[Elecraft] CQ WPX RTTY Contest

[Stephen Shearer]

I played for a few hours Friday night.

I used my KX3 with the PX3 and a USB keyboard for S&P calling and reply 
including the serial number using function keys.  I used logging to keep 
track of the few contacts I made on a separate computer.

I operated on 80m and used FSK D on the KX3 to display on the PX3.  I 
found having the bandwidth as narrow as possible plus just a tad wider. 
  I think something about 250 Hz wide worked well and I had very little 
problem copying call signs or serial numbers.  One time I did have to 
wait for his next contact to conform the number.  I DID have a problem 
with some stations needing a repeat of my serial number as I was running 
5 watts (using an 80m horizontal loop - 15' above ground).

With the PX3 keyboard messaging and \c for serial number I sent the \c 
twice but if I needed to re-send the \c string, the number would 
increment and it is NOT easy to decrement the number.  I just sent the 
number "by hand".  It would be nice yo have \d to decrement the number 
before sending again.

With the PX3, tuning was easy and accurate.  With CWT alone, tuning 
needs to be "somewhat" even on either side of CWT and then watch how it 
decoded.

Without the PX3, I would have used fldigi, a USB sound card, and the KX3 
using DATA A (because I can use all the modes fldigi has)...

73, steve WB3LGC

On 14-Feb-16 8:30 PM, John E Bastin wrote:
>
> 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>
>
>
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