The New
RTTY Journal© P.O. Box 236, Champaign, IL 61824-0236 Volume 47, Number 4, November 1999 $5.00 Season’s Greetings!
Current Status of Sunspot Cycle 23
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RTTY Contest Schedule ...... 2ARRL SW Division Conference Pictures . . .6 Hits and Misses ...... 3170 Shift, 2125 Mark, and ALL That Stuff . . .8 Green Key Night ...... 4D2K (Dayton 2000) ...... 9 Contesting News ...... 4DX Contesting at Prince Edward Island . . .10 ARRL/TAPR Conference Pictures ...... 5CQ/RJ World-Wide WPX Contest Rules . . .13 Stocking stuffers from HAL... P38 16 Bit ISA Bus Free Dos Software RTTY CLOVER AMTOR P-Mode
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RTTYCONTEST SCHEDULE- WINTER1999 Date & Time Name & Sponsors Updated information available at: 12/180000 toOK DX RTTY Contest 2400 LA9HW RTTY Page: http://home.sn.no/~janalme/RTTY.html Jim’s Gazette: http://www.n2hos.com/digital 1/10800 toSARTG New Year’s Day Contest 1100 N1RCT Web Site: http:// www.megalink.net/~n1rct SM3CER Contest Service: http://www.sk3bg.se/contest 1/81800 toARRL RTTY Roundup 1/92400 ARRL: http://www.arrl.org 2/120000 toCQ/RJ World Wide WPX BARTG: http://www.bartg.demon.co.uk 2/132400 OR - The New RTTY Journal will airmail a printed copy to you. Green Key Night For each contest, send $3.00 for U.S., Canada, or Mexico des- 2/20 0000 to tinations or $4.00 to other countries. Please allow 3 weeks for 2400 processing and delivery. Dates and Times subject to change The New Page 2 RTTY Journal November 1999 The New
RTTY Journal© Hits & Misses
George W. (Bill) Henry, K9GWT Publisher and Editor Bill Henry, K9GWT [email protected] All Correspondence: P.O. Box 236 Here it is November, again. Time to be think-My Summer Vacation: I'm sure that at one Champaign, IL 61824-0236 ing about winter projects and activities. time or the other, all of us had to write a school paper about what we did last summer Tinkering Time: Traditionally, we "Teletypers"- visit grandma's, go to the zoo - you know the Voice: 217-367-7373 do a lot of makin' and fixin' when cold weath-whole boring list! It was a dreaded chore and FAX: 217-367-1701 er hits. Oil-up the Model 15, re-wire that rat'sbest done quickly. But, once in a while some- nest of loop and audio cables, and every-one at school had a really interesting summer body's favorite RTTY project, build anothervacation and funny write up. Ron Stailey STAFF TU. Many of us built a new TU every year,wrote one of those for us this month. Getting and sometimes the new one actually workedto Prince Edward Island (PEI) for the CQ/RJ Linda Henry ...... Accountantbetter than the one it replaced! We don't hearWW DX contest last fall turned into a saga of Joe Wittmer, KB9SIZ . . . Assistant Editormuch about RTTYers building stuff anymissed planes and bad weather, told as only [email protected] more. Is the experimenting and tinkeringour Texas friend can tell a story. Turn to page aspect of the RTTY hobby dead? Not at all.10 and tilt the recliner back. SUBSCRIPTION RATES The emphasis has just changed. While we don't drill many chassis's or wire tube socketsNostalgia Time:Over the last 50 years, our USA/Canada/Mexico these days, we spend a lot of time working onRTTY hobby has evolved from one based on our PC's. Some of these computer systemsmechanical skills and aptitude to a hobby 1 year (4 issues) ...... $15.00have become pretty fancy - multiple comput-dominated by mental gymnastics - PC soft- 2 years (8 issues)...... $28.00ers, multiple modems, monitor multipleware, in particular. The PC allows us to do 3 years (12 issues) ...... $41.00bands at the same time - all with ONE opera-things on RTTY that none of us could have tor. Wow! Think about what kind of a sys-expected. The world of modern RTTY is def- Foreign tem that would have been with Model 28'sinitely a fun place. BUT, many of us - par- and TTL/II Terminal Units! No, we don'tticularly those over 40 - once in a while get a 1 year (4 issues)...... $20.00make our own demod's or Teletype Service"twinge" for "the good old days". We recall 2 years (8 issues)...... $38.00Manuals anymore. We really don't have to.the sound of the Model 28 hammering letter 3 years (12 issues)...... $56.00But, think of the time that we all spend work-by letter on rolled paper, the smell of ozone ing out PC software problems and interfacingand hot oil, the glow, heat, and hot dust smell radios, modems, and PC's. RTTY experi-that came from all of the tubes in the shack. The New RTTYJournal is published fourmenting and tinkering hasn't disappeared atAfter all these years, we probably don't recall times per year: Feb., June, Aug., & Nov.all, it's just evolved to new levels. the mess on the floor when oil drips meet tape Subscriptionsandadvertisements must be punch chad (I tracked little white dots around Contest and DX Time: The winter monthsthe house for weeks). You probably don't pre-paid by check or money order in U.S.are also the time for RTTY contests and find-remember that dandy shock when you funds drawn on U.S. banks only. Visa anding those rare DX stations on RTTY.grabbed a live loop plug one night, or MasterCard credit cards are accepted. Working contests and chasing DX are by farscorched finger tips from changing tubes the most popular and rapidly growing seg-before they cooled down. Well, February 20 ments of RTTY and even ham radio in gener-is your day to recall and experience all this The publisher assumes no liability or respon-al. HF propagation is good again and we haveand more. Read all about the "Green Key sibility for errors, omissions or editorial con-more hams on RTTY now than ever before.Night" QSO party on page 4. tent. Written permission from the publisher ofMany stations routinely work 100 countries The New RTTYJournal is required prior tofor DXCC over a contest weekend, all usingY2K? Yep, "Year 2000" is about to happen. I and