Legacy = Low Latency: FSK-D mode

[wayne burdick]

If you're a new owner of a K3, K3S, KX3 or KX2 -- or if, like most of us, you never quite made it all the way through the owner's manual -- you might not have tried our FSK-D mode. This is one of our favorite features. It gives you an amazingly simple way to dabble in amateur radio's original yet still actively used data mode: RTTY. As embodied in our FSK-D mode, RTTY has two major advantages over FT8, JT9, and similar computer-mediated modes...but first some background.

* * *

RTTY (radio teletype) has a long, colorful history. The basic encoding and transmission methods were invented in the 1800s, and were later used by wireline news services as well as for wartime comms. It has been in use by hams since around the end of WWII, who took advantage of surplus military teleprinters. For more on this, see:

   en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioteletype#Early_amateur_radioteletype_history

As a teenager in the 1970s I had a Teletype Corp Model 15. This page shows some examples of what this beast looked like:

   http://www.baudot.net/teletype/M15.htm

In my shack, the Model 15 and all of its associated paraphernalia took up most of a workbench. It made a huge racket and consumed reams of paper, not to mention oil. Sadly, I never did get everything working properly and never made an QSO with it. Yet my fascination with RTTY continued.

When we designed the K3, my interest was rekindled, and we endowed it with the ability to decode and encode 45-baud RTTY signals. The DSP handled demodulation, while the MCU assembled character bit streams. (We later added 75-baud RTTY as well as PSK31 and PSK63 modes.)

Lyle Johnson (KK7P) and I had quite a bit of fun when we first got decode working. Speaking strictly for both of us, tuning around between 14.080 and 14.100 during an RTTY contest was like being a teenager all over again. We quickly added the ability to transmit in this mode using the CW keyer paddle and message memories. The upshot is that I finally had my first RTTY QSO, doing it the hard way -- writing a good chunk of the firmware that made it possible.

Here's the importing thing: our K-Line/KX-Line implementation of RTTY makes it incredibly simple to use. It's nearly foolproof. The setup details vary a bit among the rigs, but basically you select DATA mode, then FSK-D sub-mode, and turn text decode on. Then just tune around in the RTTY band segments until you see signals start to decode.

If you're a CW op, you can immediately transmit in RTTY mode by simply sending CW. If not, you can connect a netbook or laptop to your rig (via a USB port), then use the Terminal window in K3/KX3/KX2 Utility along with the keyboard. The Utility for each rig includes instructions for using the Terminal window.

* * *

Earlier I claimed that RTTY operation using our FSK-D mode has some advantages over FT8, etc. Here they are:

1. You don't necessarily need a computer. Decoded and encoded text scrolls across the radio's display. At your home station, this is great for simply tuning around casually; no need to turn on the computer or set up software applications. It's an even bigger advantage for field operation. With the KX3 or KX2, you can use RTTY (or PSK31/63) from essentially anywhere, even operating hand-held. During Field Day and RTTY contests, I make a point of taking a hike and making a few RTTY Q's pedestrian mobile (/PM). When a band is open, you can work the world in these modes. (For some of us, it doesn't get much better than this :)

2. Our FSK-D and PSK-D modes are *conversational*, with no restrictions on what you can send, no software delays or time synchronization, no predetermined frequencies, and a natural style of interaction as with CW or SSB. The receiver is automatically configured for a narrow passband, so you simply tune in a signal until you start seeing decoded text -- often a CQ -- then respond with the keyer paddle, or with the keyboard on your netbook/laptop, if applicable.

As you can see, we've come a long way from the Model 15, paper, oil, noise, and complex terminal hardware. In addition to using the display on the rig itself, our panadapters can be used. Text can be displayed on our P3-SVGA display, as well as on the PX3. A keyboard can be connected to either the P3 or PX3.

Next time you're listening on 20 meters, the most popular band for RTTY, take a quick spin above 14.080. If you hear some of those magical tones, turn on FSK-D mode and give this mode a try.

Many DXpeditions have an RTTY station operating during some periods, so you'll often hear RTTY ops making DX contacts. In general, RTTY DX stations are quickly "spotted" when they pop up, so mini-pileups can form at any time.

There are also a number of RTTY contests, in addition to stations operating in RTTY mode during Field Day, etc. For a calendar of events, see:

    https://www.rttycontesting.com/records/

If the contest exchange is simple (non-serialized), you can probably operate entirely using the message memories. On the KX2, CW and data-mode contacts can also be logged using the rig's built-in logging function, then uploaded to a computer when you get home.

73,
Wayne
N6KR





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[Ken G Kopp]

I had a Teletype Model 26 attached to a BC-610E.  Cat slept on top for
warmth.

73 !

K0PP

On Fri, Mar 22, 2019, 10:15 AM Wayne Burdick <[hidden email]> wrote:

