Števo OM7KW first introduced me to RTTY contesting. In contests such as the CQ WW RTTY, it’s possible to make contacts even with lower power than is required for SSB or CW. Another advantage is that it’s a quiet mode of operation, so it doesn’t disturb the surroundings like SSB does.
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OM0A RTTY Contest Setup
I use a Yaesu FT-1000MP, which has an INRAD roofing filter. On the first intermediate frequency, the bandwidth can be narrowed to 500 Hz or 250 Hz. On the second intermediate frequency, however, I don’t have a narrow filter available. The connection to the computer is provided by MicroHAM DigiKeyer. The contest log is N1MM+.
The setup is complemented by a modified RM-Italy KL-501 amplifier. For the 80-meter band, an inverted-V antenna is mounted on an RDM-12 mast. For RTTY frequencies, I adjusted the tuning by adding small pieces of cable to the antenna ends.
Category Selection for the CQ WW RTTY Contest 2021
Balancing family, work, and contest activities is always a challenge. I recall a discussion among OK stations where the ratio of time devoted to amateur radio versus other activities was also discussed. A ratio of 1 to 40 hours seems to be quite significantly skewed against amateur radio. If we consider that a world contest lasts 48 hours, that would leave 1,920 hours (80 days) for other activities.
One option, therefore, is to choose a category that interferes less with other activities. One such option is to choose a single band—either the upper bands (15m or 10m) or, conversely, 80m. Since 80m is a band that can be used at night, I decided on this option.
The choice of power category depends on personal preference. After participating in several world contests with lower power (QRP 5W and Low Power 100W), I opted for higher power this time. Although the amplifier I use doesn’t come close to the maximum possible power, it can still make a difference. During the contest, I used 200 to 250W, but I also made several contacts with a power output of around 20W.
Contest Duration
Amateur radio operators know that when working a single band, the number of hours won’t come close to the allowed maximum. Due to work and family commitments, I didn’t have the energy to get OM0A on the air on the very first night. I certainly had the will—I’d even set my alarm—but reality was different.
This is a fairly significant disadvantage compared to stations that can stay on the band longer. Later on, this was particularly evident in the missing contacts to America. I didn’t start making my first contacts until Saturday evening.
Ideally, I would have stayed on the air all night, but that didn’t work out. As the contest drew to a close on Sunday, OM0A reappeared on the air until midnight Sunday into Monday (local time).
In total, OM0A was on the air for 10 hours and 3 minutes.
How do I use N1MM+ for RTTY?
I’ve been using the N1MM+ contest log for many years and am very satisfied with it. For RTTY, there are two interface options: MMTTY and MMVARI. I’ve tried both, and I prefer MMVARI. The reason is its better display of the signal spectrum.
For RTTY, macros with predefined messages are important. I opted for the K8UT RTTY macros, and I’d say they work well.
It’s an advantage to have two monitors, though I didn’t have that option this time. On Sunday, I also activated the SDR spectrum analyzer in N1MM+. Why? Because if there’s an extremely strong station nearby, it may not be perceived as a problem on high-quality equipment, but it’s good to also consider other stations whose equipment isn’t as robust. The SDR spectrum analyzer will show whether such a situation has arisen or, conversely, help in finding a free frequency on a call.
Which countries are in OM0A’s log?
Connection statistics by DXCC in the CQ WW RTTY Contest
4L Georgia
9A Croatia
A6 United Arab Emirates
CT3 Madeira
DL Germany
E7 Bosnia and Herzegovina
EA Spain
ER Moldova
ES Estonia
EÚ Belarus
F France
G England
GI Northern Ireland
GJ Jersey
GM Scotland
GW Wales
HA Hungary
HB0 Liechtenstein
HB9 Switzerland
Ja Italy
LA Norway
LX Luxembourg
LY Lithuania
LZ Bulgaria
OE Austria
OH Finland
OK Czech Republic
OM Slovakia
V Belgium
OZ Denmark
PA Netherlands
S5 Slovenia
SM Sweden
SP Poland
SV Greece
TA Turkey AS
UA Russia
UA0 Russia AS
UA2 Kaliningrad
UR Ukraine
W USA
YL Latvia
TY Romania
YU Serbia
Z3 North Macedonia
Results of the 2021 CQ WW RTTY Contest
OM0A’s log contains 299 contacts, totaling 34,371 points. There weren’t many active stations in the 80m HP Assisted category. You can compare some key statistics with those of SV2BXZ. The main difference lies in the multiplier gains at the start of the contest—that is, when I wasn’t on the band.
Comparison of QSO rates: SV2BXZ vs. OM0A
Comparison of point gains: SV2BXZ vs. OM0A
Comparison of multiplier gains: SV2BXZ vs. OM0A
Comparison of scores between SV2BXZ and OM0A
Map of OM0A contacts in the CQ WW RTTY Contest
In RTTY, it’s not possible to achieve the same contact speed as in SSB, but there’s still room for improvement. One option is SO2R operation, which I’ve already tried. Thank you all for the contacts, and I look forward to seeing you on the band again!