for any reproduction of all or any portion60 wpm Baudot RTTY! Terminal software ishave sure filled out a lot of Y2K forms for of this magazine. very fancy these days. The PC scans thegovernment agencies. It's kinda silly to be incoming signals, finds call signs, checks thedoing that for products that never had calen- Expiration Date: Your address label showslog of stations worked, and then points outdar functions. I guess it's easier to mail forms the date of your last subscription issue. Pleasethose call signs you haven't worked before -than read manuals - "our tax dollars at work". contact us if this does not agree with your on 2 or 3 bands at the same time. The oldI got the oil changed in my generator and calculations. paper log and dupe sheets are now in com-tucked an extra jug of my favorite anti-freeze puter memory. When the contest is over,in the kitchen cabinet. We're ready! punch a button and out pops your log in digi- POSTMASTER: tal ("Cabrillo") form, easily read, checked,That's about it for another year of The New Please send all address changes to: The New and scored by the sponsoring group. OneRTTY Journal. We'd like to hear from you, RTTYJournal, P.O. Box 236, Champaign, ILprogram (WriteLog) even makes a digitalour reader. What you like, what you don't 61824-0236 audio recording of the entire contest! Youlike, what you'd like for us to add (or can play it back at your leisure. The cost?remove). I'd like to again ask for articles - The New RTTYJournalis a continuation ofVery modest in dollars but you'd better belong, short, technical or non-technical. Don't the magazine formerly known as RTTY,willing to spend quite a few evenings figuringbe bashful. Whatever you're doing in the RTTY Journal, RTTY Digital Journal, Digitalout all of the software bells and whistles andRTTY hobby, we'd like to know about it. RTTY Journal, and Digital Journal. how to make the radio, modem, and PC talk to each other. 73 until Februaryde Bill, K9GWT
The New November 1999 RTTY Journal Page 3 Green Key Night Contesting News February 20, 2000 Cabrillo Log Submission Format We have been hearing the buzz of a very sig- nificant improvement of the electronic log You are cordially invited to participate in aof the FCC Rules and Reg’s. FCC Docketssubmission process. It is called Cabrillo, celebration of the 47th anniversary of the start10073 and 10173 changed all that. Now wedeveloped by Trey Garlough, HC8N/N5KO. of U.S. amateur HF RTTY. Jim Haynescould use 5-unit start-stop 60 wpm teleprinter (W6JVE), The New RTTY Journal, and hamscode with 850 shift FSK modulation on 80,The goal of Cabrillo is to automate the col- of the Greenkeysreflector ([email protected])40, 20, 11, and 10 Meters (note – no 15 Meterlecting, scoring, and reporting of contest are holding a Green Key NightQSO Party onband in those days but 11M was still a hamresults. Cabrillo is a major improvement for February 20, 2000. band). contest sponsors who have to generate and mail certificates. History: Contesting soon became part of the HF RTTYLuckily for many die-hard contestors, the The first issue of RTTYmagazine was pub-scene. The first RTTY sweepstakes was heldonly change needed is an upgrade to the Oct. 31 / Nov 1, 1953. Top scorer was Frank lished in January, 1953. The front page newest version of your logging software. announced a new FCC ruling that wouldWhite (W3PYW) with a total score of 440And, of course, the lessening of the period of allow FSK Teletype to be used on the HFpoints. Ten logs were submitted! The firsttime you anxiously await the final results of “Anniversary Sweepstakes Contest” was held bands. After years of lobbying, we could your efforts! Yet, there have been questions finally move our Model 12’s and 15’s from 2on February 20, 1954. A total of 28 logs werepresented on the Cabrillo log submission for- Meters to HF. Opening day – February 20,submitted and Phil, W2JAV, took top honorsmat that deserve some attention. 1953 - saw the first transcontinental RTTYwith 840 points! The Anniversary Contest FSK QSO’s. Early days HF RTTY pioneerscontinued through 1956. 1. Data such as QSOs, QSO points, multipli- included Merrill Swan (W6AEE), Bob ers, on-times and off-times are computed Weitbrecht (W6NRM), Herbert Hoover, Jr.About 5 years ago, Jim Haynes (W6JVE)during the log-checking process. (W6ZH), Forrest “Bart” Bartlett (W6OWP),revived the idea under the name “Green Key2. The Cabrillo format is designed to be both Boyd “Beep” Phelps (W0BP), John WilliamsNight”. Jim and a few dedicated friends havehuman and machine readable. You can still (W2BFD), Phil Catona (W2JAV), Marvinsince continued the tradition, but with newread and edit your log with an ASCII text Bernstein (W2PAT), Byron Kretzmantwists that emphasize the state of the art ofeditor prior to sending it. (W2JTP), and Wayne Green (W2NSD), justthose early days. Specifically, Jim’s Green3. The Cabrillo format will be optional for to name a few. Key Night encourages all of us who still havemany contests during the 2000 contesting mechanical machines to scrape off the dust,season. However, it is proposed to be a Hams had been playing with Teletype on 2get out the oil can, and fire those babies up.requirement for many of these same contests Meters using AFSK since the end of WWII.Jim has asked if The New RTTY Journalduring the 2001 season. A few tried make/break (on/off) keying onwould like to be involved and we are hon- HF (like CW) but that didn’t work too wellored. With Jim’s permission, I’ve added aFor those of you who prefer to write your and it was at best a “gray area interpretation”couple of twists that could be fun. own logging program, or keep paper logs, there is more information on Trey Green Key Night – Year 2000 Garlough‘s web site: www.kkn.net/~trey/cabrillo Purpose: Celebrate the beginnings of HF amateur RTTY in the U.S. Theme: Use “vintage” (a.k.a. “old”) RTTY