> If you're a new owner of a K3, K3S, KX3 or KX2 -- or if, like most of us,
> you never quite made it all the way through the owner's manual -- you might
> not have tried our FSK-D mode. This is one of our favorite features. It
> gives you an amazingly simple way to dabble in amateur radio's original yet
> still actively used data mode: RTTY. As embodied in our FSK-D mode, RTTY
> has two major advantages over FT8, JT9, and similar computer-mediated
> modes...but first some background.
>
> * * *
>
> RTTY (radio teletype) has a long, colorful history. The basic encoding and
> transmission methods were invented in the 1800s, and were later used by
> wireline news services as well as for wartime comms. It has been in use by
> hams since around the end of WWII, who took advantage of surplus military
> teleprinters. For more on this, see:
>
>    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioteletype#Early_amateur_radioteletype_history
>
> As a teenager in the 1970s I had a Teletype Corp Model 15. This page shows
> some examples of what this beast looked like:
>
>    http://www.baudot.net/teletype/M15.htm
>
> In my shack, the Model 15 and all of its associated paraphernalia took up
> most of a workbench. It made a huge racket and consumed reams of paper, not
> to mention oil. Sadly, I never did get everything working properly and
> never made an QSO with it. Yet my fascination with RTTY continued.
>
> When we designed the K3, my interest was rekindled, and we endowed it with
> the ability to decode and encode 45-baud RTTY signals. The DSP handled
> demodulation, while the MCU assembled character bit streams. (We later
> added 75-baud RTTY as well as PSK31 and PSK63 modes.)
>
> Lyle Johnson (KK7P) and I had quite a bit of fun when we first got decode
> working. Speaking strictly for both of us, tuning around between 14.080 and
> 14.100 during an RTTY contest was like being a teenager all over again. We
> quickly added the ability to transmit in this mode using the CW keyer
> paddle and message memories. The upshot is that I finally had my first RTTY
> QSO, doing it the hard way -- writing a good chunk of the firmware that
> made it possible.
>
> Here's the importing thing: our K-Line/KX-Line implementation of RTTY
> makes it incredibly simple to use. It's nearly foolproof. The setup details
> vary a bit among the rigs, but basically you select DATA mode, then FSK-D
> sub-mode, and turn text decode on. Then just tune around in the RTTY band
> segments until you see signals start to decode.
>
> If you're a CW op, you can immediately transmit in RTTY mode by simply
> sending CW. If not, you can connect a netbook or laptop to your rig (via a
> USB port), then use the Terminal window in K3/KX3/KX2 Utility along with
> the keyboard. The Utility for each rig includes instructions for using the
> Terminal window.
>
> * * *
>
> Earlier I claimed that RTTY operation using our FSK-D mode has some
> advantages over FT8, etc. Here they are:
>
> 1. You don't necessarily need a computer. Decoded and encoded text scrolls
> across the radio's display. At your home station, this is great for simply
> tuning around casually; no need to turn on the computer or set up software
> applications. It's an even bigger advantage for field operation. With the
> KX3 or KX2, you can use RTTY (or PSK31/63) from essentially anywhere, even
> operating hand-held. During Field Day and RTTY contests, I make a point of
> taking a hike and making a few RTTY Q's pedestrian mobile (/PM). When a
> band is open, you can work the world in these modes. (For some of us, it
> doesn't get much better than this :)
>
> 2. Our FSK-D and PSK-D modes are *conversational*, with no restrictions on
> what you can send, no software delays or time synchronization, no
> predetermined frequencies, and a natural style of interaction as with CW or
> SSB. The receiver is automatically configured for a narrow passband, so you
> simply tune in a signal until you start seeing decoded text -- often a CQ
> -- then respond with the keyer paddle, or with the keyboard on your
> netbook/laptop, if applicable.
>
> As you can see, we've come a long way from the Model 15, paper, oil,
> noise, and complex terminal hardware. In addition to using the display on
> the rig itself, our panadapters can be used. Text can be displayed on our
> P3-SVGA display, as well as on the PX3. A keyboard can be connected to
> either the P3 or PX3.
>
> Next time you're listening on 20 meters, the most popular band for RTTY,
> take a quick spin above 14.080. If you hear some of those magical tones,
> turn on FSK-D mode and give this mode a try.
>
> Many DXpeditions have an RTTY station operating during some periods, so
> you'll often hear RTTY ops making DX contacts. In general, RTTY DX stations
> are quickly "spotted" when they pop up, so mini-pileups can form at any
> time.
>
> There are also a number of RTTY contests, in addition to stations
> operating in RTTY mode during Field Day, etc. For a calendar of events, see:
>
>     https://www.rttycontesting.com/records/
>
> If the contest exchange is simple (non-serialized), you can probably
> operate entirely using the message memories. On the KX2, CW and data-mode
> contacts can also be logged using the rig's built-in logging function, then
> uploaded to a computer when you get home.
>
> 73,
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
>
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>

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[hbjr]

I used my k3s in the bartg RTTY contest using "internal" decoding/encoding and also my trusty PK-232sc+ connected to the the K3s's FSK port using DXLAbs-WinWarbler.


Was asked during the contest if I had a real baudot clicker!


Hank
K4HYJ
 



-----Original Message-----

> From: "Wayne Burdick" <[hidden email]>
> To: "Elecraft Reflector" <[hidden email]>
> Cc: [hidden email]
> Date: 03/22/19 12:15
> Subject: [Elecraft] Legacy = Low Latency:  FSK-D mode
>
> If you're a new owner of a K3, K3S, KX3 or KX2 -- or if, like most of us, you never quite made it all the way through the owner's manual -- you might not have tried our FSK-D mode. This is one of our favorite features. It gives you an amazingly simple way to dabble in amateur radio's original yet still actively used data mode: RTTY. As embodied in our FSK-D mode, RTTY has two major advantages over FT8, JT9, and similar computer-mediated modes...but first some background.
>
> * * *
>
> RTTY (radio teletype) has a long, colorful history. The basic encoding and transmission methods were invented in the 1800s, and were later used by wireline news services as well as for wartime comms. It has been in use by hams since around the end of WWII, who took advantage of surplus military teleprinters. For more on this, see:
>
>    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioteletype#Early_amateur_radioteletype_history
>
> As a teenager in the 1970s I had a Teletype Corp Model 15. This page shows some examples of what this beast looked like:
>
>    http://www.baudot.net/teletype/M15.htm
>
> In my shack, the Model 15 and all of its associated paraphernalia took up most of a workbench. It made a huge racket and consumed reams of paper, not to mention oil. Sadly, I never did get everything working properly and never made an QSO with it. Yet my fascination with RTTY continued.
>
> When we designed the K3, my interest was rekindled, and we endowed it with the ability to decode and encode 45-baud RTTY signals. The DSP handled demodulation, while the MCU assembled character bit streams. (We later added 75-baud RTTY as well as PSK31 and PSK63 modes.)
>
> Lyle Johnson (KK7P) and I had quite a bit of fun when we first got decode working. Speaking strictly for both of us, tuning around between 14.080 and 14.100 during an RTTY contest was like being a teenager all over again. We quickly added the ability to transmit in this mode using the CW keyer paddle and message memories. The upshot is that I finally had my first RTTY QSO, doing it the hard way -- writing a good chunk of the firmware that made it possible.
>
> Here's the importing thing: our K-Line/KX-Line implementation of RTTY makes it incredibly simple to use. It's nearly foolproof. The setup details vary a bit among the rigs, but basically you select DATA mode, then FSK-D sub-mode, and turn text decode on. Then just tune around in the RTTY band segments until you see signals start to decode.
>
> If you're a CW op, you can immediately transmit in RTTY mode by simply sending CW. If not, you can connect a netbook or laptop to your rig (via a USB port), then use the Terminal window in K3/KX3/KX2 Utility along with the keyboard. The Utility for each rig includes instructions for using the Terminal window.
>
> * * *
>
> Earlier I claimed that RTTY operation using our FSK-D mode has some advantages over FT8, etc. Here they are:
>
> 1. You don't necessarily need a computer. Decoded and encoded text scrolls across the radio's display. At your home station, this is great for simply tuning around casually; no need to turn on the computer or set up software applications. It's an even bigger advantage for field operation. With the KX3 or KX2, you can use RTTY (or PSK31/63) from essentially anywhere, even operating hand-held. During Field Day and RTTY contests, I make a point of taking a hike and making a few RTTY Q's pedestrian mobile (/PM). When a band is open, you can work the world in these modes. (For some of us, it doesn't get much better than this :)
>
> 2. Our FSK-D and PSK-D modes are *conversational*, with no restrictions on what you can send, no software delays or time synchronization, no predetermined frequencies, and a natural style of interaction as with CW or SSB. The receiver is automatically configured for a narrow passband, so you simply tune in a signal until you start seeing decoded text -- often a CQ -- then respond with the keyer paddle, or with the keyboard on your netbook/laptop, if applicable.
>
> As you can see, we've come a long way from the Model 15, paper, oil, noise, and complex terminal hardware. In addition to using the display on the rig itself, our panadapters can be used. Text can be displayed on our P3-SVGA display, as well as on the PX3. A keyboard can be connected to either the P3 or PX3.
>
> Next time you're listening on 20 meters, the most popular band for RTTY, take a quick spin above 14.080. If you hear some of those magical tones, turn on FSK-D mode and give this mode a try.
>
> Many DXpeditions have an RTTY station operating during some periods, so you'll often hear RTTY ops making DX contacts. In general, RTTY DX stations are quickly "spotted" when they pop up, so mini-pileups can form at any time.
>
> There are also a number of RTTY contests, in addition to stations operating in RTTY mode during Field Day, etc. For a calendar of events, see:
>
>     https://www.rttycontesting.com/records/
>
> If the contest exchange is simple (non-serialized), you can probably operate entirely using the message memories. On the KX2, CW and data-mode contacts can also be logged using the rig's built-in logging function, then uploaded to a computer when you get home.
>
> 73,
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
>
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

