The best DXpedtion rig is...........
Some good words on selecting a rig for DXpedition work from some
guys who have been there......
From: "Dick, N1RCT"
Subject: [DIGITL-DX:1072] Best Dxped RTTY Rig?
We keep hearing horror stories of rig problems with Dxpeditions
trying to run RTTY. This happens even with experienced RTTY ops and
well known rig combos. I know it happens to me right in my own shack
with all the time in the world, the instruction manuals, hotlines, help
on Inet, RadioShack next door, no other RF in the air, good power, etc.
This leads to missed new ones on RTTY, reduced operating times and
bands, and even a reluctance to commit to RTTY operations for some
DXpeditions, especially combined with the relatively low number of RTTY
ops (2000 Dx chasers?) for the DXpedition statistics.
Does anyone have thoughts on a rig that would fix most of the
problems we have been hearing? (or rather, NOT hearing). I have not
heard of any software problems since WF1B started donating free RTTY by
WF1B to DXpeditions.
My personal favorite would be WF1B with the RITTY by K6STI for a
"TNC" using AFSK and VOX to multiple, paralleled (Icom, Kenwood, Yaesu)
microphone plugs, eliminating the external TNC box (and it's power) and
the little accessory plugs. The Micron laptop with the Vibra 16 soundcard has
been used by Glenn W6OTC successfully for RITTY by K6STI.
I would like to build such a rig for my own use (Field Day, guest op,
portable, etc). How would you go about the ideal DXpedition RTTY rig?
73 de Dick
Dick Stevens, N1RCT n1rct@megalink.net
Date: Fri, 02 May 1997 09:15:45 -0700
From: "M. Glenn Vinson, Jr." W6OTC
Subject: Re: [DIGITAL-DX:1072] Best Dxped RTTY Rig?
Dick, I think most of these problems result from operator error, whether
in the field or in planning. I thought the days were over when
DXpeditions would get to a remote place and say their RTTY gear was
broken.
But, if you want to focus on gear: I take 2 PK-232s since they are hard
to break and work well enough if you are on a DXpedition and if you have
narrow filters on the radio or use one of the external DSP boxes. I am
going to try RITTY on my laptop (works fine) next time. Both the 232
and RITTY go to the fsk port on my IC-751 (so I can use its narrow
filters; afsk is ok with Yaesu). With 2 people, each should have a set
of (and spare) cables if they have a second radio and each should have a
laptop. I have had equipment failures on trips, including a dead
laptop, but I have never been unable to operate RTTY. I always have a
spare for each critical component, including copies of programs on
diskettes. I know Eddie, W6/G0AZT follows this drill and I don't
remember him getting to a remote place and not being able to work RTTY.
And by the way, the PK-232s, laptop, radio and a G5RV are all in my
carry-on bag. I check my clothes, beams and amps. I can wear dirty
clothes or buy new ones, put up the wire if necessary, or operate
barefoot. But I can't operate at all without the radio, tnc, laptop.
Taking gear with scopes that can easily break, as suggested by Jay,
makes no sense to me and adds unnecessary complications.
73, Glenn
=======================================================
Date: Fri, 2 May 1997 08:24:58 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Jay Townsend" W7SI
Dick, N1RCT wrote:
> My personal favorite would be WF1B with the RITTY by K6STI for a "TNC"
> using AFSK and VOX to multiple, paralleled (Icom, Kenwood, Yaseau)
>microphone plugs, eliminating the external TNC box (and it's power)
>and the little accessory plugs.
Two problems with this for a DXpedition. First, is that it requires a
Sound blaster, so if the computer goes away nothing will work. e.g., it
either gets lost, broken or stolen in transit to the DXpedition. The
second is that you are totally dependable on one device.
