Dennis Egan W1UEDennis has operated RTTY as W1UE/6Y5, W1UE/VP2E and W1UE/HR9. He has been on DXpeditions to KH6, Zone 2, PJ4, LZ and J3.

Either as SOABHP, MS or M2, his station has finished top in North America for 6 straight years, including several #2 World finishes. W1UE is also the current NA record holder for SOABHP and MS in CQ WW RTTY.

DX-wise, he only needs VU/a and P5 to have worked all current countries, but is a bit behind on his submissions. Planned activities for the remainder of 2014 include a major effort in CQ WW RTTY and activating W100AW on RTTY using a multi-channel decoding setup.

Dennis Egan W1UEOperating here in the LZ Field Competition, Dennis is enjoying Bulgarias version of Field Day!

Ed Muns W0YKEds primary interest in amateur radio is CW contesting and DXing. In 2004 he entered his first RTTY contest and has enjoyed the RTTY mode. It has helped him improve his operating skills across all modes.

He is the contest director for the CQ RTTY contests (WW and WPX), the NCJ NA RTTY Sprint and co-sponsors the 10-Meter RTTY Contest with AA5AU. Ed also authors the RTTY Contesting column in the NCJ.

After 32 years with Hewlett-Packard Company as an engineer and executive, he now farms wine grapes on 13 of his 77 acres in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Muns Vineyard designated wine is found on several well known labels as well as on his own brand--Muns Vineyard.

Ed Muns W0YKOperating here as P49X, Ed is also licensed as 7J1ACJ and is the trustee for Loma Prieta Contest Club call signs KY0W & K6YT and NCCC call signs K6CQP, N6CQP and W6CQP.

Digital Modes used in DXingRTTY (45.45 Baud, 170 Hz shift)PSK31JT65others

Advice from the ExpertsListen, and then listen some more!Short messagesSplit proficiencySlow Down to WinListen, then call when it is quietPractice in contestsPolice

Listen, Listen, Listen Same as CW and SSBOptimize your decodingDual-receive highly recommended requires 2 RTTY decodersFigure out the pattern

RTTY MessagesShort: TU, optionally your call (no DE) 1-2 times after CQ, then listen 0-1 time only in report 599 once nothing else, unless the DX asks for itModular: short message elements chain together

Split OperationBuild skillAlways double-check settingsRequires: sub-receiver + 2 RTTY decoders or, agile operation of A/B VFOs

Other TipsRTTY has more quiet times in which to drop your callContest activity for practiceDont police or talk to policemen maybe a well-timed UP 2

Perspective of a DX StationSplit up 2, narrow as possible RX bandShort messagesDXers should listen and determine patternProblems from DXers: long calls; long exchanges calling out of turn not listeningSome DXpedition management may ask: Why are we doing RTTY?

Perspective of the DX StationDX has nominally only 3 messages: CQ P49X P49X CQ W0YK 599 TU P49X UPDXers: should send call only 2-3 times, then listen report: 599 W0YK

What is RTTY?A pair of out-of-phase CW signals Mark and Space, 170Hz apart Baudot code, rather than Morse60 WPM (45.45 Baud)Requires SW (or, HW) decoder/encoder UI is text keyboard/display

What is RTTY? receivingLocal tones are like CW pitch default 2295/2125 your choice; low is less fatiguing independent of RF transmission

What is RTTY? transmittingTwo (religious) choices:FSK (Frequency Shift Keying) just like CWAFSK (Audio FSK) Local tones into SSB mic input offset dial frequency suppressed carrier +/- local tonePseudo-FSK FSK keying circuit driven by AFSK tones

How?RTTY decoder for receive software, e.g., MMTTY (free) hardware, e.g, PK232, Hal DXP38RTTY encoder for transmit often bundled with decoder and called a MODEM (modulator-demodulator), or TNC (Terminal Node Controller)Standalone or integrated into logging SWInterface between radio and decoder/encoder (PC)

How? commercial or homebrew interfaceReceive (decoder) is typically a standard audio cableTransmit (encoder) FSK: CW-like keying interface AFSK: standard audio cable Pseudo-FSK: special converter interface

Resourceswww.rttycontesting.com rtty@contesting.comDayton CTU RTTY presentationsNCJ RTTY Contesting column

Happy RTTY DXing!

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