[Elecraft] CQ WPX RTTY Contest

[John E Bastin]

On Feb 14, 2016, at 19:51, Bill Frantz <frantz at pwpconsult.com> wrote:
> 
> My big problem was on receive. I never got the radio to cleanly decode. It missed almost all the call signs, regardless of strength of the signal. I tried using fldigi, which did work, and cocoaModem which seemed to decode better than fldigi. I ended up using cocoaModem and logging manually. (Next time I'll probably steal the VGA screen from the P3 and use it as a second screen on the computer so I can see all of both programs windows.)

I also am using a Mac in the hamshack (I confess, I use a Windows VM and N1MM plus for contesting). I’ve used this method of RTTY operation on the K3 for casual operation, and my biggest difficulty was tuning to the exact correct frequency on the K3 to get solid decoding of the received signal. I’m used to working with MMTTY on the computer, with the simulated crossed ellipses on the screen to tune in the signal; without that aid, even though I know what the signal is supposed to sound like, I have to play with the tuning to get it exactly correct for decoding (I can usually get it to work OK to make the contact, though).

With that in mind, maybe your problem with the other  station copying you is the same problem you’re having with decoding: even with the CWT indicator, you’re not getting exactly on the correct frequency,

Are you using FINE tuning on the K3? That seems to be almost a necessity to make the fine adjustments needed to tune the RTTY signal correctly for receiving and decoding.

Hope this helps.

John K8AJS
jbastin at sssnet.com <mailto:jbastin at sssnet.com>