When you are operating in a RTTY contest, please consider the following tips@
If you are calling CQ, then make your F1 macro something like this: CQ GU0SUP GU0SUP CQ (end with another CQ!). If you come across my call whilst tuning around, you can be sure that I am indeed calling CQ, and not responding to another station.
If you see me calling CQ, ONLY send your call! Twice, if conditions are great, three times if not. What I do NOT want to see is GU0SUP GU0SUP DE W1AW W1AW. If you do this, then there is a good chance I might miss your call, especially when QSB is around, or several stations are calling me. Only send your call!
When I send you a report, it will look like this: W1AW 599 001 001 001 W1AW. That way you can be sure the report was meant for W1AW and not someone else.
You would then send GU0SUP 599 100 100 100 W1AW so that I am sure I have the call right, and you heard me. Please do NOT send GU0SUP QSL UR 001 001 TU 599 599 100 100 100. I know what I sent you, and there is a chance I may not see the rest of your exchange, and then think you are sending me 001, and not 100 – again, especially when there are others trying to work me.
If I ask for a repeat (eg NR AGN? or NR? NR?) then DO NOT send your whole exchange! Create a macro that ONLY sends your serial number (or whatever the exchange is) and nothing else.
When the contact is complete, I would then send W1AW TU (CR/LF) GU0SUP CQ
At the every least, when operating in a contest, take a few minutes to watch and see how folk operate, and what their macros look like.
Thanks for reading this! I hope it helps….