, I didn't use any Ferrite beads, but I'll put some in now!

By the way, I never turned on the AFC and just put the rcvr bandwidth
to 250 Hz and left it. Worked great for me. The only thing I would
like is slower tuning on the FT1000. It would help fine tuning signals.
There were add-ons for that a while back, but I missed out on it 
and can't locate any now. If anyone knows of  slower tuning fix, please
let me know. 

Now, If anyone has read this far, my question:
Those of you familiar with log submittal in CQ contests can maybe
help. The rules I have say "use a seperate log sheet for each band"
UGH!
This assumes paper submittal, of course, and they also say to use
their forms (send for them).

When they talk about disks, they talk about putting the "file names"
(plural) on them, again sounding like one for each band.

I'd like to do like I do with ARRL, submit a disk with one file, using
the Cabrillo format (we'll all have to do that soon anyway). Anybody
know what would happen if I did?

Thanks for this and for all the help I got setting up for RTTY. You're a 
great group ..


Don  W6FFH
e-mail w6ffh@aol.com

--
WWW:                      http://www.writelog.com/
Submissions:              writelog@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  writelog-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems:                 owner-writelog@contesting.com