My favorite combo is wf1b, and a Kenwood TS850 (may switch to a Icom 706
Mk II) and two TU's. I take a old AEA CP-1 which has been modified to
also do RS232. So I can run either a Commodore or a PC, and a ST-6000
by HAL which has a scope. Kinda bulky but nothing is better than a
scope and its all built in. Easy to interface to anything.
I also take a "standard" RTTY program so that if I can't get the WF1B to
run then I can just type and log on paper or with a logging program.
That happened once (not with WF1B tho!) and I did HC5J with two
computers, sending on one and logging on another.
Nearly everywhere in the world (other than rocks) you can find a
Commodore in a local's shack and borrow it. Thus the CP1. Came in
handy on one of the trips to HC8 as the PC broke down and we can with a
C64 for quite a while. The other thing is that you can buy 'em for $5
and donate them on the way out of country. Same with the CP1's I bought
the last one for $13 just this year.
The only truth to DXpeditions is that you need backup! Taking just one
will probably lead to murphy making a mess out of it. Think of the
recent failures from Peter & Paul Rocks.
73
Jay Townsend, WS7I < jayt@iea.com >
Date: Fri, 02 May 1997 10:12:18 -0700
From: "M. Glenn Vinson, Jr."
Subject: Re: [DIGITAL-DX:1072] Best Dxped RTTY Rig?
I have a Micron laptop which I chose in part because of the sound card.
When you see the VK0IR video you will see Peter operating RTTY with an
FT-900 and PK-900. Though the FT-900 is a poor choice in itself for RTTY,
Peter uses one of the external DSP filters with it--I think Timewave. The
package is compact and fairly rugged. Peter has lugged it around Africa,
swears by it and of course has made perhaps 5,000 contest and DXpedition
RTTY qso's with it. Last last point--the gear to be operated has been
assembled in the same form and tested before the trip--seems rarely to be
done on these mixed mode DXpeditions.
73, Glenn, W6OTC
Date: Sat, 03 May 1997 08:42:20
Subject: rtty and dxped's
From: tdeprato@polarbase.win.net (ANTHONY W. DEPRATO)
Just read the email about rtty problems.. on dxpeditions.. sure wish BS7
had come up.. cant understand why more then one unit is not taken . I
have been on one or two rocks during my life and always took backups..
and boy was I glad during 3Y0 in 94 I had two units and both were
smashed in shipping. but was able to make it work in a fashion.. in 92
one of the spares crashed at VP8SSI...so I have learned a hard lesson..
take THREE UNITS HI HI...
As to what to take depends on where you are going.. and what is there.
when I go south I am limited as to what i can take because of weight and
space.... so its 3- pk232mbx's and two laptops.. now that HAL has the
4100 that is our unit of choice with 2-pk232 as backups.. now if we
could just talk Bill into building a tuning units with a scope that ran
off low voltage hi hi... 73 tony wa4jqs / vp8bzl
Date: Fri, 2 May 1997 21:00:43 -0700 (PDT)
From: edlyn@global.california.com W6/G0AZT
Subject: [DIGITL-DX:1083] Re: Best Dxped RTTY Rig?
Having operated RTTY from nine different "DX" locations, here are my
views on a suitable set-up.
Rig: TS440, TS450 or the good olde faithful IC751A.
Reasons for the above choices:
Both Kenwoods,when used in AFSK (LSB),have the advantage of being able
to use any narrow CW filter fitted, while in the side band mode. The
IC751A just has to be the most versatile of the three. It has true FSK
(narrow filter selection), runs off 12V DC or with the added internal
PSU, will do 110 or 240V AC. (no need for HEAVY outboard PSUs). All
three rigs will run 100w keydown without undue heat/problems. I've used
all three and other than some wierd sounding tones from my TS440 while
in VP9 as some of you will no doubt remember, they have performed with
excellence results for me.
TNC/Computer combinations:
El cheapo laptop with any of the three major TNC manufacturers. C-64
with AEA's MBA-TOR plug-in cartridge. Need a VDU or with the
appropriate interface from Rad Shack, any available TV. You'll have to
log by hand though :-)
Software:
WF1B in DXpedition mode or appropriate contest selected,if DX-peding AND
contesting.
