Hey Guys;
I posted this to rec.amateur.radio.
I'll let you know if I get any responses.
73,
W6ESE
NNNNZCZC
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RTTY - reforming the autostart group from the 1970's
Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2006 19:21:03 -0700
From: tony j. podrasky <tonyp at m2404txp.nsr.hp.com>
Reply-To: W6ESE <w6ese at arrl.net>
Organization: Eskimo North www.eskimo.com (800) 246-6874
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur
GE OMs.
Back in the dim-times of digital communications there were a
handfull of amateurs that had their Teletype machines set up
on 14.075 MHz.
They sat on the channel waiting for RTTY traffic from the
members that were scattered all over the US, Canada, and
even abroad.
The machines were left running (and pretty much unattended),
24 hours a day until the OP came home, read the traffic, and
fired-off a response. There were QSO's that took place where
the two OPs were never there at the same time.
Many of these machines had WRU (Who aRe yoU?) capabilites that
you could access. When the correct sequence was sent the
machine would kick-in the transmitter and activate an ANSWERBACK
that would usually send a CWID (FCC mandatory for RTTY operations
back in those days) or just the station call letters and maybe
the abreviation of the state/province. When you got a response
you could tell that the machine was online and responded, and
get an idea as to the band conditions.
All the machines had SELCALS (SELective CALling devices) that
would activate the machine only when the OP's call letters came
thru, or a sequence like "space DE space" - when kept the machines
from spewing out paper by the mile when QRN was high. All
transmissions would end with a "NNNN" sequence which would reset
all the machines on the channel.
We're trying to get this group back together - or rather, form a
new one. Right now we're hanging out on 14.084.100 Mhz, plus a
MARK frequency of 2125 Hz - depending on how your transmitter is
set up.
The only thing needed is a setup that will send 5-level code at
45.45 baud, right-side-up, and being able to zerobeat the frequency.
If you're interested, follow-up here or send e-mail to me.
73,
tony
W6ESE
@
arrl.net
--
Tony J. Podrasky | This "telephone" has too many shortcomings to be
| seriously considered as a means of communication.
| The device is inherently of no value to us.
| -Western Union memo, 1877
--
Tony J. Podrasky | The game of life is a game of boomerangs:
| Our thoughts, deeds, and words return to
| us, sooner or later, with astounding accuracy.
| -Unknown