equipment whenever possible VYØ Nunavut Territory Format: QSO Party and Fun-time Scoring Date & Time: February 20, 2000, local 0000 through local 2359 The Nunavut territory was created in April Bands: 80, 40, 20, and 10 (no 15 and no 11 Meters, please) 1999 from territories formerly part of the Mode/code: Start/Stop 5-unit ITA #2, 60 WPM (a.k.a. Baudot) Northwest Territories and granted a specific prefix of VYØ. Within Canada, it remains a Score = (No. of QSOs) x (Average QSO Length) x (Vintage Multiplier) territory, not a new province. where: No of QSO’s = total number of Baudot RTTY QSO’s In contests which use ARRL/RAC sections Average QSO Length = minutes (guess – honor system) for scoring, Nunavut remains part of the Vintage Multiplier = (Terminal) x (Shift) x (Tubes) x (CWID) Northwest Territories / Yukon multiplier, not Terminal Multiplier = 10 if Model 12 an addition or new multiplier. This includes = 8 if Model 14 the November Sweepstakes and the 160 = 5 if Model 15 or 19 Meter Contest. = 3 if Model 28 or Kleinschmidt = 1 if Electronic (PC or Glass TTY) In contests that use political delineations, the Shift Multiplier = 4 if 850 Hz or greater (1000 Hz max) Nunavut Territory (given the abbreviation = 2 if 425 Hz designator of NU) will count as a new multi- = 1 if 200 or less Hz plier, effective January 1, 2000. This will Tube Multiplier = No. of Vacuum Tubes in TU + RX + TX include the International DX Contest, the = 1 for PC or Glass TTY (CRT counts) RTTY Round-Up and the 10 Meter Contest. CWID Multiplier = 2 if CWID is sent Field Day, IARU HF World Championship, = 1 if no CWID is sent. the November Sweepstakes and 160 Meter “Suitable awards and recognition” will be given during the annual RTTY Journal Banquetcontests will not be affected. For more infor- at the Dayton Hamvention ( May 20, 2000). Donations gladly accepted. All winners mustmation please contact: haul their prizes away from the hotel! Dan Henderson, N1ND Send Logs by March 20th to: RTTYJournal, PO Box 236, Champaign, IL 61824 [email protected] (860) 594-0232. The New Page 4 RTTY Journal November 1999 ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference Phoenix, AZ September 25, 1999
Greg Jones, WD5IVD Fried Heyn, WA6WZO President of TAPR ARRL SW Division Director
Rich Moseson, W2VU John Forrer, KC7WW Editor, CQ Communications
Bob McGwier, N4HY Charles Brain, G4GUO The New November 1999 RTTY Journal Page 5 ARRL Southwest Division Convention - Queen Mary Long Beach, CA October 1-3, 1999
Queen Mary Outside View of the Queen Mary
Queen Mary Below Decks On Deck of Queen Mary
Exhibit Hall Entrance Steam Polar Relay
The New Page 6 RTTY Journal November 1999 ARRL Southwest Division Convention - Queen Mary Long Beach, CA October 1-3, 1999
Dusty Morris, W7ITM and Linda Henry Nick Smith Dale Sinner Bill Henry W4GKM W6IWO K9GWT
Ron Stailey Wayne Matlock Wilma Matlock The Grokett Family K5DJ K7MM Ben, K6RE Ben, Jr. Jill, KE6YTT Lauren, KE6YTW
Vern Eubanks Linda Henry Bill Henry The Hamvention Crowd K0LVS K9GWT The New November 1999 RTTY Journal Page 7 number” – “85” (425/5). The narrow-shift frequencies are 2125 Hz Mark (25 x 85) and 2295 Hz Space (37 x 85). Many RTTY tone 170 Shift, 2125 Mark, andand shift standards are based on 85 Hz multi- ples – or even 42.5 Hz increments. For exam- ALL That Stuffple, the standard CCIR Marine tones are 1615 Hz (19 x 85) and 1785 Hz (21 x 85) – 170 Hz shift. Commercial RTTY users followed suit and many of the press services also narrowed Bill Henry, K9GWTtheir signals, but used 425 Hz shift, with 2125 [email protected] for Mark and 2550 Hz (30 x 85) for Space. 1970’s vintage RTTY demodulators had a Recently, there have been a flurry of com-quency (with a BC-221 – counters were yet toMark filter at 2125 Hz and selectable Space ments on the Internet about AFSK vs FSKcome). Therefore, we set Mark to be the timefilters at 2295 Hz, 2550 Hz, and 2975 Hz. and shifts and tone frequencies. I’ve askedwhen the RTTY FSK shift switch was open – Kok Chen, AA6TY, to discuss the AFSK vsno extra capacitance. The reversed polarityThe “low-tone standard” is an interesting FSK thing in a future issue of The Newbetween VHF and HF was easily fixed with atwist of fate. Even when we changed the RTTY Journal.I thought I’d throw in my twoNormal/Reverse switch in the demodulator. Space frequency to 2295 Hz, this still pre- cent’s worth about the shifts and tones we sented problems with some SSB filters. In use. The historical references that follow areThen, along came SSB gear in the 1960’s andfact, the RF signal out of a Collins S-Line my recollection of conversations with manywe could use tones with either side band. Fortransmitter was approximately 3 dB weaker folks at hamfests, folks who unfortunatelyseveral years, we again had a lot of confusionon Space (2295 Hz) as on Mark (2125 Hz). have now gone off to the great RTTY contestabout polarity – “which way is up?” YouFrankly, a 3 dB amplitude difference did in the sky. So, if you have clarification or cor-could easily find either polarity on HF RTTY.NOT cause a reception problem for our lim- rections, please don’t be bashful. The follow-Finally, we decided to stay with the originaliter-type RTTY demodulators. But, it sure ing is what I have been told: format – with Space as the lower transmittedwas unsettling to see the Wattmeter bounce frequency. RTTY Journal editor Dusty Dunnup and down. If you paid for a killowatt The first tests and experiments in the U.S.