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[Elecraft mailing list]

Back in the early 80s, i got into RTTY and had Model 15s and a Model 19. A lot of the fun was taking a unit that was not wo eff king and getting it to clatter out a message pr pic. Great fun! Looking foreard to some RTTY contacts with my new KX3 #10835 that i received yesterday.Nice read Wayne and thanks.72/73,DaveWV8DHKX3 #10835Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S7 active, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone
-------- Original message --------From: Ken G Kopp <[hidden email]> Date: 3/22/19  12:26 PM  (GMT-05:00) To: Wayne Burdick <[hidden email]>, Elecraft <[hidden email]> Subject: [Elecraft] OT: RTTY Nostalgia I had a Teletype Model 26 attached to a BC-610E.  Cat slept on top forwarmth.73 !K0PPOn Fri, Mar 22, 2019, 10:15 AM Wayne Burdick <[hidden email]> wrote:> If you're a new owner of a K3, K3S, KX3 or KX2 -- or if, like most of us,> you never quite made it all the way through the owner's manual -- you might> not have tried our FSK-D mode. This is one of our favorite features. It> gives you an amazingly simple way to dabble in amateur radio's original yet> still actively used data mode: RTTY. As embodied in our FSK-D mode, RTTY> has two major advantages over FT8, JT9, and similar computer-mediated> modes...but first some background.>> * * *>> RTTY (radio teletype) has a long, colorful history. The basic encoding and> transmission methods were invented in the 1800s, and were later used by> wireline news services as well as for wartime comms. It has been in use by> hams since around the end of WWII, who took advantage of surplus military> teleprinters. For more on this, see:>>    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioteletype#Early_amateur_radioteletype_history>> As a teenager in the 1970s I had a Teletype Corp Model 15. This page shows> some examples of what this beast looked like:>>    http://www.baudot.net/teletype/M15.htm>> In my shack, the Model 15 and all of its associated paraphernalia took up> most of a workbench. It made a huge racket and consumed reams of paper, not> to mention oil. Sadly, I never did get everything working properly and> never made an QSO with it. Yet my fascination with RTTY continued.>> When we designed the K3, my interest was rekindled, and we endowed it with> the ability to decode and encode 45-baud RTTY signals. The DSP handled> demodulation, while the MCU assembled character bit streams. (We later> added 75-baud RTTY as well as PSK31 and PSK63 modes.)>> Lyle Johnson (KK7P) and I had quite a bit of fun when we first got decode> working. Speaking strictly for both of us, tuning around between 14.080 and> 14.100 during an RTTY contest was like being a teenager all over again. We> quickly added the ability to transmit in this mode using the CW keyer> paddle and message memories. The upshot is that I finally had my first RTTY> QSO, doing it the hard way -- writing a good chunk of the firmware that> made it possible.>> Here's the importing thing: our K-Line/KX-Line implementation of RTTY> makes it incredibly simple to use. It's nearly foolproof. The setup details> vary a bit among the rigs, but basically you select DATA mode, then FSK-D> sub-mode, and turn text decode on. Then just tune around in the RTTY band> segments until you see signals start to decode.>> If you're a CW op, you can immediately transmit in RTTY mode by simply> sending CW. If not, you can connect a netbook or laptop to your rig (via a> USB port), then use the Terminal window in K3/KX3/KX2 Utility along with> the keyboard. The Utility for each rig includes instructions for using the> Terminal window.>> * * *>> Earlier I claimed that RTTY operation using our FSK-D mode has some> advantages over FT8, etc. Here they are:>> 1. You don't necessarily need a computer. Decoded and encoded text scrolls> across the radio's display. At your home station, this is great for simply> tuning around casually; no need to turn on the computer or set up software> applications. It's an even bigger advantage for field operation. With the> KX3 or KX2, you can use RTTY (or PSK31/63) from essentially anywhere, even> operating hand-held. During Field Day and RTTY contests, I make a point of> taking a hike and making a few RTTY Q's pedestrian mobile (/PM). When a> band is open, you can work the world in these modes. (For some of us, it> doesn't get much better than this :)>> 2. Our FSK-D and PSK-D modes are *conversational*, with no restrictions on> what you can send, no software delays or time synchronization, no> predetermined frequencies, and a natural style of interaction as with CW or> SSB. The receiver is automatically configured for a narrow passband, so you> simply tune in a signal until you start seeing decoded text -- often a CQ> -- then respond with the keyer paddle, or with the keyboard on your> netbook/laptop, if applicable.>> As you can see, we've come a long way from the Model 15, paper, oil,> noise, and complex terminal hardware. In addition to using the display on> the rig itself, our panadapters can be used. Text can be displayed on our> P3-SVGA display, as well as on the PX3. A keyboard can be connected to> either the P3 or PX3.>> Next time you're listening on 20 meters, the most popular band for RTTY,> take a quick spin above 14.080. If you hear some of those magical tones,> turn on FSK-D mode and give this mode a try.>> Many DXpeditions have an RTTY station operating during some periods, so> you'll often hear RTTY ops making DX contacts. In general, RTTY DX stations> are quickly "spotted" when they pop up, so mini-pileups can form at any> time.>> There are also a number of RTTY contests, in addition to stations> operating in RTTY mode during Field Day, etc. For a calendar of events, see:>>     https://www.rttycontesting.com/records/>> If the contest exchange is simple (non-serialized), you can probably> operate entirely using the message memories. On the KX2, CW and data-mode> contacts can also be logged using the rig's built-in logging function, then> uploaded to a computer when you get home.>> 73,> Wayne> N6KR>>>>>> ______________________________________________________________> Elecraft mailing list> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm> Post: mailto:[hidden email]>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html>______________________________________________________________Elecraft mailing listHome: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraftHelp: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htmPost: mailto:[hidden email] list hosted by: http://www.qsl.netPlease help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
______________________________________________________________
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Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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[Elecraft mailing list]

My first was a model 14 strip printer. It was also in the early 70s.

