[GreenKeys] ARRL RTTY contest

[tony j. podrasky]

GM OMs;

I have the "back in my days things were better" syndrome as most older people
have. Ham Radio isn't what it was in my days - and I'm talking about the late
1960's - 1970's. You "older" old timers probably feel that that was not
"real ham radio" by then, too.

I am a type-A personality and like protocol and a "set way" of doing things.
Back in the late '60's, [we - me and the guys] had to build T.U.s from parts
which means you ACTUALLY had to apply some effort to get on RTTY. Then, [we]
were only set up for "listening" - so before we got the transmit side going
we copied a lot of QSOs and got to see how formal things were done. Even the
Saturday morning round-tables I got into were run really smooth. Hams who
had something to say - not like working some exotic DX station in which the
extire exchange takes place in 10-15 seconds. People knew how to zero-beat
to the frequency so that no one had to play with the receiver for each
transmission.

It took me a couple of years before I could apply for the W.A.C. with RTTY
endorsement. That was, what - 6 QSL cards?

Now, I know a guy who got DXCC - and then some - working PSK.

I've still got "sour-grapes" about no longer having a CW requirement to get
an Amateur License. I understand that that will help keep the hobby alive with
all the new ones coming in who are part of the "I DON'T WANT TO EXPEND ANY
EFFORT - I WANT IT *RIGHT NOW* !!!" crowd - who never got a license because they 
had to apply themselves.

Re: any RTTY contest. I think that real teleprinters should get special points
and be put in a separate category when it comes to judging "who won". As was
pointed out, it is an RTTY CONTEST. Let the others participate but you
can only "win" if you're running iron. Make a contest called "digital" and
let anyone win that.

UE,
W6ESE - tony
NNNN
ZCZC


Larry Tighe wrote:
> I was just thumbing thru the July 2012 issue of QST.  By happenstance, I hit 
> page 78, the story was titled  "2012 ARRL RTTY Roundup Results".
> 
> There's a pix of 3 guys sitting in front of computers....no "teletype" 
> machine in view.  I kinda wonder why it's called RTTY anymore.  Aren't they 
> just computers with pre-programmed phrases in them?
> 
> I didn't read the article...the picture turned me off.
> 
> lar
> K2JIA 
> 

-- 
Tony J. Podrasky | I maintain that we close the patent office:
                  | Everything that can be invented has been invented.
                  |
                  | -Charles Duell, Director of U.S. Patent Office, 1899