(1967 – 1977) frequently printed a reminder -amplifier, you’d like to see a kW on both with radioTeletype were in the late 1930’sLSMFT– “Low Space Means FineMark and Space! The solution was to shift the and early 1940’s, for U.S. military use ofTeletype”. I understand that this sametone frequencies down. Starting with 850 Hz Teletype. The first practical RTTY demodula-acronym was also used to advertise tobacco –shift, we set the higher tone at 2125 Hz but tor (terminal unit) used tone filters – one tonebut that must have been a coincidence! shifted down to 1275 Hz for 850 Hz shift. We for Mark and one for Space. The filters were set Mark at 1275 Hz and 850 shift Space at existing signaling filters that had beenBy modern standards, the output frequency of2125 Hz. When we used narrow shift, we left designed for use on the New York to LondonHF transmitters and receivers in the 1950’sMark at 1275 Hz (15 x 85) and defined a new transatlantic cable, one filter centered at 2125and early 1960’s was not very stable or accu-170 Hz Space at 1445 Hz (17 x 85). 425 shift Hz and the other at 2975 Hz (850 Hz shift).rate. It was very difficult to adjust diode keyerof course sets Space at 1700 Hz (20 x 85). circuits to get an exact frequency shift. ForThis “low-tone” set found its way into CCIR Frequency counters were not available in thethese reasons, “approximately 850 Hz shift”documents and is the international standard 1930’s. Rather, metal tuning forks were usedwas about the best we could do – and it oftenfor FSK RTTY modes, commonly used to confirm frequency accuracy, the samevaried between 300 and 1200 Hz! Also, wheneverywhere exceptthe U.S. technique many musicians still use to tunewe changed bands, we usually had to re- their musical instruments. Phone companyadjust the RTTY shift-pot. RTTY used toComputer modems, however, did not follow filter frequencies were chosen to match therequire a lot of tinkering! When SSB camethe existing RTTY modem standards. Many tuning forks that were available, a 425 Hzalong, HF radio stability improved by a factordifferent frequencies were tried for FSK com- tuning fork in this case. 425 is a “magic num-of 10 or more. Some operators used diodesputer modems. The very popular “Bell 103” ber” for RTTY. The original tone filters wereand shift-pots with SSB transmitters, but300-baud modem used 200 Hz shift and two centered at 2125 Hz (5 x 425) and 2975 Hz (7many of us discovered that we could usedifferent tone pairs on the full duplex phone x 425). The shift is, of course, 850 Hz (2 xaudio tones and have very precise controlline – 1270 Mark / 1070 Space for the “origi- 425). We hams inherited these tone frequen-over our RTTY shift and frequency calibra-nating station” and 2225 Mark / 2025 Space cies after WWII. tion. This only worked with filter-type SSBfor the “answering station”. 200 Hz shift for rigs as phasing SSB transmitters didn’t have300-baud FSK is the theoretical “optimum” Initial operation was only on VHF (AM-very good suppression of the carrier andfor AWGN phone line service (baud/1.5). AFSK) and we built our RTTY “Terminalunwanted sideband. Unfortunately, 200 Hz shift for 300 baud HF Units” with filters set to 2125 Hz Mark and packet was included in AX.25 Terminal Node 2975 Hz Space. In 1953, we gained FCCBut, use of tones and the relative simplicity ofControllers (TNC’s). As they say, “the rest is approval for HF RTTY and we immediatelygetting on RTTY raised other problems. First,history”. We now have a large quantity of hit the air-waves, using our VHF gear butour “standard” space tone – 2975 Hz –TNC’s on HF that are set for 200 Hz shift with direct FSK modulation. Our first simplewouldn’t go through an SSB filter. Further,rather than 170 Hz, just so the TNC would be FSK modulator was a switch (polar relay)HF RTTY grew in popularity and all of a sud-compatible with a mode that really doesn’t that added a capacitor to the VFO tank, low-den we had QRM - RTTY to RTTY! Thework (300 bd HF packet). But, many of us are ering the RF output frequency for Space. Thissolution was to reduce the bandwidth of ourstuck with this hardware when we try to use produced the opposite polarity from what weRTTY signal by reducing the shift. We fol-the “TNC” on RTTY. used on VHF and there was a lot of discus-lowed the lead of the military and chose 170 sion about this in the 50’s. The RTTY MarkHz shift as the new “narrow shift standard”.The Mark and Space filters in these TNC’s condition is the “rest state” – what you haveDusty had another reminder for this - “Broadare also “broad as a barn” so that they can if no characters are typed. On HF, you need aMinds Use Narrow Shift”. pass the keying side bands of a 300-baud sig- continuous tone if you are zero-beating nal. The end result is that most TNC users another guy’s frequency or measuring the fre-170 Hz shift gave rise to a modified “magicdon’t send the correct transmit shift and their The New Page 8 RTTY Journal November 1999 receiving filters are very broad. Tuning RTTY seems to be easy - not critical but very inaccurate. We wind-up with the situation that operators using TNC’s do not call the D2K (Dayton 2000) other station on his frequency. Two TNC users in QSO often “walk up and down the band” as each tries to “improve” his tuning during the QSO. In addition, those of us with good narrow filters set to 170 Hz may not even hear these guys because they are off fre- quency. The “catch 22” is that it’s often Dale Sinner, W6IWO judged the fault of the station with the best [email protected] equipment because the guy with wide filters “copies everyone” – at least all of the strongIt is getting close to the time of year for us allyour QSL card, latest shack photo, or what- signals. to start thinking about the Daytonever. Don’t forget to brush-up on your “tall Hamvention® - “Dayton 2000”. Have youtales” for the “Wee Hours RTTY Social Study Bottom line: There is only one standardshiftmade plans yet? - Better start now. Group”. It’s going to take some creative for HF FSK RTTY and it is 170 Hz shift. If thinking to beat those told by Ron (K5DJ) at all possible, tweak your transmit tones toRTTY Hotel Accommodations: and Raj (VE6RAJ) last year. We will no 2125 and 2295 Hz. This will help the rest ofIf you want to attend next May and are won-doubt