  Very 73 - Mike -  K9JRI

> On Mar 22, 2019, at 12:14 PM, Wayne Burdick <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> If you're a new owner of a K3, K3S, KX3 or KX2 -- or if, like most of us, you never quite made it all the way through the owner's manual -- you might not have tried our FSK-D mode. This is one of our favorite features. It gives you an amazingly simple way to dabble in amateur radio's original yet still actively used data mode: RTTY. As embodied in our FSK-D mode, RTTY has two major advantages over FT8, JT9, and similar computer-mediated modes...but first some background.
>
> * * *
>
> RTTY (radio teletype) has a long, colorful history. The basic encoding and transmission methods were invented in the 1800s, and were later used by wireline news services as well as for wartime comms. It has been in use by hams since around the end of WWII, who took advantage of surplus military teleprinters. For more on this, see:
>
>   en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioteletype#Early_amateur_radioteletype_history
>
> As a teenager in the 1970s I had a Teletype Corp Model 15. This page shows some examples of what this beast looked like:
>
>   http://www.baudot.net/teletype/M15.htm
>
> In my shack, the Model 15 and all of its associated paraphernalia took up most of a workbench. It made a huge racket and consumed reams of paper, not to mention oil. Sadly, I never did get everything working properly and never made an QSO with it. Yet my fascination with RTTY continued.
>
> When we designed the K3, my interest was rekindled, and we endowed it with the ability to decode and encode 45-baud RTTY signals. The DSP handled demodulation, while the MCU assembled character bit streams. (We later added 75-baud RTTY as well as PSK31 and PSK63 modes.)
>
> Lyle Johnson (KK7P) and I had quite a bit of fun when we first got decode working. Speaking strictly for both of us, tuning around between 14.080 and 14.100 during an RTTY contest was like being a teenager all over again. We quickly added the ability to transmit in this mode using the CW keyer paddle and message memories. The upshot is that I finally had my first RTTY QSO, doing it the hard way -- writing a good chunk of the firmware that made it possible.
>
> Here's the importing thing: our K-Line/KX-Line implementation of RTTY makes it incredibly simple to use. It's nearly foolproof. The setup details vary a bit among the rigs, but basically you select DATA mode, then FSK-D sub-mode, and turn text decode on. Then just tune around in the RTTY band segments until you see signals start to decode.
>
> If you're a CW op, you can immediately transmit in RTTY mode by simply sending CW. If not, you can connect a netbook or laptop to your rig (via a USB port), then use the Terminal window in K3/KX3/KX2 Utility along with the keyboard. The Utility for each rig includes instructions for using the Terminal window.
>
> * * *
>
> Earlier I claimed that RTTY operation using our FSK-D mode has some advantages over FT8, etc. Here they are:
>
> 1. You don't necessarily need a computer. Decoded and encoded text scrolls across the radio's display. At your home station, this is great for simply tuning around casually; no need to turn on the computer or set up software applications. It's an even bigger advantage for field operation. With the KX3 or KX2, you can use RTTY (or PSK31/63) from essentially anywhere, even operating hand-held. During Field Day and RTTY contests, I make a point of taking a hike and making a few RTTY Q's pedestrian mobile (/PM). When a band is open, you can work the world in these modes. (For some of us, it doesn't get much better than this :)
>
> 2. Our FSK-D and PSK-D modes are *conversational*, with no restrictions on what you can send, no software delays or time synchronization, no predetermined frequencies, and a natural style of interaction as with CW or SSB. The receiver is automatically configured for a narrow passband, so you simply tune in a signal until you start seeing decoded text -- often a CQ -- then respond with the keyer paddle, or with the keyboard on your netbook/laptop, if applicable.
>
> As you can see, we've come a long way from the Model 15, paper, oil, noise, and complex terminal hardware. In addition to using the display on the rig itself, our panadapters can be used. Text can be displayed on our P3-SVGA display, as well as on the PX3. A keyboard can be connected to either the P3 or PX3.
>
> Next time you're listening on 20 meters, the most popular band for RTTY, take a quick spin above 14.080. If you hear some of those magical tones, turn on FSK-D mode and give this mode a try.
>
> Many DXpeditions have an RTTY station operating during some periods, so you'll often hear RTTY ops making DX contacts. In general, RTTY DX stations are quickly "spotted" when they pop up, so mini-pileups can form at any time.
>
> There are also a number of RTTY contests, in addition to stations operating in RTTY mode during Field Day, etc. For a calendar of events, see:
>
>    https://www.rttycontesting.com/records/
>
> If the contest exchange is simple (non-serialized), you can probably operate entirely using the message memories. On the KX2, CW and data-mode contacts can also be logged using the rig's built-in logging function, then uploaded to a computer when you get home.
>
> 73,
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
>
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

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[Ken G Kopp]

The cat slept atop the '610.  Not the Model 26.  (;-)

There was a 5 KW PA made in an almost identical cabinet.

Sold my '610 to an off-shore navigation company in Louisiana for $300.
They sent a man in a PU to Oklahoma to get it.
Last heard it was operating 24/7 in the 2 mHz just above 160M.

Still have a set of PA coils in attic.

73!

K0PP





On Fri, Mar 22, 2019, 10:26 AM Ken G Kopp <[hidden email]> wrote:

> I had a Teletype Model 26 attached to a BC-610E.  Cat slept on top for
> warmth.
>
> 73 !
>
> K0PP
>
> On Fri, Mar 22, 2019, 10:15 AM Wayne Burdick <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> If you're a new owner of a K3, K3S, KX3 or KX2 -- or if, like most of us,
>> you never quite made it all the way through the owner's manual -- you might
>> not have tried our FSK-D mode. This is one of our favorite features. It
>> gives you an amazingly simple way to dabble in amateur radio's original yet
>> still actively used data mode: RTTY. As embodied in our FSK-D mode, RTTY
>> has two major advantages over FT8, JT9, and similar computer-mediated
>> modes...but first some background.
>>
>> * * *
>>
>> RTTY (radio teletype) has a long, colorful history. The basic encoding
>> and transmission methods were invented in the 1800s, and were later used by
>> wireline news services as well as for wartime comms. It has been in use by
>> hams since around the end of WWII, who took advantage of surplus military
>> teleprinters. For more on this, see:
>>
>>
>> en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioteletype#Early_amateur_radioteletype_history
>>
>> As a teenager in the 1970s I had a Teletype Corp Model 15. This page
>> shows some examples of what this beast looked like:
>>
>>    http://www.baudot.net/teletype/M15.htm
>>
>> In my shack, the Model 15 and all of its associated paraphernalia took up
>> most of a workbench. It made a huge racket and consumed reams of paper, not
>> to mention oil. Sadly, I never did get everything working properly and
>> never made an QSO with it. Yet my fascination with RTTY continued.
>>
>> When we designed the K3, my interest was rekindled, and we endowed it
>> with the ability to decode and encode 45-baud RTTY signals. The DSP handled
>> demodulation, while the MCU assembled character bit streams. (We later
>> added 75-baud RTTY as well as PSK31 and PSK63 modes.)
>>
>> Lyle Johnson (KK7P) and I had quite a bit of fun when we first got decode
>> working. Speaking strictly for both of us, tuning around between 14.080 and
>> 14.100 during an RTTY contest was like being a teenager all over again. We
>> quickly added the ability to transmit in this mode using the CW keyer
>> paddle and message memories. The upshot is that I finally had my first RTTY
>> QSO, doing it the hard way -- writing a good chunk of the firmware that
>> made it possible.
>>
>> Here's the importing thing: our K-Line/KX-Line implementation of RTTY
>> makes it incredibly simple to use. It's nearly foolproof. The setup details
>> vary a bit among the rigs, but basically you select DATA mode, then FSK-D
>> sub-mode, and turn text decode on. Then just tune around in the RTTY band
>> segments until you see signals start to decode.
>>
>> If you're a CW op, you can immediately transmit in RTTY mode by simply
>> sending CW. If not, you can connect a netbook or laptop to your rig (via a
>> USB port), then use the Terminal window in K3/KX3/KX2 Utility along with
>> the keyboard. The Utility for each rig includes instructions for using the
>> Terminal window.
>>
>> * * *
>>
>> Earlier I claimed that RTTY operation using our FSK-D mode has some
>> advantages over FT8, etc. Here they are:
>>
>> 1. You don't necessarily need a computer. Decoded and encoded text
>> scrolls across the radio's display. At your home station, this is great for
>> simply tuning around casually; no need to turn on the computer or set up
>> software applications. It's an even bigger advantage for field operation.
>> With the KX3 or KX2, you can use RTTY (or PSK31/63) from essentially
>> anywhere, even operating hand-held. During Field Day and RTTY contests, I
>> make a point of taking a hike and making a few RTTY Q's pedestrian mobile
>> (/PM). When a band is open, you can work the world in these modes. (For
>> some of us, it doesn't get much better than this :)
>>
>> 2. Our FSK-D and PSK-D modes are *conversational*, with no restrictions
>> on what you can send, no software delays or time synchronization, no
>> predetermined frequencies, and a natural style of interaction as with CW or
>> SSB. The receiver is automatically configured for a narrow passband, so you
>> simply tune in a signal until you start seeing decoded text -- often a CQ
>> -- then respond with the keyer paddle, or with the keyboard on your
>> netbook/laptop, if applicable.
>>
>> As you can see, we've come a long way from the Model 15, paper, oil,
>> noise, and complex terminal hardware. In addition to using the display on
>> the rig itself, our panadapters can be used. Text can be displayed on our
>> P3-SVGA display, as well as on the PX3. A keyboard can be connected to
>> either the P3 or PX3.
>>
>> Next time you're listening on 20 meters, the most popular band for RTTY,
>> take a quick spin above 14.080. If you hear some of those magical tones,
>> turn on FSK-D mode and give this mode a try.
>>
>> Many DXpeditions have an RTTY station operating during some periods, so
>> you'll often hear RTTY ops making DX contacts. In general, RTTY DX stations
>> are quickly "spotted" when they pop up, so mini-pileups can form at any
>> time.
>>
>> There are also a number of RTTY contests, in addition to stations
>> operating in RTTY mode during Field Day, etc. For a calendar of events, see:
>>
>>     https://www.rttycontesting.com/records/
>>
>> If the contest exchange is simple (non-serialized), you can probably
>> operate entirely using the message memories. On the KX2, CW and data-mode
>> contacts can also be logged using the rig's built-in logging function, then
>> uploaded to a computer when you get home.
>>
>> 73,
>> Wayne
>> N6KR
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Elecraft mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>
>