The main concern any RTTY dx-peditioneer should consider, is taking a
back up unit. For reasons I cannot explain, it appears that the TNC
seems to be the first piece of equipment that fails. Not the CW keyer
or microphone, just the RTTY TNC! BTW, although I take a back-up unit,
I have never had to use it. Strange eh?
GL to any prospective RTTY DX-pedition operators in the future.
I need ...... hi
73 Eddie, W6/G0AZT etc.
Date: Sat, 03 May 1997 15:36:30 +0100
From: Tyler Stewart K3MM
To: Jay Townsend
Subject: Re: [DIGITL-DX:1072] Best Dxped RTTY Rig?
I have to agree with N1RCT on this one. The only thing better and
potentially more reliable than RITTY and WF1B on a notebook would be...
RITTY and WF1B on 2 notebooks! If you want to go to the trouble of
double logging, use the second PC with a different logging program so
you end up with 2 completely independent logs.
All that old stuff you are talking about is second rate in performance,
and due to it's age I would guess potentially not as reliable. If you
are going to go to the expense of DXpeditioning, it doesnt make sense to
go cheap on the equipment (although I would hardly classify a couple of
486 notebooks with sound cards as expensive).
73, Tyler K3MM
Date: Sun, 04 May 1997 02:26:24 +0500
From: w2jgr@millcomm.com (Jules Freundlich)
Subject: Re: Best Dxped RTTY Rig (low cost)
Hi Gang!
I have been following all the comments about favorite rigs for
DXpeditions and have the following thought to contribute.
If you are contemplating doing RTTY on a DXpedition or at Field Day, and
acquisition cost, and weight, of a computer/TNC combination are major
considerations, I suggest you look at The RTTY JOURNAL of March 1991,
page 10.
The two major components (Tandy 102 and CP-1) for the setup described in
my article entitled "LIGHTWEIGHT RTTY TU FOR DXPEDITIONS" are probably
readily available these days at flea markets (Dayton coming up!) at a
total cost of less than $100. No separate monitor is required.
You will have to do hand logging, but, as Eddie says, the pencils and
paper are readily available anywhere.
Happy RTTY de Jules W2JGR
Date: Sat, 3 May 1997 19:24:20 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Jay Townsend"
Subject: [DIGITL-DX:1090] Re: Best Dxped RTTY Rig?
K3MM commented on my choices:
> All that old stuff you are talking about is second rate in performance,
> and due to it's age I would guess potentially not as reliable. If you
> are going to go to the expense of DXpeditioning, it doesnt make sense to
> go cheap on the equipment (although I would hardly classify a couple of
> 486 notebooks with sound cards as expensive)
Well when I am on a DXpedtion, I don't care a bit about performance, I
don't worry about weak signals or much else. With any radio I use it
has filters so I can work the RTTY end with anything. I know how to
handle a pileup and I know that as to reliable I would use any device
made by Hal Communications anyday over a sound card in a cheap laptop.
If its a good laptop then fine. But last time I checked Toshiba's and
the like with a compatible SB came in a $2,000 plus. With two of 'em
thats a cool $5,000 for logging vs. a $15 to $200 device.
You must be talking about contesting and not a DXpedition. Or you must
go on mighty high ticket DXpeditions like Tony!
As I said, the key is backup...and the failures are caused by having
NONE.
Jay Townsend, WS7I < jayt@iea.com >
Date: Tue, 6 May 1997 14:06:28 +0400
From: CasierP@wfp.or.ug
Subject: [DIGITL-DX:1099] Re: Best Dxped RTTY Rig?
I learned my lesson on RTTY the hard way in 9Q: failing PK232 and no
decent software.
Since then I took the following on all my trips (excluding 9U):
- FT900
- MFJ DSP
- PK900
- laptop
- WF1B soft.