hold another “Free Drink Eddie Look us to hear youbetter. If you also want to heardering about your hotel room, worry noAlike Contest” sometime each evening usbetter, retune the receive filters tomore. This is to remind everyone that again(maybe with a guest appearance of Free 2125/2295 – AND – narrow the bandwidth ofthis year we will be returning to the HolidayDrink Eddie himself!). the receive filters. You will be amazed andInn at Dayton Mall. A block of rooms has delighted by the improvement in reception ofbeen secured for your convenience. At thisRTTY Forum: weak signals and under heavy QRM condi-time (November 1999) we are not takingAfter being shut-out last year, we will again tions. However, this may not be easy to do.reservations. We ask that you stand by untilhave a RTTY Forum at Hara Arena this year. Maybe it’s time to “jack up the cables andearly January when an announcement will beThe main topic this year will be RTTY DX drop-in a new modem”, one designed formade on The New RTTY Journal web pageand Contesting. Frank Fallon (N2FF), RTTY in the first place? (www.rttyjournal.com). The room rate nextHudson Division ARRL Director, has agreed year will be $109.00 per day. While this is upto moderate a lively Q&A session with a 73 de Bill, K9GWT from the $99.00 we paid last year, the price ispanel of experts. We’ll have more to report in in agreement with what other area hotels arethe February 2000 issue. charging for the hamvention® weekend. We hope all will join us at the Holiday Inn againWatch for new announcements about the WriteLog for Windows this year and we welcome all those whoDayton gathering on the RTTY Journal web with Rttyrite/WinRTTY/AFC would like to join us. As in past years, I willpage and in the February issue of The New RTTY Journal. One Package Handles All Your again handle room reservations. If some- thing didn’t work quite right last year, CW, SSB, and RTTY Contesting Needs this is your time to let me know at 73 de Dale, W6IWO
When I talked to Robby, I learned that there was a M/M operation already planned for the CQWW99 SSB contest a month after the RTTY contest. So, contest preparations at PEI were already under way and we decided that this was going to be our QTH. Now we needed operators, radios, amplifiers, and some antennas. Robby thought we could get all this done in time.
The Crew: Bruce Bill Andy Bill Dick Nick Len Jamie Robby Ron Daryl Nick and I started looking for operators.Lifter Gordon McLellan Glydon Stevens Smith Morgan Irvine Robertson Stailey Robertson Although long-time standbys Jay (WS7I) andWT4I VE5FN VE9DX VY2LI N1RCT W4GKMVE9MY VE9WH VY2SS K5DJ VY2DR The New Page 10 RTTY Journal November 1999 station operator said that the bridge might beuneasy and asked when the plane was goingand wrote about his success from PEI several closed if the wind picked up much more. Theto board. The girl at the counter was tired,years ago. It was nice to finally meet him, his race was on - get over that bridge before theyfrustrated, and confused. She told Nick shewife Joyce, and son Daryl. Daryl is 17, a sen- closed it. We arrived at the bridge just indidn’t know, so Nick returned to sit and beior in high school and a great hockey player. time: winds were about 45 mph gusting to 60patient. After another 15 minutes the girlNick and Bruce arrived a couple of hours mph and the leaning motor-homes must havecalled over the loud speaker for the passen-later. been fun to drive. But we made it acrossgers waiting for the Halifax flight. Nick and without any problems. I called Robby on 2mBruce rushed over to the counter and wereWhen we looked over the antenna system, I while we were on the bridge. He said that wetold to hurry downstairs, as the plane wasthought it was very strange that the antennas were “about 40 minutes” from his QTH. about to take off. Nick and Bruce jumpedwere not installed very high. Robby informed onto a shuttle bus that then drove around theme that they didn’t need to be as I was now During the next 40 minutes we got into oneramp looking for the plane. It was raining andmuch closer to Europe than at my Texas of the heaviest rainstorms I have seen in athe bus driver finally gave up and returned toQTH. I really didn’t believe him at first and long time - washed out a dam and a bridge, inthe terminal. At this point the airline person-was going to lay some of my “Texas fact. Dick and I were just ahead of the worstnel were pretty embarrassed and agreed to putWisdom” on him. But, I remembered what of it. We got a few boxes of equipment wet.them up in a hotel since that was the last flightmy dear old Pappy used to say about such Dick’s amp and antenna tuner got the worstto Halifax this day. things: “It is best to remain silent and thought of it but all of the radios and modems made it a fool than to open your mouth and remove just fine. It took about 45 minutes to fill out all theall doubt”. But I did check it out with vouchers for the hotel, cab and food. AboutGeoclock and Robby was correct. I was in “Are you sure this is your flight?” the time these were completed, the supervisorfact a lot closer to Europe than at my Texas Nick (W4GKM) and Bruce (WT4I) alsofrom the gate area came running, looking forQTH. It still doesn’t seem possible. found that getting to PEI proved to be as dif-the two passengers for Halifax. As it turns ficult as getting to just about any otherout, the flight had to return to Boston becauseEvening fell and bottles of selected drinking remote DX location. While Dick and I wereof equipment problems. They were going toliquids started showing up on the table. My battling “The Bangor Connection”, Nick andswitch out the plane and Nick and Bruceold buddy Dick brought some high dollar Bruce came to PEI via Halifax, Nova Scotia.would get to go after all. The “fearless duo”wine - now I’m talking about $8.00 a bottle Nick from Tennessee and Bruce