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[k6mkf]

My Model 15 took a lot of 3-in-1 oil to keep it running back in the late 1970s.   I can still smell the warm oil.  

I worked Antigua on 20M and that QSO started RTTY DXing for me.

-- Mike Flowers, K6MKF, NCDXC - "It's about DX!"

> On Mar 22, 2019, at 10:01 AM, Michael Blake via Elecraft <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> My first was a model 14 strip printer. It was also in the early 70s.
>
>  Very 73 - Mike -  K9JRI
>
>
>> On Mar 22, 2019, at 12:14 PM, Wayne Burdick <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>> If you're a new owner of a K3, K3S, KX3 or KX2 -- or if, like most of us, you never quite made it all the way through the owner's manual -- you might not have tried our FSK-D mode. This is one of our favorite features. It gives you an amazingly simple way to dabble in amateur radio's original yet still actively used data mode: RTTY. As embodied in our FSK-D mode, RTTY has two major advantages over FT8, JT9, and similar computer-mediated modes...but first some background.
>>
>> * * *
>>
>> RTTY (radio teletype) has a long, colorful history. The basic encoding and transmission methods were invented in the 1800s, and were later used by wireline news services as well as for wartime comms. It has been in use by hams since around the end of WWII, who took advantage of surplus military teleprinters. For more on this, see:
>>
>>  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioteletype#Early_amateur_radioteletype_history
>>
>> As a teenager in the 1970s I had a Teletype Corp Model 15. This page shows some examples of what this beast looked like:
>>
>>  http://www.baudot.net/teletype/M15.htm
>>
>> In my shack, the Model 15 and all of its associated paraphernalia took up most of a workbench. It made a huge racket and consumed reams of paper, not to mention oil. Sadly, I never did get everything working properly and never made an QSO with it. Yet my fascination with RTTY continued.
>>
>> When we designed the K3, my interest was rekindled, and we endowed it with the ability to decode and encode 45-baud RTTY signals. The DSP handled demodulation, while the MCU assembled character bit streams. (We later added 75-baud RTTY as well as PSK31 and PSK63 modes.)
>>
>> Lyle Johnson (KK7P) and I had quite a bit of fun when we first got decode working. Speaking strictly for both of us, tuning around between 14.080 and 14.100 during an RTTY contest was like being a teenager all over again. We quickly added the ability to transmit in this mode using the CW keyer paddle and message memories. The upshot is that I finally had my first RTTY QSO, doing it the hard way -- writing a good chunk of the firmware that made it possible.
>>
>> Here's the importing thing: our K-Line/KX-Line implementation of RTTY makes it incredibly simple to use. It's nearly foolproof. The setup details vary a bit among the rigs, but basically you select DATA mode, then FSK-D sub-mode, and turn text decode on. Then just tune around in the RTTY band segments until you see signals start to decode.
>>
>> If you're a CW op, you can immediately transmit in RTTY mode by simply sending CW. If not, you can connect a netbook or laptop to your rig (via a USB port), then use the Terminal window in K3/KX3/KX2 Utility along with the keyboard. The Utility for each rig includes instructions for using the Terminal window.
>>
>> * * *
>>
>> Earlier I claimed that RTTY operation using our FSK-D mode has some advantages over FT8, etc. Here they are:
>>
>> 1. You don't necessarily need a computer. Decoded and encoded text scrolls across the radio's display. At your home station, this is great for simply tuning around casually; no need to turn on the computer or set up software applications. It's an even bigger advantage for field operation. With the KX3 or KX2, you can use RTTY (or PSK31/63) from essentially anywhere, even operating hand-held. During Field Day and RTTY contests, I make a point of taking a hike and making a few RTTY Q's pedestrian mobile (/PM). When a band is open, you can work the world in these modes. (For some of us, it doesn't get much better than this :)
>>
>> 2. Our FSK-D and PSK-D modes are *conversational*, with no restrictions on what you can send, no software delays or time synchronization, no predetermined frequencies, and a natural style of interaction as with CW or SSB. The receiver is automatically configured for a narrow passband, so you simply tune in a signal until you start seeing decoded text -- often a CQ -- then respond with the keyer paddle, or with the keyboard on your netbook/laptop, if applicable.
>>
>> As you can see, we've come a long way from the Model 15, paper, oil, noise, and complex terminal hardware. In addition to using the display on the rig itself, our panadapters can be used. Text can be displayed on our P3-SVGA display, as well as on the PX3. A keyboard can be connected to either the P3 or PX3.
>>
>> Next time you're listening on 20 meters, the most popular band for RTTY, take a quick spin above 14.080. If you hear some of those magical tones, turn on FSK-D mode and give this mode a try.
>>
>> Many DXpeditions have an RTTY station operating during some periods, so you'll often hear RTTY ops making DX contacts. In general, RTTY DX stations are quickly "spotted" when they pop up, so mini-pileups can form at any time.
>>
>> There are also a number of RTTY contests, in addition to stations operating in RTTY mode during Field Day, etc. For a calendar of events, see:
>>
>>   https://www.rttycontesting.com/records/
>>
>> If the contest exchange is simple (non-serialized), you can probably operate entirely using the message memories. On the KX2, CW and data-mode contacts can also be logged using the rig's built-in logging function, then uploaded to a computer when you get home.
>>
>> 73,
>> Wayne
>> N6KR
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Elecraft mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

