[SFDXA] HOW TO WORK A RTTY PILEUP

[Bill]

Yes thats pretty much what it says. Some variations because two modes 
you hear with your ears and one is what you see on the screen. RTTY does 
pose different issues but concepts are similar. There is a ton of 
information in these emails for those starting out in RTTY DXing. If you 
have been at it for a while it's old hat.
Bill W2CQ


On 4/10/2016 9:59 PM, Pete Rimmel N8PR wrote:
> Gee,  just the same as for SSB or CW pileups  LOL ! Only with 
> different splits due to bandwidth.
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Bill
> Sent: Sunday, April 10, 2016 7:56 PM
> To: 'SFDXA Reflector'
> Subject: [SFDXA] HOW TO WORK A RTTY PILEUP
>
> I copied the following three emails from the RTTY List: These comments
> come from some very successful RTTY Contesters and RTTY DXers. Just food
> for thought. The following alone is a number of years old. Read them all
> to help you work more DX on RTTY.
>
> Bill W2CQ
>
>
>    HOW TO WORK A RTTY PILEUP
>
>
>        Eddie Schneider, W6/G0AZT
>
> At the IDRA dinner in Dayton,Glenn,W6OTC suggested that someone with
> some experience at the "sharp" end of Baudot pile-ups ought to write
> something about how to assist the DX station in achieving maximum
> efficiency and ensuring that you get in the log.
>
> My credentials.
>
> I have operated from VP5,C6A,ZF,V2,VP2M,VP9,P4, TY, 3V and 8R.
>
> Modis Operandi
>
> Like most DXpeditions, the idea is to try and work as many stations as
> possible in the time available. RTTY, being a somewhat slower mode than
> SSB and CW, requires a slightly different approach in operating habits
> by both the DX and the callers. Normally the DX will work contest style,
> "599 QRZ?" They will probably run "split" frequencies to enable the
> caller to have a chance of seeing his call come up on the screen and
> know that the report was for him. In some cases, if the DX has very good
> antennas and power, they may choose to run simplex, particularly in a
> contest, so as not to disrupt the rest of the band.
>
> Why RY?
>
> One of the frustrating things the DX station has to endure is that nasty
> string of RY's. WHY send RYRY? What useful purpose does it serve? In the
> time taken to send a line of them, you could have sent YOUR CALLSIGN
> three, four or even five times, depending on it's length.(Oh you lucky
> people with 1x2,or 2x1 callsigns!). In the days of "steam" RTTY and
> mechanical machines, the RY was sent to enable the receive station to
> tune-in, but with modern TNC's, the RY is no longer needed.
>
> When you call the DX in CW, do you send a string of V's before you send
> your call? In SSB, do you shout "ola ola" or whistle in the microphone?
> Maybe, but don't call me, I'll call you, sometime never. Banish the RY's
> syndrome to some black hole in outer space, where it belongs.
>
> Feet first
>
> OK, you are tuning around and come across a big pile-up, spread all over
> the band. You find the DX station's transmit frequency and without even
> listening a while (and you should listen first!), you call on his
> frequency. Oops, your first big mistake! The inevitable policeman comes
> on, 20dB stronger than the DX, and proceeds to call you all sorts of
> unpleasant names, doubts that you had a father, wonders how you got your
> license, etc., etc. If you want to be a policeman, assist rather than
> disrupt. Tell the offender "QSX up 2" or whatever the DX is doing. Be
> short and to the point.
>
> Getting in the log
>
> Once you have figured out that the DX is listening up, try to work out
> the operator's operating habits, if he has any! Is he answering
> tail-enders? Does he move his VFO after each contact ? . . . and so on.
> Try and find a clear frequency and sit tight. The DX is bound to find
> you before the band folds, or before his QRT for a visit to the
> sand-box. Occasionally check your transmit frequency to make sure some
> big gun is not wiping you out.
>
> Send only YOUR callsign. The DX knows HIS callsign (its written on his
> license, probably etched in stone above his operating position) but he
> needs to know your callsign for the log. Check out a pile up on SSB or
> CW, you rarely hear the DX chaser giving out the DX station's callsign,
> so why waste time doing it in RTTY?
>
> Hooray, you got through the pile up. If the DX is running contest style,
> he is probably only interested in your callsign and a report. Drop your
> name in once or twice just to be friendly and possibly your
> State/Province abbreviation, just in case the DX is working for WAS.
> Forget about your city, county, the WX, what you had for lunch--and
> station equipment macros. Even if you know the operator personally let
> HIM decide whether he wants to have a QSO with you. Remember, there are
> probably many more stations wanting to get in the log, so please have a
> thought for those anxiously waiting in line. Keep the exchange short and
> sweet and you will not make too many enemies. Be verbose and you are
> sure to upset quite a few folks, believe me. I'll be one of them :-)
>
> You are in the log.
