--- In digitalradio@yahoogroups.com, Dave Ackrill <dave.g0...@...> wrote: > > Otherwise why so much RTTY on the bands? Even AX:25 is getting a bit > long in the tooth now, but people still struggle on with it...
My belief is that all the RTTY is largely from contesting and DX chasing. Those two operations have two things in common: they benefit from very fast turnaround, and the operators don't care much about the high error rate. Other modes like PSK31 have a longer turnaround time because they transmit for a second or so before and after the keyboard text, while RTTY is immediate and that translates into more contacts. The operators don't care much about all the errors because they already know what they want to see. They already know the call sign of the other station, and they already know the signal report will be 599, so if the mess on the screen looks like their call sign and QSL that is enough to consider it a contact. Then I guess there are a few people bringing old mechanical Teletype gear back to life and using it for rag-chewing for old times' sake. Jim W6JVE