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[Kidder, George]

And the purple ink!  Golly, some memories
George W3HBM

On 3/22/2019 1:25 PM, Mike Flowers wrote:

> [This message came from an external source. If suspicious, report to [hidden email]<mailto:[hidden email]>]
>
> My Model 15 took a lot of 3-in-1 oil to keep it running back in the late 1970s.   I can still smell the warm oil.
>
> I worked Antigua on 20M and that QSO started RTTY DXing for me.
>
> -- Mike Flowers, K6MKF, NCDXC - "It's about DX!"
>
>> On Mar 22, 2019, at 10:01 AM, Michael Blake via Elecraft <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>> My first was a model 14 strip printer. It was also in the early 70s.
>>
>>   Very 73 - Mike -  K9JRI
>>
>>
>>> On Mar 22, 2019, at 12:14 PM, Wayne Burdick <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>>
>>> If you're a new owner of a K3, K3S, KX3 or KX2 -- or if, like most of us, you never quite made it all the way through the owner's manual -- you might not have tried our FSK-D mode. This is one of our favorite features. It gives you an amazingly simple way to dabble in amateur radio's original yet still actively used data mode: RTTY. As embodied in our FSK-D mode, RTTY has two major advantages over FT8, JT9, and similar computer-mediated modes...but first some background.
>>>
>>> * * *
>>>
>>> RTTY (radio teletype) has a long, colorful history. The basic encoding and transmission methods were invented in the 1800s, and were later used by wireline news services as well as for wartime comms. It has been in use by hams since around the end of WWII, who took advantage of surplus military teleprinters. For more on this, see:
>>>
>>>   en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioteletype#Early_amateur_radioteletype_history
>>>
>>> As a teenager in the 1970s I had a Teletype Corp Model 15. This page shows some examples of what this beast looked like:
>>>
>>>   http://www.baudot.net/teletype/M15.htm
>>>
>>> In my shack, the Model 15 and all of its associated paraphernalia took up most of a workbench. It made a huge racket and consumed reams of paper, not to mention oil. Sadly, I never did get everything working properly and never made an QSO with it. Yet my fascination with RTTY continued.
>>>
>>> When we designed the K3, my interest was rekindled, and we endowed it with the ability to decode and encode 45-baud RTTY signals. The DSP handled demodulation, while the MCU assembled character bit streams. (We later added 75-baud RTTY as well as PSK31 and PSK63 modes.)
>>>
>>> Lyle Johnson (KK7P) and I had quite a bit of fun when we first got decode working. Speaking strictly for both of us, tuning around between 14.080 and 14.100 during an RTTY contest was like being a teenager all over again. We quickly added the ability to transmit in this mode using the CW keyer paddle and message memories. The upshot is that I finally had my first RTTY QSO, doing it the hard way -- writing a good chunk of the firmware that made it possible.
>>>
>>> Here's the importing thing: our K-Line/KX-Line implementation of RTTY makes it incredibly simple to use. It's nearly foolproof. The setup details vary a bit among the rigs, but basically you select DATA mode, then FSK-D sub-mode, and turn text decode on. Then just tune around in the RTTY band segments until you see signals start to decode.
>>>
>>> If you're a CW op, you can immediately transmit in RTTY mode by simply sending CW. If not, you can connect a netbook or laptop to your rig (via a USB port), then use the Terminal window in K3/KX3/KX2 Utility along with the keyboard. The Utility for each rig includes instructions for using the Terminal window.
>>>
>>> * * *
>>>
>>> Earlier I claimed that RTTY operation using our FSK-D mode has some advantages over FT8, etc. Here they are:
>>>
>>> 1. You don't necessarily need a computer. Decoded and encoded text scrolls across the radio's display. At your home station, this is great for simply tuning around casually; no need to turn on the computer or set up software applications. It's an even bigger advantage for field operation. With the KX3 or KX2, you can use RTTY (or PSK31/63) from essentially anywhere, even operating hand-held. During Field Day and RTTY contests, I make a point of taking a hike and making a few RTTY Q's pedestrian mobile (/PM). When a band is open, you can work the world in these modes. (For some of us, it doesn't get much better than this :)
>>>
>>> 2. Our FSK-D and PSK-D modes are *conversational*, with no restrictions on what you can send, no software delays or time synchronization, no predetermined frequencies, and a natural style of interaction as with CW or SSB. The receiver is automatically configured for a narrow passband, so you simply tune in a signal until you start seeing decoded text -- often a CQ -- then respond with the keyer paddle, or with the keyboard on your netbook/laptop, if applicable.
>>>
>>> As you can see, we've come a long way from the Model 15, paper, oil, noise, and complex terminal hardware. In addition to using the display on the rig itself, our panadapters can be used. Text can be displayed on our P3-SVGA display, as well as on the PX3. A keyboard can be connected to either the P3 or PX3.
>>>
>>> Next time you're listening on 20 meters, the most popular band for RTTY, take a quick spin above 14.080. If you hear some of those magical tones, turn on FSK-D mode and give this mode a try.
>>>
>>> Many DXpeditions have an RTTY station operating during some periods, so you'll often hear RTTY ops making DX contacts. In general, RTTY DX stations are quickly "spotted" when they pop up, so mini-pileups can form at any time.
>>>
>>> There are also a number of RTTY contests, in addition to stations operating in RTTY mode during Field Day, etc. For a calendar of events, see:
>>>
>>>    https://www.rttycontesting.com/records/
>>>
>>> If the contest exchange is simple (non-serialized), you can probably operate entirely using the message memories. On the KX2, CW and data-mode contacts can also be logged using the rig's built-in logging function, then uploaded to a computer when you get home.
>>>
>>> 73,
>>> Wayne
>>> N6KR
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ______________________________________________________________
>>> Elecraft mailing list
>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>>> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>>>
>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Elecraft mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>

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[Roger D Johnson]

I remember that from my Army days in the AN/GRC-26. No cat though!

73, Roger


On 3/22/2019 12:26 PM, Ken G Kopp wrote:
> I had a Teletype Model 26 attached to a BC-610E.  Cat slept on top for
> warmth.
>
> 73 !
>
> K0PP
>
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[Brian Hunt]

Wayne, your write up takes me back to growing up in the late 40s when my dad worked for Ma Bell and would take me into the 'office' occasionally. The most fascinating I ever saw was the print head on the TTY machine bobbing around printing out lines of text.

Thanks for the FSK D capability. I've quickly worked several DXpeditions with it.