from Floridaonce again sat down to patiently wait for theirstuff with a cork. He wasn’t sharing it with met in Atlanta, flew to Boston, and fromplane. After another 45 minutes, Nick got thatanyone! As they say “a good time was had by there to Halifax. Of course, they wereuneasy feeling again and once again asked theall”. We were ready for the activities the next delayed getting to Boston and almost missedgirl where their flight was. A mad scrambleday. Amazing how a few good stiff drinks the same flight to Halifax twice. commenced and once again Nick and Brucewill do that. were rushed to the shuttle bus. This time the When they arrived in Boston, every flightbus found the plane and they made the flight,Contest morning: leaving the airport was delayed by severalarriving in Halifax around 2 AM. Robby and some of the crew built a new 40M hours. The airport was crowded, especiallyThe next morning they rounded up a rentalwire antenna so we would have two in differ- around their departure gate. The flight tocar and proceeded to drive to PEI. Rememberent directions. By the time the contest started Halifax was on another one of those “puddlethe rain storm? Nick and Bruce were just awe had all played around with the IC-756 jumpers” and there was much confusion ascouple of hours behind us as we fought theenough to feel comfortable with it. When the none of the flight numbers were clearlysame storm. What should have been a 4 hourcontest started we had the run station on 20M marked at the gates. Even though Nick andtrip from Halifax turned into a 6 ½ hourand multiplier station on 40M. The listening Bruce arrived late, their connecting flight“adventure” with washed out roads, detours,station was spotting on both bands. After the was not scheduled to leave for another 45and crossing the 13 kilometer bridge with 45first three or four hours, spotting became very minutes. They decided to run down the hallMPH gusts of wind. Right after Nick andimportant, making sure we got all of the for a quick bite to eat. Bruce crossed the Confederation Bridge itavailable multipliers on each band. actually was closed to campers and trailer Being gone for only about 15 minutes, theytrucks because of high winds. IC-756 Radios: Nick worked with ICOM and returned and sat down to wait for the they kindly loaned us three IC-756 radios. It announcement of the boarding of their plane.Robby greeted us at the door as we finallysure was nice to have all radios alike at each After another 15 minute wait, Nick feltarrived. I have talked to Robbie on the phonestation. The IC-756 is the ultimate radio for
Daryl Robertson, VY2DR Joyce Robertson and Dick Stevens, N1RCT The New November 1999 RTTY Journal Page 11 RTTY search and pounce (S&P). The digitalCQ/RJWW RTTY DX Contest. Everything - Other Information About PEI spectrum scope allows you to quickly see allradios, modems, and software - worked like a the activity on a band. The scope is so good, Swiss watch all weekend long. We did have VY2SS’s QTH is Bloomfield in the north you can almost tune in stations just looking at to replace a couple of amplifiers during the west quarter of PEI. the screen. I’ve got to get one of these rigs. Atest but it didn’t slow us down any. big thanks from all of us to ICOM America. The Confederation Bridge is 13 KM Also a very special thanks to Robby’s XYL long. HAL DXP38 Modems:What can I say aboutJoyce for putting up with 10 extra hairy- the DXP38 that the world doesn’t alreadylegged men around the house for severalPEI business is farming (predominately potato and cattle), fishing, and tourism. know? In this year’s CQ/RJ RTTY thedays. We slept on the floor, couches, in extra DXP38 did an outstanding job - didn’t miss abed rooms, etc. – generally underfoot. Joyce There are 3 ways to get to PEI: lick all weekend. Just exactly what I expect acooked special meals for us the whole time (1)Fly into Charlottetown HAL modem to do. I have one and highlywe were there. She is a real angel! (2)Drive over the Confederation bridge recommend it. I also like the ST-8000 with its (3)Take the Northumberland Ferry tuning scope but it’s a little large to take withAll of us had a real blast and are looking for- you when you travel and it’s EXTREMLYward to doing it again some time. Anne of Green Gables was written by DIFFICULT to get HAL to loan-out ST- PEI author Lucy Maud Montgomery. The 8000’s. The DXP38 with its built in crossed73, de Ron K5DJ story takes place on PEI. LED indicator did an excellent job. A special thanks from us to HAL Communications for providing this modem.
80 Meter Conditions: We used a 4 square array for 80M. Each of the 4 antennas were actually small towers. The radials on each of the verticals were elevated. Robbie had a pretty slick design for this. The radials were attached at ground level and then came up at about a 45 degree angle to about 6-8 feet high. They then went straight out from the tower. With this 4 square array, we were able to steer the antenna beam in four directions. With exception of interference around 3.6 MHz, 80M was remarkably quiet on PEI. We were able to easily pick out many European stations. Often, we could hear them working each other even though they couldn’t hear us.
40 Meter Conditions: Propagation conditions Left to Right: 15m Beam, 10m Beam, unfinished -40m Beam on 40M into Europe were considerably better than what we typically find in the southern U.S. We were able to keep a pretty good run going into Europe with just a dipole. Robbie ought to have a killer station once he gets his 40M beams up.
20–15–10 Meter Conditions: The high bands were great all weekend - from start to finish of the contest. We had the most QSOs on 20M and then 15M and 10M. At times we had huge pileups on all three bands. It was like giving candy to a baby. Sure put a smile on our faces. We knew we were going good, but is “good” really good enough?
