Rtty native mode

iz7auh

Good morning, I am a passionate Flex with the beginning, I owned the flex in 1000, 3000, 1500, 5000 and now 6500 I hoped that, with the advent of the 6000 Series engineers FlexRadio implement natively rtty mode, without having to worry about making mental arithmetic to find the right frequency, but instead nothing yet ... I wonder why this limitation yet. thanks I look forward ...

Peter K1PGV

There's a thread that's been discussing just this topic for the past few weeks:
https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/why_isnt_there_a_dedicated_rtty_mode

Peter
K1PGV

Duane_AC5AA

You are not the first to mention this missing item. There has been an ongoing conversation here:  https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/why_isnt_there_a_dedicated_rtty_mode 

I0JBL - Luc

Hi Frank,

I agree with your request for a dedicated  RTTY mode because of the operational benefits that are not in doubt and I am frankly amazed that there are hams who are surprised by this request.

On the mean time there are right all those who say that the same result can be achieved in a hundred thousand different ways, with two, three or four programs running simultaneously.

Me, like you,  we have followed the evolution of Flex through previous models and waiting for a "radio" that had less need for an external PC or could be regardless of the PC performance.

It is quite evident that it is not the reality and will not know how long we must wait, also considering the fact that not all of us have a high skill in the IT world that is still decisive for a product like this.

From the operating point of view 6K still has a long way to achieving the basic operations that you can get today from a conventional radio that costs $ 1,000 and up.

Good DX

Luc, I0JBL

 

I read the discussion on the other 3d but I don’t think that could be interested in my thoughts. Every religion has its own rules and is up to us decide to follow them or not. 

ctate243

FSK support..  decent rtty filter without major adjustment..  basic functionality.  really should be on the TOP priority feature list from flex.  This along with a number of other basics should really be considered.  I know a lot of clock cycles are being dedicated to the remote operation and to add FM/repeater capabilities of the rig..  because it was on the published "roadmap" but the basics should be top on the list or at least be being deployed aggressively in tandem.  basic mode control like FSK, effective noise blanking.. This stuff is right now the Achilles heel of the platform and will make or break the "greatness" of the 6000 series.  There is a lot of potential here.  I could see this rig ending up in contest environments and more.. the Flex is truly developing to an appealing product but covering the basic HF modes and most common operations must be implemented prior to that happening and will enhance the support of the community.. selling more rigs..  resulting in more and more software support and less short cuts......

in short.. totally agree..  and a few more of my 2 cents along the way.

~C./N6WM

iz7auh

Thank you for your answers, but the problem that I do not see a proper stance in this regard by the technical staff FlexRadio, is it true you are thinking about advanced technologies of operation but then missing the most important feature in my giuduzio as RTTY native! Really hope that the staff of FlexRadio consider our "supplications" and incorporate this opportunity as early as next release, wait again so I do not think it's fair, domostrerebbe not to be close to the needs of those who believed in them and invested many dollars / euro when then there soono rtx that with a few thousand dollars do more.

Ken - NM9P

My Workaround for RTTY, enabling click-tune, proper RX & TX filters on RIT/XIT for proper placement of TX frequency when running split, etc.....

Running RTTY in DigiL mode.
The "Sweet Spot" for DigiL is 1500.  This means the center frequency of the RX filter is 1500.  So take advantage of it.

Set RIT and XIT ON and adjust to 1415 Hz.  This becomes your "standard frequency.

In FlDigi, go to Configure>Misc>Sweet Spot and enter 1500 for RTTY and PSK  (Take this time to set the CW sweet spot to your usual CW offset while you are at it.)  Save and Close the config menu.  You will need to do something similar with other Digi programs, or manually set their Mark & Space frequencies, centered on 1500  ( =/- one-half of the shift of 170 Hz).

In Smart SDR, set up TX Profile named "RTTY," using DigiL and program the CW offset Pitch at 1415 Hz.
Set the TX bandwidth to LowCut of 1350 and HighCut of 1650.  This will match a 300 Hz RX filter exactly when Zero beat to TX frequency.
Save and activate the RTTY profile.

Now when operating RTTY... Select mode DigiL, Select the RTTY TX profile and choose a 300 Hz RX filter.