73,
Brian, K0DTJ

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[Phil Kane-2]

My early RTTY experience was with Model 28 machines when I was working
for ITT ( not ATT) in the early 1960s.  I had a secretary who could type
much faster than the tape could be punched and that frustrated her no
end!  Several years later I worked overseas and used European
teleprinters where I did my own typing.  In both cases we had service
contracts so I didn't do any "hands on" tweaking of the mechanical beasts.

If I ever get it set up, I want to do some 40m RTTY with my K2.  I have
a choice of a low-power mag-loop antenna at 15W or a dummy load at 100W  !!

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane
Elecraft K2/100   s/n 5402

From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon
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[qrp5w]

Wayne,

Please consider adding a feature in the next KX3 (and others) update-the ability to turn diddle on or off during during idle input from the paddle or terminal.  Please, please!

72

Howard Kraus, K2UD

---- Wayne Burdick <[hidden email]> wrote:

> If you're a new owner of a K3, K3S, KX3 or KX2 -- or if, like most of us, you never quite made it all the way through the owner's manual -- you might not have tried our FSK-D mode. This is one of our favorite features. It gives you an amazingly simple way to dabble in amateur radio's original yet still actively used data mode: RTTY. As embodied in our FSK-D mode, RTTY has two major advantages over FT8, JT9, and similar computer-mediated modes...but first some background.
>
> * * *
>
> RTTY (radio teletype) has a long, colorful history. The basic encoding and transmission methods were invented in the 1800s, and were later used by wireline news services as well as for wartime comms. It has been in use by hams since around the end of WWII, who took advantage of surplus military teleprinters. For more on this, see:
>
>    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioteletype#Early_amateur_radioteletype_history
>
> As a teenager in the 1970s I had a Teletype Corp Model 15. This page shows some examples of what this beast looked like:
>
>    http://www.baudot.net/teletype/M15.htm
>
> In my shack, the Model 15 and all of its associated paraphernalia took up most of a workbench. It made a huge racket and consumed reams of paper, not to mention oil. Sadly, I never did get everything working properly and never made an QSO with it. Yet my fascination with RTTY continued.
>
> When we designed the K3, my interest was rekindled, and we endowed it with the ability to decode and encode 45-baud RTTY signals. The DSP handled demodulation, while the MCU assembled character bit streams. (We later added 75-baud RTTY as well as PSK31 and PSK63 modes.)
>
> Lyle Johnson (KK7P) and I had quite a bit of fun when we first got decode working. Speaking strictly for both of us, tuning around between 14.080 and 14.100 during an RTTY contest was like being a teenager all over again. We quickly added the ability to transmit in this mode using the CW keyer paddle and message memories. The upshot is that I finally had my first RTTY QSO, doing it the hard way -- writing a good chunk of the firmware that made it possible.
>
> Here's the importing thing: our K-Line/KX-Line implementation of RTTY makes it incredibly simple to use. It's nearly foolproof. The setup details vary a bit among the rigs, but basically you select DATA mode, then FSK-D sub-mode, and turn text decode on. Then just tune around in the RTTY band segments until you see signals start to decode.
>
> If you're a CW op, you can immediately transmit in RTTY mode by simply sending CW. If not, you can connect a netbook or laptop to your rig (via a USB port), then use the Terminal window in K3/KX3/KX2 Utility along with the keyboard. The Utility for each rig includes instructions for using the Terminal window.
>
> * * *
>
> Earlier I claimed that RTTY operation using our FSK-D mode has some advantages over FT8, etc. Here they are:
>
> 1. You don't necessarily need a computer. Decoded and encoded text scrolls across the radio's display. At your home station, this is great for simply tuning around casually; no need to turn on the computer or set up software applications. It's an even bigger advantage for field operation. With the KX3 or KX2, you can use RTTY (or PSK31/63) from essentially anywhere, even operating hand-held. During Field Day and RTTY contests, I make a point of taking a hike and making a few RTTY Q's pedestrian mobile (/PM). When a band is open, you can work the world in these modes. (For some of us, it doesn't get much better than this :)
>
> 2. Our FSK-D and PSK-D modes are *conversational*, with no restrictions on what you can send, no software delays or time synchronization, no predetermined frequencies, and a natural style of interaction as with CW or SSB. The receiver is automatically configured for a narrow passband, so you simply tune in a signal until you start seeing decoded text -- often a CQ -- then respond with the keyer paddle, or with the keyboard on your netbook/laptop, if applicable.
>
> As you can see, we've come a long way from the Model 15, paper, oil, noise, and complex terminal hardware. In addition to using the display on the rig itself, our panadapters can be used. Text can be displayed on our P3-SVGA display, as well as on the PX3. A keyboard can be connected to either the P3 or PX3.
>
> Next time you're listening on 20 meters, the most popular band for RTTY, take a quick spin above 14.080. If you hear some of those magical tones, turn on FSK-D mode and give this mode a try.
>
> Many DXpeditions have an RTTY station operating during some periods, so you'll often hear RTTY ops making DX contacts. In general, RTTY DX stations are quickly "spotted" when they pop up, so mini-pileups can form at any time.
>
> There are also a number of RTTY contests, in addition to stations operating in RTTY mode during Field Day, etc. For a calendar of events, see:
>
>     https://www.rttycontesting.com/records/
>
> If the contest exchange is simple (non-serialized), you can probably operate entirely using the message memories. On the KX2, CW and data-mode contacts can also be logged using the rig's built-in logging function, then uploaded to a computer when you get home.
>
> 73,
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
>
>
>
>
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[qrp5w]

The KX2 will fit in a pocket.  The KX3 will fit in, er, a bigger pocket.  You hardly know they are there.  Neither one requires oil or paper and barely make any noise.

My old 28ASR fit in the back of a pickup and weighed 260 lbs.  How do I know that?

72

Howard Kraus, K2UD
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[Wes Stewart-2]

On 3/22/2019 9:14 AM, Wayne Burdick wrote:

I waited until all of the frenzy subsided and bought myself a K3 back in '08
IIRC.  I was using a TS-870SAT primarily on SSB at the time and frankly, I was
disappointed in the K3, particularly from an ergonomic point of view.  So in
looking for a use for the K3 I investigated RTTY. Although I had been licensed
for about 50 years at that time I had never operated RTTY.  I've never to this
day used the internal RTTY capability, nor FSK for that matter, but I did start
using AFSK.  I got hooked.  So I thought to try for DXCC and now have a DXCC
certificate that actually says "RTTY" on it. Today it's harder to find new ones,
but I have 254 confirmed now with my modest station.

It's great fun and even though it's a "digital" mode, operator skill still makes
a difference.

Unfortunately, I heard one of the current DXpeditions plopped on 14.080 using
the abysmal FT8 the other day, so nothing is sacred anymore.

Wes  N7WS
> Next time you're listening on 20 meters, the most popular band for RTTY, take a quick spin above 14.080. If you hear some of those magical tones, turn on FSK-D mode and give this mode a try.
>
>

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[Wes Stewart-2]

Sorry about the cut and paste.  Clearly Wayne didn't write the top part, I did.