>
> After the usual exchange of reports and the DX signs "SK", do not go
> back for a super final. SK means, end of work or transmission to a
> particular callsign. In plain Queen's English, "I've finished with you,
> thanks very much, don't transmit again because I want to work someone
> else". Of course SK is also used for hams who have passed away. Beware,
> you may become one of them, if you attend the next RTTY dinner at Dayton
> and get beat about the head with cricket bats.
>
>> From the DX's point of view, sending KN after a callsign should make it
> clear to other callers that he wants ONLY that station to respond. In
> practice, most of the time, it appears that everyone EXCEPT the 'named'
> station, calls again. KN means "invitation to transmit, named station
> only", so please respect the DX station's wishes and give him a chance
> to work whoever he specifies. If the DX answers a non specified caller,
> then he has only himself to blame for the resulting alphabet soup that
> will appear on his screen.
>
> Simplex
>
> If the DX decides to work simplex, be on your guard and watch your
> screen closely. A good DX operator should put your call at the END of
> his transmission, with a couple of KN's for good measure. Be ready to
> hit the TX button, otherwise some eager beaver will jump in and mess
> things up for you. Do not 'break' during an exchange, it causes
> onfusion, disrupts the flow and is basically rude and inconsiderate.
>
> Lists.
>
> List operations on RTTY have been tried many times. To date I have not
> seen a successful one and doubt if I ever will. In this mode, the list
> master has no control whatsoever. Because of the nature of RTTY, longer
> transmissions are required than in CW or SSB. The resulting chaos,
> frustrates the list master, the incessant callers and most importantly,
> the DX operator, who then QRT's and thinks RTTY is not for him and then
> returns to those "other" modes, never to be seen on your screen again.
> Not a good idea, especially if you NEED him for a new one.
>
> Lets all try and prove to the DX operator and future DXpedition
> organizers, that RTTY operators are a polite and considerate bunch of
> ladies and gentlemen.
>
> To summarize:
>
> EDDIE'S COMMANDMENTS for the DX STATION
> (Not carved in stone)
>
> 1. Thou shalt not pick a transmit frequency below .082 mark, on the high
> bands.
>
> 2. Thou shalt not listen more than 2-5kH above or below your transmit
> frequency.
>
> 3. Thou shalt ensure that the callsign of the station you are working,
> appears at the END of your transmission.
>
> 4. Thou shalt, after each contact, inform the callers where you are
> listening.
>
> 5. Thou shalt not contact anyone on your transmit frequency.
>
> 6. Thou shalt not forget that there are many countries who wish to work
> you.
>
> 7. Thou shalt try to "predict" propagation paths to ALL those countries
> who are patiently waiting to get in your log.
>
> 8. Thou shalt periodically inform all stations of the QSL route.
>
> 9. Thou shalt not make skeds and then not keep your promise.(subject to
> unforeseen problems, like Murphy's Law)
>
> 10.Thou shalt make it clear to all parties, when you have ended one
> contact and wish to make a make a new one.
>
> EDDIE'S COMMANDMENTS for the DX chaser
> (Written on parchment)
>
> 1. Thou shalt not use RY.\'s, EVER.
>
> 2. Thou shalt adhere to the DX station's requests.
>
> 3. Thou shalt not send the DX station's callsign more than once.
>
> 4. Thou shalt send YOUR callsign only three or four times.
>
> 5. Thou shalt not transmit on the DX station's frequency if he is
> running a split operation.
>
> 6. Thou shalt not become abusive to other stations who occasionally
> transmit on the wrong frequency.
>
> 7. Thou shalt inform the transgressor in KISS (Keep It Short Stupid)
> mode, as to where the DX is listening.
>
> 8. Thou shalt not send more than your name and abbreviated
> State/Province letters in your exchange, unless the DX station begins a
> rag-chew with you first.
>
> 9. Thou shalt not transmit when the DX sends KN, unless YOUR callsign is
> seen.
>
> 10.Thou shalt not transmit once your report has been confirmed, unless
> invited to do so by the DX station.
>
> 11.Thou shalt not transmit after the DX signs SK, CL or QRZ?
>
> These are my views of how to get in the DX station's log and how the DX
> station ought to maximize his time on the air.
>
> Good luck and happy hunting,
>
> de W6/G0AZT
>
> http://www.ewarg.org/g0azt.htm
>
>
> This post came in as I am wrapping up a presentation on "RTTY DXing" 
> for DX
> University this coming Friday at the IDXC in Visalia, CA.  It sort of 
> caught
> my attention.
>
> Many of the skills that work on one mode also apply to the other modes.
> However, there are some key differences, of course.  For a start, many of
> the behaviors we see in RTTY DXing, or contesting, are 
> counter-productive.
