Expanding an amateur radio station to include a new mode of operation initiates a learning process, sometimes painful when the technology and operating procedures differ radically from those already established in one's experience. Radio teleprinter can be a real jolt to those hams who've had no Elmer exposure. This mode requires the newcomer to absorb peculiar kinds of information, in most cases unrelated to expertise gained in the past. Consider, if you will, strange terminology, puzzling operating procedures, the maintenance of equipment electrically different, and -- most importantly -- the need for mechanical cleverness.

Don't shy away however. A number of hams worldwide have -- with characteristic enthusiasm for exploring new fields -- plunged in and currently are having a whale of a time. There's a new kind of DX out there for the restless ones.

Thus, this paper is intended for RTTY enthusiasts, new and old, and particularly for those looking to plow a new furrow.

THE RTTY DX PERSPECTIVE

Understanding DX by RTTY requires a perspective of the total active teleprinter population. Less than 1 percent of the number of amateurs worldwide are equipped for this kind of operation. Naturally, the vast majority is in the United States, approximately 1000. (See Figure 1.) The Canadians tally about 300. Of the Americans, perhaps 200 operate on the primary DX band, 20 meters. However, only 50 to 75 of these actively pursue DX: of the Canadians, about a dozen are playing the game.

Now, look beyond North America.

As Figure 2 illustrates, there are potentially 60 in Germany available for contact, about 40 in Italy, and then the list dribbles down to 4 each in Argentina, Mexico, and KZ5-land. For DXCC with RTTY endorsement, there ain't much out there but it's a magnificent challenge. Returning to Figure 2, inspection shows that, after the JA listing the availability of a new country really implies the activity of one or two stations. For example, Paraguay (ZP5) has three stations active on teleprinter, particularly WA3JTC/ZP5.

Bureaucracy takes its toll of otherwise-on-the-air DX. Despite their numbers, Polish amateurs are not permitted to operate RTTY.

EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

If your quest for DX stations is to be successful, some minimum equipment requirements are mandatory. What follows amounts to suggestions only; there are other ways to achieve your goal. Tradeoffs can be made between antennas and transmitter output power, for example. It should also be obvious that ringing the bell on the lower bands (i.e., 80 and 40) dictates the use of 1 KW.

Transmitter

1. Key-down operation for more than 15 minutes.
2. Stable VFO (less than 2 Hz/minute drift after warmup).
3. Must operate on 20 meters.
4. Capable of being FSKed or AFSKed.

a. Set mark -- space difference of 170 +- 1.5 Hz -- maintainable for one month or, alternatively, a good counter for setting difference frequencies.

b. AFSK - SSB transmitter with crystal or mechanical filter for lower sideband with better than 45 dB rejection at the 6-dB points.

5. Output power of more than 50 watts on DX band (i.e., 20 meters).
6. Spot capability.

Receiver

1. Must copy SSB DX (i.e., 20 meters).
2. A narrow filter, 500 Hz of less.
3. The BFO must be variable to maximize the appropriate output tones to the terminal unit (usually 2125 Hz for mark and 2295 Hz for space).
4. Fast AGC (or ability to disable AGC).
5. Frequency readout accurate to +- 1 kHz.

Converter-Terminal Unit (TU) -- Audio

1. Switch-selectable reverse mark-space.
2. Greater than 50-dB limiting.
3. Two distinct frequencies: one for mark, the other for space.
4. Mark and space frequencies separated by 170 Hz.
5. Mark frequency of 2125 +- 3 Hz and space frequency of 2295 +- 3 Hz with bandwidths of less than 20 Hz     (+- 3 dB) in each case.
6. Tuning indicator of some sort, e.g., a meter.
7. Mark-hold externally controlled.

Antenna

1. A 2-element quad or, at worst, a 3-element tribander.
2. At least 40 feet off the ground.

Teleprinter Machinery

1. 60 word-per-minute capability (45.45 baud).
2. Less than 20% bias in the system.
3. Standard teleprinter keyboard.

FINDING RTTY DX

In any mode, the standard worldwide DX band is 20 meters. Therefore, 20 is the logical place to start your search. By gentleman's agreement, teleprinter operators hang out between 14,075 kHz and 14,105 kHz. Don't overlook the other bands by the way; 15 and 10 do open occasionally. During the current period of sunspot minima, 80 and 40 are excellent DX bands. The RTTY DX operating frequencies for HF are shown in Figure 3.

During the hunt, several things must be kept in mind. For example, consider propagation, timing, and the limited number of stations in action. Madly calling "CQ DX" on a dead band will lead you down Futility Road and gladden the heart of the local power company.

Think.

Check the band out first. How does it feel? What's going on in the CW/SSB portions?

Since there are so few active RTTY stations, timing is critical. As a rule of thumb, any hour of the day on weekends offers real possibilities. During the work week, however, watch the time differentials closely. After all, most amateurs labor at a job to keep their domiciles solvent and go to bed at a reasonable hour -- contrary to popular belief.

SOURCES OF RTTY INFORMATION

Perhaps the best single source of RTTY DX information is the RTTY JOURNAL published monthly by Dusty Dunn, W8CQ. In its pages appears a DX column written by John Possehl, W3KV. Here, John offers information which is most timely. He also is quite active, running weekly schedules around the world on all modes. This keeps John up-to-speed on the latest happenings in RTTY activities, including planned RTTY DXpeditions. Yes, that's right -- RTTY DXpeditions!