On 3/22/2019 3:19 PM, Wes wrote:

> I waited until all of the frenzy subsided and bought myself a K3 back in '08
> IIRC.  I was using a TS-870SAT primarily on SSB at the time and frankly, I was
> disappointed in the K3, particularly from an ergonomic point of view.  So in
> looking for a use for the K3 I investigated RTTY. Although I had been licensed
> for about 50 years at that time I had never operated RTTY.  I've never to this
> day used the internal RTTY capability, nor FSK for that matter, but I did
> start using AFSK.  I got hooked.  So I thought to try for DXCC and now have a
> DXCC certificate that actually says "RTTY" on it. Today it's harder to find
> new ones, but I have 254 confirmed now with my modest station.
>
> It's great fun and even though it's a "digital" mode, operator skill still
> makes a difference.
>
> Unfortunately, I heard one of the current DXpeditions plopped on 14.080 using
> the abysmal FT8 the other day, so nothing is sacred anymore.
>
> Wes  N7WS
>> On 3/22/2019 9:14 AM, Wayne Burdick wrote:
>>
>> Next time you're listening on 20 meters, the most popular band for RTTY, take
>> a quick spin above 14.080. If you hear some of those magical tones, turn on
>> FSK-D mode and give this mode a try.
>>
>>

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[Don Wilhelm]

Howard,

That is already implemented.  End the message when paddling with IM sent
as a prosign (no space between the I and M.
If you are creating messages to be used, end the message with a "|"
character.  It will be ignored on CW, but will stop the 'diddle' on
digital operation.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 3/22/2019 5:47 PM, [hidden email] wrote:
> Wayne,
>
> Please consider adding a feature in the next KX3 (and others) update-the ability to turn diddle on or off during during idle input from the paddle or terminal.  Please, please!
>
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[Jim Brown-10]

On 3/22/2019 3:29 PM, Wes wrote:
> DXCC certificate that actually says "RTTY" on it. Today it's harder to
> find new ones, but I have 254 confirmed now with my modest station.

Congrats on that.  I too am quite happy with AFSK.

>
> It's great fun and even though it's a "digital" mode, operator skill
> still makes a difference.

Yep. RTTY contesting can be a lot of fun, especially with SO2R. A couple
of guys in our contest club, WK6I and W0YK, win RTTY contests running
three radios.  And operator skill also matters with FT8, even though
it's also possible to make QSOs with minimal operator involvement.
>
> Unfortunately, I heard one of the current DXpeditions plopped on
> 14.080 using the abysmal FT8

That's because 1) RTTY is very difficult for the DXpedition operator in
a pileup, making for slow QSO rates; 2)  the latest version of WSJT-X
includes a "DXpedition mode" that allows far greater rates than RTTY;
and the signal to noise advantage of FT8 over CW (moderate) and SSB (a
lot) allows QSOs over more difficult paths and with more modest stations.

73, Jim K9YC


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[David Lee]

Sadly, ARRL doesn't offer the  "RTTY DXCC Award" anymore. Since 2011 they have combined it with other digital modes, it's now called "Digital DXCC". On July 25, 2011 the word “Digital” began replacing “RTTY" on these DXCC certificates.

CQ magazine's WAZ (worked all 40 CQ zones) still has separate awards for RTTY and Digital.

Dave W6ZL / KF6RY

RTTY since 1967 (Model 28 KSR)

On 3/22/2019 3:19 PM, Wes wrote:
>> I waited until all of the frenzy subsided and bought myself a K3 back in '08 IIRC.  I was using a TS-870SAT primarily on SSB at the time and frankly, I was disappointed in the K3, particularly from an ergonomic point of view.  So in looking for a use for the K3 I investigated RTTY. Although I had been licensed for about 50 years at that time I had never operated RTTY.  I've never to this day used the internal RTTY capability, nor FSK for that matter, but I did start using AFSK.  I got hooked.  So I thought to try for DXCC and now have a DXCC certificate that actually says "RTTY" on it. Today it's harder to find new ones, but I have 254 confirmed now with my modest station.
>>
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[Bill Frantz]

On 3/22/19 at 9:14 AM, [hidden email] (Wayne Burdick) wrote:

>There are also a number of RTTY contests, in addition to
>stations operating in RTTY mode during Field Day, etc. For a
>calendar of events, see:
>
>https://www.rttycontesting.com/records/
>
>If the contest exchange is simple (non-serialized), you can
>probably operate entirely using the message memories. On the
>KX2, CW and data-mode contacts can also be logged using the
>rig's built-in logging function, then uploaded to a computer
>when you get home.

The Northern California Contest Club runs weekly RTTY practice
sprints on Fridays,   0145Z - 0215Z (Thursday evening in NA)
-- 1845 - 1915 PDT
-- 2145 - 2215 EDT
-- (others in-between those two)
-- 160: 1805 and up (Last two minutes seem to be popular…)
-- 80/40/20/15 +80kHz up from the band edge
-- Same band dupes ok after 1 intervening Q.
-- 1 kHz QSY rule, otherwise standard Sprint rules
-- Mults per band.
-- 100W power limit

Please visit <http://www.ncccsprint.com/rttyns.html> for
complete rules and links to other info. If you find any problems
with the web pages, please let me know so we can get them fixed.

This can provide a good source of RTTY signals for listening,
and you're more than welcome to join the fun.

BTW, when I play in this sprint, I'm using the CAT interface
from my computer to send and receive via the K3's RTTY support.

73 Bill AE6JV

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[phone]      | to C's continuing support of | 16345
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[Wes Stewart-2]

I know about FT8 DXPedition mode.  I have used it a couple of times just for the
hell of it but I never claim DXCC credit for FT8 contacts.  I also know that
14080 isn't one of the "recommended" frequencies for FT8.

I would argue about the efficacy compared to CW.  I know it reports all of those
negative SNRs but they are bogus.  As to rates, when my friend Ned, AA7A, was
operating RTTY from S. Georgia and S. Sandwich he was knocking them dead.  On 15
meters VP8SGI made almost the same number of RTTY contacts as SSB contacts. 
They only operated RTTY on three bands yet about 10% of their total Qs were RTTY.

Wes  N7WS


On 3/22/2019 4:08 PM, Jim Brown wrote:

> On 3/22/2019 3:29 PM, Wes wrote:
>> DXCC certificate that actually says "RTTY" on it. Today it's harder to find
>> new ones, but I have 254 confirmed now with my modest station.
>
> Congrats on that.  I too am quite happy with AFSK.
>
>>
>> It's great fun and even though it's a "digital" mode, operator skill still
>> makes a difference.
>
> Yep. RTTY contesting can be a lot of fun, especially with SO2R. A couple of
> guys in our contest club, WK6I and W0YK, win RTTY contests running three
> radios.  And operator skill also matters with FT8, even though it's also
> possible to make QSOs with minimal operator involvement.
>>
>> Unfortunately, I heard one of the current DXpeditions plopped on 14.080 using
>> the abysmal FT8
>
> That's because 1) RTTY is very difficult for the DXpedition operator in a
> pileup, making for slow QSO rates; 2)  the latest version of WSJT-X includes a
> "DXpedition mode" that allows far greater rates than RTTY; and the signal to
> noise advantage of FT8 over CW (moderate) and SSB (a lot) allows QSOs over
> more difficult paths and with more modest stations.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC

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