> Simply following the best practices that have evolved over the years 
> in CW
> DXing would be a big improvement.  We should always ask why the RTTY mode
> needs to be different.  Many times there is no good reason other than
> tradition.
>
> For example, a pseudo-QSK (or, more accurately semi-break-in) can be
> mimicked if everyone would make their call sign message just a single
> instance of their call sign.  Then, they can tap the message key once,
> listen for a few milliseconds, before tapping it again.  This way, 
> they can
> send their call sign multiple times, if appropriate, but stop sending 
> when
> the DX station starts transmitting.  This single call sign message can
> dynamically create a string of call signs of any length. 
> Unfortunately, the
> norm nowadays is to punch a message key that repeats one's call sign 4
> times, so the transmission often doubles with the DX station.  If the DX
> station is not transmitting when this long message completes, they 
> operator
> may send it again, leading to very inefficient operating.
>
> The obvious main difference with the RTTY mode is the use of a 
> hardware or
> software decoder rather than the human ear/brain as in CW.  This fact
> rightfully makes some of the RTTY operating behavior and messaging 
> different
> than CW or SSB.
>
> One example is sending a serial number, or other unique exchange element,
> twice in an exchange.  In CW, a serial number is typically sent just once
> and the receiving operator's ear/brain can usually tell if he got a clean
> copy.  In RTTY, that dimension is missing and all we have to go on is 
> what
> prints.  That is not enough to judge reliability of the copy, so it is
> advisable to send a serial number twice.  (Sending it three times so the
> receiver can have confidence of at least two of the three match is 
> better,
> but of course takes more time.)  GRITTY has advanced decoding 
> capability in
> this regard by applying Bayesian statistics, but it is still not as 
> capable
> as the ear/brain is for CW.  Thanks for your creative contributions in 
> this
> area, Alex.
>
> BTW, there were times this weekend when GRITTY allowed me to copy my 
> report
> from a weak DX station buried in DQRM when MMTTY and 2Tone got no hint.
> Pretty cool.
>
> Ed W0YK
>
>
> Alex VE3NEA wrote:
>
> I started chasing DX using RTTY three months ago, after 35 years of 
> DX'ing
> CW only. Trying to learn the new mode, I searched the
> Internet for RTTY tutorials, and I found quite a few, but all of them 
> either
> explained how to set up MMTTY, the software that I
> do not use, or how to operate in the contests. The only presentation 
> on RTTY
> DX'ing I could find just told me that I needed two
> macros, my callsign and "599 TU" - something that I had already 
> figured out
> myself. How to crack the pileups, how to find the DX
> listening frequency, how to choose the right time to send your call - 
> none
> of this was covered in the publications that I could
> find. I know that many of the subscribers to this list are experienced 
> RTTY
> DX'ers, even though it is a contesting list, some
> are even on the Honor Roll - perhaps you guys could share your RTTY 
> DX'ing
> techniques with those of us who are just making their
> first steps in this area.
>
> Having no RTTY-specific skills, I tried to use my CW techniques to 
> crack the
> RTTY pileups, and this worked, to some extent, but
> I quickly discovered that there are some important differences between 
> the
> two modes that needed to be addressed. For examnple,
> in CW I use QSK to know when the DX station starts transmitting, so I can
> abort my own transmission and listen. Since there is
> no QSK in RTTY, those who send their call 4 or 5 times, have no idea 
> if the
> DX has already answered someone or is still
> listening for a new call. They just keep calling, often on top of the
> station being worked. My solution to that is to ensure
> that my own messages are shorter than anything the DX might send. 
> Since the
> DX usually sends something like <call> 599 <call>, I
> figured I should send my own call no more than 2 times, then I will 
> catch at
> least the end of the DX transmission and know in
> what stage the current QSO is.
>
> There is another difference between CW and RTTY. When I find the DX
> listening frequency in CW, I tune my TX about 100 Hz higher
> or lower, since I know several others will be calling precisely on that
> frequency and will interfere with each other. This often
> works in CW, but not in RTTY: the RTTY decoders do not pick up the 
> signals
> that are 100 Hz off, so I have to either call on that
> exact frequency or tune a few hundred Hz away, hoping that the DX will do
> the same.
>
> One technique that rarely worked for me in CW but worked much better 
> in RTTY
> is tailgating. If the DX operates simplex, quite
> often several stations start calling him on the same frequency, 
> resulting in
> no copy at all. I wait until they finish calling,
> then, without any pause, send my call once. On more than one occasion I
> added a new one to the log using this trick.
>
> What works for you, and what doesn't? What extra hardware or software 
> does
> one need to be competitive in the RTTY pileups?
> Please share your experience.
>
> 73 Alex VE3NEA
>
>
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> SFDXA WebSite: http://www.SFDXA.com
> SFDXA Repeater 147.33+ 103.5 Tone
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