[TVARC] Preparations for RTTY+FT8 in the upcoming ARRL RTTY RoundUp

[Rich Erlichman]

For anyone interested in the setup for N1MM+ in the ARRL RTTY Roundup
contest (including FT8 as a separate mode) in January, I have a process
worked out.

Of course your conditions and equipment may require some adjustments, but
here are mine; with all multipliers and scoring in N1MM+ working properly.

 

First my equipment:

Kenwood TS590S, West Mountain Radio Rigblaster Advantage, Desktop computer
running Windows 10 Pro

 

Software:

N1MM+, WSJT-X, JTAlertX

 

The main issue I found is that WSJT-X does not play well with others, and it
MUST have radio control, which conflicts heavily with N1MM+. 

N1MM+ normally has radio control when running the RTTY mode. 

So, how do you avoid having to change the configuration of N1MM+ when
changing modes back and forth from RTTY to FT8 and back again?

>From a suggestion to my post to the N1MM+ forum, it was suggested by one of
the moderators (Rich/VE3KI) to setup two shortcuts for launching N1MM+ with
the new or second shortcut using a different/dedicated ".INI" file. The key
here is to make the unique configuration changes in N1MM+ with the special
".INI" file using no radio control. You will use this configuration when
running WSJT-X for the FT8 mode. Make sure that you setup N1MM+ in BOTH
".INI" file configurations to look at the same contest. This way there is no
configuration changes during the contest.

I additionally have JTAlertX running with WSJT-X, using the UDP transfers
feature. When logging the QSOs from WSJT-X the full exchange is successfully
logged into N1MM+. WSJT-X can log directly into N1MM+ also as it too, has
the UDP transfer feature into N1MM+, however, you are then relying on a
color coding for "new" contacts. That is to say, avoiding dupes. I find
JTAlertX is more robust in that I don't have to remember a color code
scheme, because JTAlertX offers a suffix added to a callsign "-B4" if the
station is a dupe. (Ex: AA5AU-B4)

Another thing I like about using JTAlertX with WSJT-X is a single click on
the callsign to select the station and the contest messages get filled in
WSJT-X on the mouse click. Using WSJT-X without JTAlertX requires a
double-click of the mouse when selecting the station you want to work.

Not a big deal, but in the mouse driven world, if you cut down on the amount
of clicks it takes to work a station, it seems more relaxed and less
stressful than double-clicking all day long.

Lastly, to do the actual changes from one mode to the other, now requires
closing or shutting down N1MM+ and WSJT-X when changing from FT-8 to RTTY.
Once closed, open N1MM+ from your normal shortcut which should open with the
RTTY mode and full radio control. When switching later back to the FT8 mode,
close N1MM+, and re-launch N1MM+ using the newly created special shortcut,
with no radio control. Then launch WSJT-X and you should be rock-n-rolling.

 

That's my thoughts for now. If I find more or newer information, I will pass
it on.

Unfortunately, I will be in Tampa for that weekend attending the Bar Mitzvah
of a Grand (or is it Great?) Nephew, so I'll probably miss the whole
contest.

 

Good luck.

73, Rich, ND4G

 

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