ARRL RTTY Roundup Kicks Off 2009 Contest Year; AA5AU Bids For 15 Straight LP Titles

By Jamie Dupree NS3T  radio-sport.net 
Posted December 29, 2008

After another record setting year in RTTY contests, the 21st running of the ARRL RTTY Roundup again gets the honor of ringing in the New Year on the first weekend of January, as this year's conditions will again mean limited action on the high bands.

"I think conditions will be similar to the last Roundup," 2008 Low Power winner Don Hill AA5AU. "20 and 40 meters will be the money bands again."

Hill knows what he's talking about, as he has won the last fourteen low power titles. This year though he's hobbled by antenna troubles (see right.)

While lackluster propagation probably again means limited signals on 15 and 10 meters, one thing to remember about this contest in terms of strategy is that multipliers only count once and not once per band.

"Never tried 10 meters last year and not much has been happening on 10 meters in the last several RTTY contests," said Mike Sims K4GMH, who again expects to knock out a top single op score.

"It doesn't make sense to spend much time on 10M, as there probably won't be any rate there," said Dennis Egan W1UE, who had the top W/VE Single Op High Power score in 2008.

"Last year I worked 2 stations on 10M- both new SA mults at the time. If I need SA mults, I may tune 10M from time to time, but that would be it."

Indeed, as last year's band totals show, this will more than likely be a contest centered on 20 and 40 meters, with extra points going to those who can grind out some on 80 meters as well.

"Conditions as they are mean 80m will be very important and that is bad news for us as far south as we are," said Mike Hance K5NZ, whose multi-op team won the W/VE multi crown in 2008.

Like AA5AU, K5NZ is also dealing with storm damage, this from Hurricane Ike, which knocked out a 40 meter beam, something Hance was trying to get fixed over the Christmas break.

"I have to have the 40m yagi repaired to try and make hay on that band to make up for the Q's we will miss on 80," he told radio-sport.net

One big strategy decision in the ARRL RTTY Roundup is when to take your six hours of off time. With band conditions as depressed as they have been, it's never an easy choice.

"My off-time strategy is usually to take all six hours at one time, usually from around 0700-1300Z," said Hill AA5AU.

"This year I'll just play it by ear. If the rate stays about 100/hr, I'll won't take a break until it starts to fall."

Sims K4GMH likes to break his off time into two chunks. "

"Take a break around 0700Z for four hours and another two around 1800Z. Want to save operating time for the end as lot of activity on forty and eighty including new stations that didn't have a chance of operating on Saturday."

One more qualification about the RTTY Roundup off time is that the six hours cannot be broken up into more than two blocks.

"I will probably change some of my off times," said Egan W1UE after a review of his 2008 log.

"I don't know exactly how everything will work out. It will also depend on band conditions, and what mults may still be needed Sunday afternoon."