I personally found the hardest thing to do from a location like Robbie’s is making myself work the US & VE stations for multi- pliers. When European stations are thick all Four Square 80m Antenna the time like it is from PEI, it’s really hard to swing the beams back into the States and run Equipment Used at VY2SS, Sept. ‘99: US and VE Q’s. But it’s got to be done or you will be “SOL” for sure when the scores are Station Feature Run Station Multiplier StationSpot Station posted! Radio IC-756 IC-756 IC-756 Rcvr IF Filter BW350 Hz 350 Hz 350 Hz Kudos: Modem HALDXP38 HALDXP38 HALPCI 3000 Again, very SPECIAL thank you’s to ICOM Software WriteLog WriteLog WriteLog America and HAL Communications for let- Amplifier ETO 1500W 8877 (none) ting us use their equipment during Network Ethernet Ethernet Ethernet The New Page 12 RTTY Journal November 1999 CQ/RJ World-Wide RTTY WPX Contest Sponsored by CQ Magazine and The NEW RTTY Journal February 12-13th, 2000 Starts at 0000 UTC Saturday and ends at 2400 UTC Sunday
I. OBJECTIVE: per band. tion, the portable designator will become the To contact as many other amateurs round the6. SWLs are required to log the call signs ofPREFIX. world using RTTY Baudot only. both the heard and correspondent station.Example: AB5KD operating from Wake Is. Scores are calculated based only upon themust sign AB5KD/KH9 or KH9/AB5KD II. OPERATING TIMES: heard station, using the same rules as trans-etc. AMERICAN DX, i.e. KL7, KH6, KP2, For SINGLE OPERATOR and MULTI-SIN-mitting stations. A call sign may not appearKH3 etc, operating within the 48 states, GLE, only 30 hours of the 48 hour contestmore than three (3) times, as a correspondent.MUST sign with a FULL designator of their period are permitted. Each OFF time must be7. All transmitters must be located within achoice. Example: KL7xx/W7 or any other MORE than 60 minutes in length, see para500 meter diameter or within property limits,prefix authorized for use in the U.S. 7th call XIV. MULTI-MULTI and MULTI-TWO sta-of the station licensee’s address, whichever isdistrict, i.e. KL7xx/WY7. tions may operate the full 48 hours. greater. All antennas must be physically con-UNITED STATES portables are NOT per- nected by wires to the transmitters andmitted to select a portable designator. E.g. III. BANDS: receivers. WS7I/2 is correct, but WS7I/WY5 or Only 3.5, 7, 14, 21 and 28 MHz bands may be WY6/WS7I is NOT permitted. used. V. Any form of DX alerting assistance isPORTABLE DESIGNATORS without num- permitted in ALL categories. bers will be assigned a zero (0) after the sec- IV. CATEGORIES: ond letter of the designator to form the A. SINGLE OPERATOR, ALL BANDS, VI. EXCHANGE: prefix. WS7I/PA would become WS7I/PA0. HIGH POWER. RST and a progressive three digit serial num-All calls without numbers will be assumed a B. SINGLE OPERATOR, ALL BANDS, ber starting with 001. Continue to four digitszero (0) after the first two letters to form LOW POWER, less than 150w. if necessary. the prefix. Examples: XEFTJW would count C. SINGLE OPERATOR, SINGLE BAND, as XE0, RAEM would count as RA0, etc. NO POWER CLASSES. VII. POINTS: /A, /E, /G, /T, /P, /M, /MM, /QRP and U.S. D. MULTI OPERATOR, SINGLE TRANS-A. Contacts between stations on differentlicense class identifiers, /AE, /AA, /AG are MITTER, ALL BANDS, NO POWERcontinents are worth three (3) points on 28,NOT valid WPX prefixes. CLASSES. 21, and 14 MHz, and six (6) points on 7, 3.5Special event, commemorative and other E. MULTI OPERATOR, TWO TRANSMIT-MHz. prefix stations are encouraged to participate. TERS, ALL BANDS, NO POWER B. Contacts between stations on the same CLASSES. continent but different countries and contactsX. SCORING: F. MULTI OPERATOR, MULTI TRANS-with Maritime Mobile stations are worth two1. SINGLE OPERATOR (a) All Band score: MITTER, ALL BANDS, NO POWER (2) points on 28, 21, and 14 MHz and four (4)total QSO points from all bands multiplied CLASSES. points on 7, 3.5 MHz. by the number of different Prefixes worked. G. S.W.L. C. Contacts between stations in the same(b) Single Band score: QSO points on the country are worth one (1) point on 28, 21,chosen band multiplied by the number of dif- NOTES: and 14 MHz, and two (2) points on 7, 3.5ferent prefixes worked on that band. 1. SINGLE OPERATOR means, ONE personMHz. 2. MULTI-OPERATOR stations. Scoring in performs all the operating and logging. these categories is the same as the all band 2. All SINGLE OPERATOR categories areVIII. MULTIPLIERS: scoring for single operator. permitted only ONE signal on the air at aEach VALID PREFIX is counted as a multi- time. plier. Multipliers are counted only ONCE.XI. LOW POWER CATEGORY: (Single 3. CATEGORY D: Only ONE transmitter andNO band multipliers. However, the same sta-operator only) Output must not exceed 150 only ONE band permitted during any 10tion may be contacted on other bands forwatts and you must indicate low power in the minute period. Listening time counts asadditional points credit. summary sheet. operating time. 4. CATEGORY E: A maximum of TWOIX. PREFIXES: XII. AWARDS: transmitted signals are allowed, as long asThe letter/number combination which formsPlaques will only be awarded to serious con- each transmitter is on a different band. Oncethe first part of the call sign will be consid-test efforts. each transmitter has started operating on it’sered the PREFIX. Examples: N8, W8, AB8,!!!! To qualify for an all band award, the selected band, it must remain on that band forDL5, DJ2, HG1, WD200, WF96, 3DA0,entrant must submit a reasonable amount of at least 10 minutes. Listening time counts asGB75, ZS66, U3 etc. Any difference in theQsos from three (3) or more bands. The def- operating time. Both transmitters may contactnumbering, lettering or order of same, shallinition of reasonable, will be left to the dis- all stations heard, the second transmitter isconstitute a separate prefix. A station operat-cretion of the contest judges who will take not restricted to only working new multipli-ing from a DXCC country different from thatQTH and propagation factors into considera- ers. Violation of the 10 minute rule orindicated by its call sign, MUST signtion. Certificates will be awarded to the improper logging by one or both transmitters,portable. !!!! The portable prefix must be anhighest scoring station in each category list- will result in reclassification to the multi-authorized prefix for the country or call areaed under section IV. of the rules. multi class. of operation. At the discretion of the contest(a) In each participating country. 