Subscriptions for Dusty's worthwhile publication should be addressed to RTTY JOURNAL, Box 837, Royal Oak, MN 48068. The cost is $3.50 per year, first class, U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Also, information regarding RTTY DX can be obtained from almost any station overseas on-the-air as well as from those State-side who chase DX. A few stations to look for are listed by continent in Figure 4. Needless to say, there are others: the listing in the figure is a mere sample.

CONTESTS

A radio teleprinter contest doesn't differ much from those run in the other modes. The primary objective is the same: work as many different stations on as many bands as possible. The secondary objective is to increase your total country count. Coupled with the usual multipliers, some sort of system is used to arrive at individual final scores. Like the awards given in other modes, you may receive the familiar certificate or, on the other hand, a handsome plaque.

The Contest Season -- Fortunately, most RTTY contests occur in late fall and early winter. This keeps spring and summer free for domestic affairs (painting the house, cleaning gutters, fertilizing the lawn, etc.), rebuilding the station, and the never-ending process of upgrading the antenna system.

What follows is a listing of the contests and a brief description of each.

1. The Scandinavian Amateur Radio Teleprinter Group (SARTG) kicks off the RTTY contest season in late August. The SARTG is novel in that the contest period is arranged in 8-hour segments -- 8 hours on, 8 hours off, 8 hours on, etc., for a total of 24 hours on-the-air. A great equalizer.

2. The Canadian Amateur Radio Teleprinter Group (CARTG) contest is held during the early part of October. The CARTG runs for 48 hours and the single-operator stations are limited to 30 hours total time. This, by the way, is the Grand-Daddy of all RTTY contests and worldwide interest is intense.

3. November brings the WAEDCA sponsored by the Deutsche Amateur Radio Club of West Germany. The contest period runs for 48 hours with 36 hours of operation allowed. This contest incorporates a novelty: traffic credit is given for reporting prior QSOs to another station, adding to the total accumulated points.

4. The SSB and RTTY Club of Italy hosts the Alexander Volta RTTY Contest in early December. The time frame is 30 hours with no maximum so an Iron Man can tough it out if he can stay awake.

5. In late January, CQ Electronica magazine of Italy sponsors the Giant Flash RTTY Contest. That's just the way it's run -- hit `em and git, 8 hours one weekend and 8 hours the following.

6. After a one-month breather, the BARTG RTTY Contest is held in late March under the auspices of the British Amateur Radio Teleprinter Group. Again, total time is 48 hours with 36 hours allowed for real operating time -- another tough one.

1976 BARTG Contest Results:        Places 1-36      Places 37-74       Multi-OP and SWL

Out of all this contesting comes a most coveted award -- the World RTTY Championship, presented automatically to the station amassing the best of finishes in the six contests described above. Stations are given 30 points for a first place, 25 for a second, 23 for a third, etc., on down to 20th place. The best four finishes are used to name the champion of the year. Thus, it can be seen that anyone who wins four contests outright has a total of 120 points (4 X 30) and is automatically the winner. An engraved silver plaque is presented to the Champion by CQ Electronica of Italy.

During any one contest, 300 contacts is about the maximum possible. Since all Six contests are sponsored by groups outside the United States, the bulk of these will be DX stations. The Europeans bulge largest on the DX bands.

How to be Competitive -- What does it take to be competitive? Well, personal willingness to sacrifice all that time and effort as well as sleep. And, obviously, antenna height ranks as critical. The cost of radio gear is relatively minor when one coughs up $150,000 for the QTH! Seriously, though, you can do quite well on RTTY with a suburban location on high ground since competition is very limited. (You have to beat only 300 contestants, not 10,000.)

In order to win or even place high in contest standings, attention must be given to detail. A solid kilowatt is mandatory -- key-down service. Look at the coax. Use the best available such as RG-17/u. The antenna system is a critical point in the entire station engineering. Four-element Yagis for each band are desirable or use a big quad (30 foot boom).

Given the necessary power, a decent QTH in terms of elevation, and an efficient antenna lash-up, streamline the station for comfort and business like operation. Thirty hours on the air will drive you insane if the chair is uncomfortable. Arrange the station so that ease of operation is maximized. For example, locate the transmit/receive switch on or near the keyboard.

Since the FCC requires dual identification on RTTY, some means of sending the call in CW automatically is an absolute necessity for contesting. A code wheel, diode matrix, a PROM -- anything that minimizes operation complexity.

In a like manner a means of repetitively sending "CQ Contest" is an absolute must. The most common method uses paper tape readers, but solid state generators are starting to show-up. Either method of automatically generating the "CQ Contest" allows you to stretch, fill the coffee cup, and check out the "head" while the station blows holes in the ether with "CQ Contest".

Your personal health and mental attitude are vital factors in being competitive. Going in to a contest with the flu, or a bad cold can be disastrous and, probably, a waste of time. Worrying about the job situation or the family can be equally diverting of the concentration required to win a contest.

Be well, relaxed, and psyched up and you'll be competitive!

Editor's Notes: As you know, Mike K4GMH is still hammering big time in the RTTY contests.  Ed W3EKT is from the most notorious place in the East (Glenwood, MD), won the 1975 Championship, and the last time I worked him (1/97) he was in Orlando, Florida taking it RELATIVELY easy. The old Canadian contest and a "Championship" sound good .. wonder what happened to them? de N1RCT