1. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Contesting Society of Midwest Contesters 1

2. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Presentation Overview  Anatomy of a RTTY signal  Three basic decisions as you get started  Operating demonstration  RTTY message and operating strategies 2

3. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Introduction  Tim Gennett K9WX  West Lafayette, IN  Check of 1993  Retired from Purdue admin staff  Primarily domestic CW and RTTY tests 3

4. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY RTTY: It’s:  Like CW in some ways  Different from CW in other ways 4

5. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Anatomy of a RTTY signal  Based on work of Emile Baudot, 1870  His goal: create a new com. system with more automation than telegraph and Morse code 1.All RTTY characters must be the same length CW characters can be from 1 to 6 bits CW bits (1’s and 0’s, dit’s and dah’s) are different lengths 2.Prior agreement on speed CW: the sender picks the speed and recipient must adapt 5

6. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Anatomy of a RTTY signal  5-bit code: C = 01110, Q = 10111  5-bit binary code only has 32 combos: 2 5 = 32  Allow each code to represent 2 different chars ‒Letters in “letters” character set, lowercase, 26 characters ‒Numbers and punctuation in “figures” character set, uppercase, 26 characters ‒Six control characters common to each character set 6

7. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY The USTTY or “S-Bell” character set  Typically the default set used by your software  A LTRS or FIGS character is transmitted to define whether subsequent characters are interpreted as lowercase or uppercase CodeControl Characters 00000Null 00100Space 01000CR 00010LF 11011FIGS 11111LTRS LettersFigures 00011A– 11001B? 01110C: 01001D$ 00001E3 01101F! 11010G& 10100H# 00110I8 01011J' 01111K( 10010L) 11100M. 01100N, 11000O9 10110P0 10111Q1 01010R4 00101SBELL 10000T5 00111U7 11110V; 10011W2 11101X/ 10101Y6 10001Z" 7

8. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Send “CQ W9OX”  CW: 6 Characters plus a pause for the space  RTTY: 10 Characters LTRS11111 C01110 Q10111 Space00100 W01111 FIGS11011 911000 LTRS11111 O11000 X11101 8

9. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY How do we form the bits? CW:  RX is a single audio tone ‒Duration of tone (dot/dash) indicates Data 1 or 0 ‒RX stations pick their preferred audio frequency by selecting their CW offset, commonly from 400 Hz to 800 Hz ‒There is a pause between tones or bits ‒A longer pause between characters ‒A still longer pause between words 9

10. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY How do we form the bits? RTTY:  Two audio tones, identical in length  The audio frequency of the tone indicates Data 1 or 0 ‒2125 Hz = Data 1 = “Mark” ‒2295 Hz = Data 0 = “Space” ‒“Shift” = 170 Hz ‒One tone or the other is always “on”: 100% duty 10

11. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Prior agreement on speed  Many different rate protocols  Ham radio contesting uses a bit or tone duration of 22 milliseconds almost exclusively  This equates to a 45.45 Baud or symbol rate (~60 wpm)  The 60 wpm number is misleading (more later) 11

12. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Start and stop bits  Timing and synchronization  No info included  No error correction! LTRS 11111 C 01110 Q 10111 Space 00100 W 01111 FIGS 11011 9 11000 LTRS 11111 O 11000 X 11101 12 00000000000000000000 Questions? 1111111111

13. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Three Important Decisions 13

14. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Three Important Decisions  TX: AFSK or FSK?  Radio to PC interface  Software 14 FlexRadio owners adjust as necessary

15. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Will ignore  Paddle-generated  Hardware modems: Hal, Kantronics  Radio memories 15

16. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY AFSK or FSK? 16

17. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY AFSK or FSK?  The ham community is evenly split 17 Source: rttycontesting.com

18. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY AFSK or FSK?  AFSK: Audio Frequency Shift Keying ‒Tones generated in sound card, fed into mic or aux audio input on the radio ‒Radio TX is via LSB 18 Source: rttycontesting.com

19. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY AFSK or FSK?  FSK: Frequency Shift Keying ‒Directly keys transmitter like CW ‒A radio-specific feature ‒Two control lines from PC serial port to radio aux connector Line 1: Continuously keys PTT input Line 2: Toggles FSK/Data/RTTY input 19 Source: rttycontesting.com

20. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY AFSK Indirect keying-mic/audio input Any LSB radio May be limited by SSB filters Dial = suppressed carrier freq. VOX Sound card Manage audio levels, compression, Windows sounds FSK Direct keying Radio specific RTTY RX filters Dial = Mark freq. PTT Com port No audio level worries 20

21. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY FSK or AFSK, which should you use? The answer is: It won’t make any difference to your QSO partners. 21 Questions?

22. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY 22 Radio Computer AFSK Soundcard audio out Line In audio in Line Out RXTX RTTY decoder/encoder Radio Computer FSK Soundcard audio out FSK & PTT keying cable Line In Serial port FSK input RXTX RTTY decoder/encoder PTT Audio Isolation?

23. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY 23 Source: rttycontesting.com

24. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Commercial interfaces: Typical RTTY Features  Audio isolation  Support for AFSK  Mic/computer audio switching Additional RTTY Features  Integrated sound card  Support for FSK ‒Direct FSK via legacy serial port ‒USB FSK, may require additional driver 24

25. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Many interfaces include non-RTTY features  Rig control  CW interface, possibly a Winkey Subjective parameters  Construction features i.e. metal enclosure vs. plastic  Reviewer comments  Documentation, support 25

26. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Single Radio AFSK-Capable Interfaces with Audio Isolation FSKPC Connect for FSKSound CardList Price eHam Reviews Microham Microkeyer IIVCPUSBIntegrated$42985 Microham Digikeyer IIVCPUSBIntegrated$32932 WMR RIGblaster Pro VCPUSB to Serial Cable PC$29933 LegacyRS232 WMR RIGblaster Adv.VCP 1 USBIntegrated$20016 WMR RIGblaster BlueNoN/AIntegrated$2004 Microham USB IIIVCPUSBIntegrated$19926 Microham USB IIVCPUSBPC$15925 WMR RIGblaster P&PNoN/APC$12042 SignaLink USBNoN/AIntegrated$120241 SignaLink SL-1NoN/APC$9097 WMR RIGblaster NomicNoN/APC$6040 1. Output shared with CW 26 Based on August 2015 survey

27. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Should you build your own FSK keying interface? 27

28. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Does your PC have a serial port? 28

29. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Look for the FTDI chipset 29

30. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Must convert RS232 signals to TTL 30

31. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Must convert RS232 signals to TTL 31

32. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Radio connections for FSK are radio specific 32 Elecraft K3 32

33. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Radio connections for FSK are radio specific 33 Icom 756ProIII 33 Questions?

34. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY RTTY Software should:  Encode your transmissions  Decode your receive  Log your QSO’s  Provide contest-level functionality 34

35. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY RTTY Software: Use what you know! 35

36. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY RTTY Software  N1MM and WriteLog account for nearly 70% of all users  N1MM share is growing while all other shares are shrinking 36 Source: rttycontesting.com

37. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY MMTTY  Has a contest interface but probably not your first choice for contest software  Has an excellent decoder  Extensively used as a decoder/encoder with N1MM and WriteLog  Get MMTTY working on a stand alone basis as your first step 37

38. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY MMTTY Set up 38

39. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY MMTTY Set up 39

40. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY MMTTY Set up for AFSK with VOX 40

41. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY MMTTY Set up for AFSK with VOX 41

42. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY MMTTY Set up for AFSK with VOX Make sure all audio cables are connected before setting up MMTTY! 42

43. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY MMTTY Set up for FSK  Determine your Com port number 43

44. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY MMTTY Set up for FSK  Determine your Com port number 44

45. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY MMTTY Set up for FSK 45

46. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY MMTTY Set up for FSK 46

47. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY MMTTY Set up for FSK Make sure all audio cables are connected before setting up MMTTY! 47 Sound card transmission Settings are ignored when using FSK

48. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY MMTTY Set up for USB FSK Place a copy of extfsk.dll in the MMTTY.exe directory! 48

49. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY MMTTY Set up for USB FSK Place a copy of extfsk.dll in the MMTTY.exe directory! 49

50. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY MMTTY Set up for USB FSK 50 This window only appears after all set up windows have been closed

51. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY MMTTY Set up  Commer- cial interfaces may have their own software and drivers 51

52. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Getting your hardware and software to work together can be challenging. Don’t be afraid to look for an Elmer 52

53. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Operating Essentials  Think mouse, not keyboard  You can operate virtually 100% of a RTTY contest with the mouse, never touching the keyboard 53

54. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY 54

55. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Operating Essentials  Think mouse, not keyboard: You can operate virtually 100% of a RTTY contest with the mouse, never touching the keyboard  There is no industry standard for the FSK shift – up or down: You might be “upside down” – Mark and Space tones reversed ‒Look for a menu setting in your radio to reverse tones 55

56. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Cupping: the “in” thing to gain a competitive edge 56

57. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Using a second decoder is the RTTY equivalent 57

58. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Will a second decoder give you an edge? 58

59. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY 59

60. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Should I use a second decoder?  May improving the chance of an accurate print under challenging band conditions: diversity  May increase your rate by reducing fills  Can use MMTTY  2Tone and GRitty have become much used second decoders  Best advice: operate at least one contest with a single decoder before tackling a second decoder 60

61. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Messages Matter  Manage redundancy  Minimize use of non-printing symbols  Don’t do stupid stuff 61

62. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY CW Exchange Basic Rule: Send everything once K3WA_5NN_1234 ‒13 characters including 2 spaces 62 RTTY Exchange Basic Rule #1: Repeat critical elements to avoid the need for a fill K3WA_599_1234_1234

63. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY CW Exchange Basic Rule: Send everything once K3WA_5NN_1234 ‒13 characters including 2 spaces 63 RTTY Exchange Basic Rule #2: When running, repeat other stations call at message end K3WA_599_1234_1234_K3WA

64. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY CW Exchange Basic Rule: Send everything once K3WA_5NN_1234 ‒13 characters including 2 spaces 64 RTTY Exchange Basic Rule #2: When running, repeat other stations call at message end KNMV_599_1234_1234

65. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY CW Exchange Basic Rule: Send everything once K3WA_5NN_1234 ‒13 characters including 2 spaces 65 RTTY Exchange Basic Rule #2: When running, repeat other stations call at message end KNMV_599_1234_1234_K3WA

66. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY CW Exchange Basic Rule: Send everything once K3WA_5NN_1234 ‒13 characters including 2 spaces 66 RTTY Exchange Basic Rule #3: Add “Enter” at start and space at end of messages CLK3WA_599_1234_1234_K3WA_

67. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY CW Exchange Basic Rule: Send everything once K3WA_5NN_1234 ‒13 characters including 2 spaces 67 RTTY Exchange Basic Rule #4: Don’t forget that there are shift characters CLK ˄ 3 ˅ WA_ ˄ 599_1234_1234_K ˄ 3 ˅ WA_

68. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY CW Exchange Basic Rule: Send everything once K3WA_5NN_1234 ‒13 characters including 2 spaces 68 RTTY Exchange Basic Rule #5: Leave “Unshift On Space” turned on CLK ˄ 3 ˅ WA_ ˄ 599_ ˄ 1234_ ˄ 1234_K ˄ 3 ˅ WA_ ‒33 characters including 5 spaces The way we use Baudot code is very different from the way it was used by commercial services.

69. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY 69

70. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY 70

71. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY CW Exchange Basic Rule: Send everything once K3WA_5NN_1234 ‒13 characters including 2 spaces 71 RTTY Exchange Basic Rule #5: Leave “Unshift On Space” turned on CLK ˄ 3 ˅ WA_ ˄ 599_ ˄ 1234_ ˄ 1234_K ˄ 3 ˅ WA_ ‒33 characters including 5 spaces

72. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Messages Matter  Manage redundancy: Adjust, on the fly if necessary, to match band conditions  Minimize use of non-printing symbols: Don’t use a CL where a _ would suffice and adjust, on the fly if necessary, to match activity and band conditions  Don’t do stupid stuff 72

73. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Stupid stuff:  No “DE”  No “PSE” or other conversationals  Use hyphens instead of spaces (see UOS)  Use “IN” as a preposition with your QTH, ie “IN IL”  Send signal report more than once 73

74. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Stupid stuff  Use multiple Enter’s or CL’s  Repeat any part of the other station’s exchange  Send your exchange out of order  Send “Guantanamo” if you are in KG4  Operate S&P only 74

75. W9DXCC - 2016 Ability to copy is THE skill that separates average contesters from great on phone and CW. Getting Started with RTTY 75

76. W9DXCC - 2016 Ability to copy is simply not a factor in RTTY contesting. Getting Started with RTTY 76

77. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Because the encoder/decoder does all the heavy lifting  The RTTY operator is free to improve other skills and employ techniques and strategies not applicable to CW/Phone contesting  High-performance contesting is enabled for more participants  Greater contest diversity 77

78. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Try these:  Reduce fatigue by lowering headphone volume to a bare minimum  Eliminate headphones entirely  Use low tones  Learn your software and try out new features  Automate yourself – develop muscle memory  Embrace the Zen of QSO flow 78

79. W9DXCC - 2016 Getting Started with RTTY Contesting Society of Midwest Contesters 79