Working RTTY "UP"???

[VK5IR]

I have recently entered the wonderful world of digi modes.

I have had around 60 PSK31 QSO's and feel I am up to scratch on that mode but I have only had one RTTY QSO so far .

I am currently listening to ZK3N on 20 meters on 14.082 at 1560 Hz (+710 Hz) and he is listening up. I am using DM 780.

My question is, when someone on RTTY calls "UP", does it usually mean higher up the waterfall or higher up in KHz? I should note that currently he is being spotted on the cluster as up 2, up 7 etc...

Would appreciate any help.

Thanks.

Theo.

[VK6ADF]

Hi Theo, Sounds like the station is working split frequency. So if listening on 14.082 then up 2 would be 14.084 and up 7 would be 14.089. That would be my guess. I could be wrong.

[VK5IR]

Thanks Phil.

I am very familiar with split mode operation when it comes to SSB but what I am confused about is when the operator calls "up", is it just slightly up the waterfall or up a few KHz?

If he were to say "up 5" I would know exactly what he means.

[VK4WTN]

hi Theo when the CQ says up and doesnt have a number eg up 2 for up 2khz you would transmit split anything from 1khz to 5khz above his frequency. The TX station usually tunes up and down those frequencies looking for callers. A good trick is to locate the station he is working before you and come up on that stations frequency when they finish their QSO. I like you am just starting using RTTY and for the first few days wondered if my tx was working.It is a really fun mode and I really enjoy using it. Made my first EU RTTY QSO the other day. I am using MTTY for my program and find it good to use. ZK3N is operating RTTY atm and would be a good station to work.
Hope that it all works out for you
regards Wayne VK4WTN

[VK5IR]

Thanks Wayne.

So here's another question:

Say I choose to go 3 up, then where on the waterfall do I transmit? Anywhere? In the middle...???

Example.

Station on 14.082 calls "up". I TX on 14.085, but where on the waterfall do I place my "marker"(sorry, don't know the correct term, but you know what I mean)?

[VK3HJ]

If the split is small, i.e. within the waterfall (3 kHz), you should see the stations calling him.
You can then set your tx frequency up in the QSX slot within the passband.
If the split is wider, you will need to synch your VFOs, set Split, then set your tx VFO up however far his split is. In DM-780, I set the DXpedition's signal in the middle of the waterfall, and swap back and forth between VFO rx and VFO tx till I find where he is listening. It takes some practice, but soon you will be able to pick the station the DX is working and put your signal just where you think he will hear you. Sometimes a good strategy is to pick a clear spot on one side of the pileup and keep calling there.
With an SDR or rig with panadaptor, it is easier.
Good luck with ZK3N. I've found them quite difficult to work. When they are strong, they are always calling for EU!
73,
Luke VK3HJ

[VK5IR]

When they are strong, they are always calling for EU!

Yep, that's exactly what they were doing last night!

Thanks for your help Luke.

73
Theo.