You can click-tune on the Righ hand (Mark) peak of a signal on the SmartSDR panadapter and your rig will tune right to him.  Set the default FlDigi panadapter spot as 1500 and everything will line up perfectly.

Now tune across the band.  If you center a signal in the RX filter, you will be perfectly in tune.
If you need to go split, tune the XIT off to the location you need it.  The Red TX filter stripe will show on the SmartSDR Panadapter exactly where your signal will be.  

Bonus, there is a thin red dotted line about 1/5 of the way in from the right of the Blue RX filter stripe.  This aligns up exactly with the RTTY Mark (Right Hand) signal making it easy to tune.

Remember when you want to "zero" the XIT or RIT, you will need to "zero" it to 1415 instead of exactly zero.
Tuning is handier with the FlexControl Knob.  You can program the Aux buttons to activate XIT or RIT and use this as a quick "Split" control...  You can go UP about 3.5 KHz and Down about 6.5 Khz with things set up this way.  

I hunted W1AW/p on RTTY this way and it made busting the split pileups a lot easier than anything else I tried.  I could lay my RTTY signal right on top of the last station, or find a "hole" and lay it right in between two other stations.  It helped me receive a posting of 4th in the state of Indiana (with 100 watts and Vertical & Dipole antennas).  So I can't complain much!

It is a bit complicated to set up at first, but at least you don't need to do all the math calculations for the offsets! Once you get the hang of it, it is pretty quick to set up.

At least this will work until FRS or a third party programs native RTTY offsets into SmartSDR.
I would love to see a setup panel for RTTY just like for CW that gives us the option of selecting RTTY offset or Sweet Spot where the RTTY signal TX & RX are right on the lines with a RIT/XIT offset of Zero.
I would also like to see a double-peak RTTY filter implemented.  Now THAT would be awesome.
Perhaps in V. 1.51, V.1.6 or even V.2.0?

Good Luck.

Ken - NM9P

k3Tim

If a  true RTTY mode is developed it should include a 170 V-DC loop like the old Hal ST-6 RTTY Demodulator.

http://www.rtty.com/development/tu/st-6/st-6.htm

On second thought....   Never mind....

Looking at that ST-6 brought back memories of my drooling / wanting one but crazy price for teenager.  Lot's of parts in box for the feature set.  Flex + PC + FlDigi will **** it away.

Bill W2PKY

Could a TNF be used to create the double-peak filter?

Ken - NM9P

I've done that with some positive effect.

ctate243

Ken this seems like the best workaround for now in regards to the flex point and click display, and I am implementing the same with N1MM/MMTTY and it seems to work there as well and the spot clicks seem to be close if not spot on also.  the XIT keeps spontaneously clearing and that could be risky and is a bit bothersome.. but I may be hitting something to get it to do that.

  Bottom line is that a native RTTY filter would be ldeal..  A native rtty and FSK support would be stellar (even if a keying cable need be constructed..  have to do that for other rigs as well).  basic support for the 3 major HF modes. 

Bottom line.. good temporary workaround..  probably great for chasing DX and may work in a contest as well.  Good stuff.  Thank you sir! Now its up to FRS.

Rick Hadley - W0FG

Wow, does that bring back memories.  I had a beautiful ST-6/UT-4 combo built into a Collins power supply cabinet that matched my S-Line back in the day, along with a shack full of Model 28 stuff.  I do miss the smell of hot oil....

KY6LA_Howard

What they really need to do to have true Legacy with a 20 MA current loop and a Model 19 Teletype interface... nothing like the clatter of keys, the smell of ozone and the smell of burning oil to bring back the good old RTTY feeling of my first RTTY contacts...

Norm - W7CK

Wow, that does bring back memories.  I had a model 28 teletype that I purchased from ALASCOM in Juneau, Alaska back in the early 80s.  It was in perfect condition.  I ended up building a TNC (modem) for it and ran several RTTY contests.  Wow, the smell of the machinery oil, clatter of the keys, the paper tapes hanging on the wall and watching the print mechanism through the glass window above the keyboard are all great memories.  Thanks folks!

Norm - W7CK