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RTTY:
Everyday more and more Amateur Radio operators are operating on the HF digital
modes, in particular, RTTY. In each RTTY contest I operate, I find about 8-10% new calls that I've not seen before. There are several reasons for wanting to be a RTTY op.
No matter what that reason might be, it is the purpose of these pages to assist getting you started on RTTY.
Even though I've been active on RTTY for over 20 years, have won several RTTY
contests and have achieved RTTY DXCC Honor Roll, I don't claim to have all the
answers. I do have a technical background and am familiar with many of the technical aspects of operating RTTY. RTTY is the most fun I've had in over 30 years of Amateur radio. It can be both complicated and simple. So I'll try to keep things simple. Anyone can operate RTTY. You don't have to know how to touch type to run RTTY. Hunt & peck works fine. Every program I know for RTTY includes special "buffers" which hold pre-typed messages that can be sent by pressing a function key or clicking a button on your screen with a mouse. The late Junior, previously N5JR (this call has since been re-issued to Joel Rubenstein who is an active RTTY operator too), was a paraplegic and earned RTTY DXCC before he died. He operated RTTY with a stick in
his mouth. He should be an inspiration to all of us and shows that even those with
disabilities can enjoy this very fun and exciting mode. There's really no excuse not to try. Whether you desire to operate RTTY for DX'ing, contesting or ragchewing, you have to start somewhere. It's my hope that I can point you in the right direction. From there you will be able to make your own decisions on how you want to operate RTTY from your station.
RTTY is Baudot code (see http://chem.ch.huji.ac.il/~eugeniik/history/baudot.html for excellent information on Mr. Baudot and his code). More specifically, on the Amateur HF bands, it's 5 bit Baudot meaning that every character consists of five bits, either mark or space (in actuality Baudot is 8 bits because a start bit and two stop bits are added for synchronization see http://www.aa5au.com/gettingstarted/rtty_diddles_technical.htm).
In general, a baud rate of 45.45 baud is used on HF. 45.45 baud is the equivalent of 60 wpm. Even though 45.45 is standard, you will occasionally come across a RTTY signal at a different speed. Ed, P5/4L4FN, preferred to run 50 baud rate (66 wpm) when he was active on RTTY from North Korea. 75 baud (100 wpm) can also be used on the Amateur HF bands.
Don, AA5AU
For more from Don visit his site:
AA5AU
Frequencys:
ZL net frequencies:
80 metres 3545 kHz
40 metres 7045 kHz
International Operating Frequencies:
80 metres 3610-3640 kHz
40 metres 7040-7060 kHz
20 metres 14080-14100 kHz
10 metres 28080-28100 kHz
LINKS:
Rtty.com
RTTY contest scene
Frequencys and Programs
RTTY for 12$
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