There are better choices than PK900: more compact TUs or RITTY with
soundblaster in laptop.
FT900 has never let me down in all my trips, even through heavy duty
RTTY (amongst all other abuses-hi). PK900/MFJ proove a good
combination, mainly because of the MFJ DSP hi.
If I would have to start again, then I would go for:
- FT900 (too reliable, compact, rugged to let go)
- RITTY + laptop with soundblaster
- backup KAM+
- MFJ DSP
73, Peter Casier
From: "Jon Severt" <wb8yjf@earthlink.net>
Subject: DX-PED Rig
Date: Wed, 28 Jan 1998 22:17:16 -0500
The best rig I have personally used on a DX-PED. is the TS-830S and an
old iRL FSK-1000 T.U. I took this combo with me to ZL7, VP9, VO2, NA-62,and
NA-67. The TS-830 will tolerate just about any antenna, as it has 6146's for
the finals. When I was in ZL7 (ZL7CW) I worked 300+ stations on a make-shift
dipole consisting of several pieces of copper wire with 4 conductor telephone
line SHOVED into the SO-239 connector on the back of the TS-830S!! NO SOLDER
CONNECTIONS!!! I didn't have an SWR meter, but I am sure it was outta-sight!
Still I worked all continents, and even the east coast with this combo! The
830 never had a problem! The FSK-1000 T.U. is large, by todays standards, but
it performs very well under all conditions. It is also easy to convert to
220V mains, as is the TS-830S. When the antennas FINALLY arrived, many more
stations were worked as could be expected; but I was truelly amazed at the
830's ability to work flawlessly under TERRRIBLE conditions! I still use this
combination for my yearly tre k to Ocracoke Island (NA-67) for the IOTA
contest every year. NO PROBLEMS.
73, CU from the "next" spot!
Jon Severt/WB8YJF
----------------------------------------------------
From: "Gerd Uhlig"
Subject: The best RTTY DXpedition Rig?
Date: Sun, 2 Aug 1998 22:24:30 +0100
I surely risk that some guys will lough at me, but I just want to tell you my
experiences with my "little pistols" equipment for RTTY. I should anticipate
that I never have been on a big DXpedition in the common sence like VK0IR or
3Y0PI. Usually I go on "Part Time DXpeditions" - means vacations with my XYL
and the option for some nice pile up's. 8P9GU, J38GU, J87GU and C6AKA are not
even breathtaking call signs to cause sleepless nights in the ham radio
aristocracy. During my recent trip to C6 land I had 5888 QSOs, 94 in SSB,
1231 in RTTY (670 of them in the ANARTS contest), the rest in CW.
All RTTY QSOs I ran with the following equipment:
IC-706 - FSK with 500 Hz filter/barefoot;
Butternut vertical HF9VX;
SCS PTCplus;
Escom Paradigma 486 DX4/100 MHz;
WF1B.
Unfortunately I never was able to carry any backups (except
software/diskettes)with me due to weight problems - I have to allow my XYL
some hundreds grams of clothing (I'd be well equipped with 3 or 4 T-shirts and
1 or 2 Bermuda shorts).
The IC-706 did it well, I never had any problems with that little toy and the
SCS PTCplus never caused any trouble. Some friends of mine used the same
modem on their DXpeditions - ZL7DK, P29VXX, VK9XY, VK9CR, V31UO, J38FR and
others - it never failed. Of course I would be rather helplessly forlorn if
anything went wrong with my RTTY equipment but I always carry my Schurr keyer
with me and CW is always possible with it, a pencil and some sheets of paper.
I don't say that this is the most ultimate equipment one should take on
important DXpeditions but I think it shows, that it can be used.
But remember: this is the opinion of a rather unknown DXer and contester!!!
Your Views go here! email to n1rct@megalink.net
or post to the Digital-DX or WF1B reflectors
