[SFDXA] CW in Ham Radio

Norman Alexander npalex at bellsouth.net
Sat Feb 4 12:51:25 EST 2012


When you work them all on other modes, RTTY gives you something to chase  RTTY = 
256 and climbing


Norm W4QN





________________________________
From: "Sebastian, W4AS" <w4as at bellsouth.net>
To: SFDXA at mailman.qth.net
Sent: Sat, February 4, 2012 12:30:33 PM
Subject: Re: [SFDXA] CW in Ham Radio

Time to brag about my K3, it can do the same (decode RTTY/PSK31 without a 
computer attached).  And you can even send RTTY/PSK31 with just the internal 
keyer, although I've never tried that.

Having made very few RTTY QSOs over the years, I'm really puzzled as to why it's 
so popular - someone please tell me what I've been missing.

To me, it appears to be the most inefficient mode for DXing and contesting.  
Having listened to the HK0NA pileups on RTTY, the DX station has to exactly tune 
in to a caller, and may have to wait for the caller to repeat if the caller just 
stopped his transmission.  If another station obliterates that caller, then the 
DX station has to start all over again.  And of course there's no break-in or 
error correction.

Compared to CW or voice, when a DX station can hear a partial call, and just say 
for example, "the N8 again".

Not knocking the mode, I'd just like to find a RTTY geek who can tell me why I 
should use it more often

73 de Sebastian, W4AS



On Feb 4, 2012, at 11:54 AM, Pete Rimmel N8PR wrote:

> Kai,
> 
> My Icom 7600 does not need a computer to do RTTY or PSK31 It will send and 
> receive both with a mini keyboard attached, not much larger than a paddle.
> 
> PeteR
> 
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Kai Siwiak
> Sent: Saturday, February 04, 2012 9:48 AM
> To: Bill
> Cc: aSFDXA
> Subject: Re: [SFDXA] CW in Ham Radio
> 
> Hi Bill,
> That's a great article with good reliance on reliable numbers, but it
> misses a critically key point about technical performance. That is, CW
> outperforms SSB by around  17 dB --  a power ratio of 50!  This means CW
> can potentially talk 5 to 6 times as far as SSB.  Out of the three modes
> that DXpeditions favor (CW, RTTY, SSB) it provides the best range. It is
> around 3-7 dB better than RTTY.
> 
> It is also the ONLY digital mode that can be done with just a radio and
> with no additional computer.
> 
> CW is not going away too soon!
> 
> 73
> Kai, KE4PT

______________________________________________________________
South Florida DX Assoc. Reflector
SFDXA WebSite: http://qsl.net/k4fk
SFDXA Repeater 147.33+ 103.5 Tone
DX Net Wed 7:33 PM Repeater
To Post: mailto:SFDXA at mailman.qth.net
Info:http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/sfdxa

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html


More information about the SFDXA mailing list