I would have titled the subject: "Digital Geek Flavor of the Month"
And while I can get interested in the technology associated with "Digital
Geeking", the marketing hype by the non-technical anti-CW types doesn't
impress me. I am still irritated by the residue from the CB era. And the
same style of debate eliminated CW as a requirement and sure hopes that CW
contesting will die... but I think the espousers will be the first to
expire. That is until all the contesters that have any CW skill depart.
So John, is this a debate about modulation modes and their technical
attributes or an MSNBC "Hard Ball" 30 minute high school style debate?
For those who really do want to contest, I would be willing to participate
in a PSK63 "contest operating event". As to trying to contribute to the
debate on the "death" of anything, it still smells like the time worn style
that "if I say it often enough, it must be true". Time has a way of working
out all the details long after the passionate high school style debate has
exhausted the participants.
RTTY contesting survives because it give it's participants something. I
would invite the proponents of the new modulation technique to plan the
party, promote the incentives to participate, and see if they can stick with
it long enough to not became the latest "flavor of the month". That is the
track record of CW contesting and RTTY contesting. It wasn't a debate. It
was attraction. (And still is for the new callsigns that appear in every
RTTY contest recently).
And I believe there is a reason the RTTY signals are absent between
contests. And it is not a technical attribute discussion. It has to do
with operating interests and some sense of excitement. PSK31 has
approximately the same thrill for me as EchoLink. And I have spent time
with both. But I am not likely to spend 30 to 40 hours on a weekend in an
EchoLink "contest". And I am certain that there are other contesters out
there who think mouse clicking on an RTTY screen is just as boring.
So, my choice of "contest" modulations to listen to:
1. CW because I can do it and like to listen to it.
2. RTTY because I like to listen to the music.
3. DXing without brag tapes.
4. EchoLink and email for the longer conversations and content not easily
supported by 1,2 and 3.
73 and let the debate begin... :-)
George .. W1ZT
----- Original Message -----
From: "WA9ALS - John" <wa9als@starband.net>
To: <rtty@contesting.com>
Cc: <mortjame@westnet.com>
Sent: Monday, May 19, 2003 6:23 PM
Subject: [RTTY] Death of RTTY?
> Well, once again, PSKers are predicting the death of RTTY. Jim, N2HOS, in
> his latest Gazette, stated "There is plenty of
> room for both [PSK63 and RTTY], but RTTY has already given up this battle.
> Peace!"
>
> I'd like to make a couple of points, and then maybe we can have some
healthy
> discussion on this topic:
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