5. CATEGORY F: No limit to the number ofcommittee, written proof of compliance may(b) In each call area of the U.S., Canada, transmitters but only ONE signal permittedbe requested. In the case of portable opera-Australia and Japan. Contestants are permit- The New November 1999 RTTY Journal Page 13 ted to submit only ONE CATEGORY log fortime begins ONE minute of clock time7. Each entry must be accompanied by a sum- plaque or certificate consideration. SINGLEAFTER your last log entry and ends as soonmary sheet listing all scoring information, the BAND entrants, are allowed to operate onas you log another contact. category of competition, the contestant’s other bands,to encourage activity. Any logChronological = the UTC time that you log aname(s), FULL postal address and if possible, other than their chosen band log, will be usedcontact. an E-mail address. A declaration that all con- as a check log. 1. OFF times MUST be CLEARLY markedtest rules and regulations for amateur in the chronological LOG. See paragraph XVradio in the country the contestant(s) operate XIII. PLAQUES. for penalties. from have been observed, should also be Plaques will be awarded to highest score in:2. Single operator and multi single logs mustincluded. CategoryA: World, USA, NA, SA, OC, be submitted in chronological order. 8. Official logs and sample summary sheets AF, EU, AS, VE and JA. !!!! 3. Single band entrants who operate onare available. A large self-addressed envelope Category B: World, USA, NA, SA, OC, AF,any band other than their chosen band, mustwith sufficient postage or IRCs must accom- EU, AS and VE. send completely SEPARATE files for thepany your request. Contest software, e.g. CategoryC: Highest worldwide score on chosen band plus check log files for any otherRTTY by WF1B, Rttyrite Contest S/W for each band, 10-80m. bands used. Multi multi logs to be submittedWindows or OH2GI-HAM SYSTEM are CategoryD: World, USA, NA, SA, OC, EU, chronologically by band. Multi two mustavailable and are considered adequate logging AS and VE. MERGE both stations’ logs to produce ONEsoftware for this contest. CategoryE: World, USA, NA, SA, OC complete log in chronological order and9. Contest files may be submitted via E-mail, and EU. clearly indicate which transmitter madeor on a MS-DOS compatible 3 1/2 inch disk Category F: World, EU and SA. which QSOs, to facilitate ease of checkingin preference to paper ones. Rookie Best all round performance by any possible 10 minute rule errors. Logs must contain the required information. a newcomer to contesting. 4. Prefix multipliers should be entered onlyDate, Time,Band, Call, RST & NR Sent, RST the first time they are contacted and must be& NR Rec’d, multiplier and QSO points. XIV. FILE INSTRUCTIONS and DEFINI-clearly marked. 10. Electronic files (e-mail) are prefered and TIONS: (Please read very carefully!) 5. Logs should be checked for duplicate con-must be in PLAIN ASCII TEXT FORMAT. LOG = the file containing the date, time,tacts, correct points, and prefix multipliers.No oher formats will be accepted. Files to be band, callsign of the station being worked,Duplicate contacts must be shown andsubmitted and named as follows: both required exchanges, points, multipliersindicate zero(0) points. Summary sheet = yourcall.sum claimed and OFF times. !!!! 6. A dupe sheet in alpha numeric order Chronological log = yourcall.log or .all OFF time = a period of MORE than one hourshowing all call signs worked and a PREFIX Dupesheet = yourcall.dup in which you do not log a contact. Your offlist, must be submitted by all entrants. Prefix list = yourcall.wpx or .mul
The New Page 14 RTTY Journal November 1999 Compressed (.zip) files are acceptable andXVI. DEADLINE: RTTYJournal Correction must be named yourcall.zip Entries must be date stamped or postmarked In the subject line of your electronic submis-no later than Tuesday 14th March, 2000. sion, put your callsign and the categorySend contest entries and files or disks via entered i.e. SOABL, SOSBx, MM, M2,AIRMAIL to: MS, SOABH or SWL. All electronic logs Eddie Schneider. received, will be confirmed via e-mail. 1826 Van Ness. SAN PABLO, XV. DISQUALIFICATION / PENALTIES. CA 94806. Violations of amateur radio regulations in the USA. country of the contestant or the rules of the contest, unsportsmanlike conduct, taking E-mail files to: [email protected] credit for excessive duplicate contacts, non- verifiable QSO’s or multipliers will beFor RTTY WPX required paperwork exam- deemed sufficient cause for disqualification.ples contact: Incorrectly logged calls will be counted as Wayne Matlock,K7WM non-verifiable contacts. RT2, Box 102 !!!! A penalty of 10% of the corrected score CIBOLA. will be deducted from competitive entrants AZ 85328. who do not indicate their OFF times in the USA. chronological LOG. An entrant whose log is deemed by the contest committee to contain a E-mail: [email protected] large number of errors may be disqualified. We reserve the right to reclassify any submis-Please enclose an SASE or SAE + returnThe August issue (Vol 47 no3) cover was sion and all decisions made by the contestpostage. created by John Sheetz, K2AGI, and is not a judges, will be final. self-portrait of Don Royer himself.
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