QTT
Quality True Telegraphy
QTT

Guide to Quality Telegraphy Time

An objective of CW aficionados is the satisfaction of spending quality time with radiotelegraphy. We call this “Quality Telegraphy Time” and those who engage in it might be called “Quality True Telegraphists” and might be aiming to revive and keep alive Quality True Telegraphy.

Let us be clear here: the QTT is irrespective of speed, sending method or style, and many newcomers still building up their skills are considered QTT. Honing the skills of correct operating procedures, honest reports, patience and an unhurried satisfactory exchange of much more than a “5NN TU” are the hallmarks of the Quality True Telegraphist.

This page is an up-to-date current Guide to increasing the chances of Quality Telegraphy Time given that there are many obstacles: local man-made noise, over-the-horizon radars (OTHR), distractions and obstacles such as restrictions on antennae, unrestricted DX Pedo split operations and Con Tests (as opposed to the original real contests in the pre-computer era), lack of on-air QTT activities and often a feeling that CW is on the way out or QTT operators are now too few.

Although many QTT have died in recent years, there are also many youngsters coming into CW and aiming for QTT. Although they have so many technological aids, they are in a worse situation than those who learned QTT in the past, since they are bombarded by conflicting and often incorrect information and they lack Elmers and support networks.

We aim to change all this and this Guide to Quality Telegraphy Time will assist you!

Operating Conditions

An important consideration to begin with is your actual operating conditions. Please take a look at the following areas and make an effort to improve whatever you can:

  • Operating position. Is it comfortable enough? Invest in your chair being comfortable for sitting an extended period of time. Is your operating position (table) uncluttered, with space for a paper log book (or pages) or message writing space directly in front of you? Radios behind this area with all controls within easy reach? A stable large enough table? Cables organized better so they don’t come unstuck or cause problems? Telegraphy keys all in comfortable positions for optimum operating without fatigue or difficulties?
  • Operating time. Can you make some agreed operating time when you can unwind in the radio shack? Can you organize your day a little better so that there is some regular radio time? Can you introduce more flexibility so that when there is an unexpected free time you can easily access your operating area? The more different times of day or night you can operate, the better, the more flexibility you have, the better, but certainly any time is better than none.
  • Operating Equipment. You should aim to not only have one operational radio, but two. What if one breaks down, are you in a position to have it serviced quickly? Likewise, you should have as many ANTennae as possible, if one breaks there is another option. These can be anything from simple dipoles, elevated Ground Plane (GP) with one or more radials, magnetic loop, shortened vertical with loading coil, doublet dipole or double zepp, end fed long wire, right up to towers, beams, quads. Every QTH needs at least one or more ANT.

Operating Aims

Consider what you are aiming for: it should be increased QTT both in terms of quality time without frustration of finding the bands empty or calling CQ without results, which we’ll show in this Guide how to maximize your chances of QTT but also you might want to aim for learning new CW skills.

For example, the basic starting point should be the ability to comfortably and enjoyably conduct a Standard QSO. This allows you to have a regular satisfying format for communication with QTT all over the world without speaking any common language. See also abbreviations on this page.

Firstly, “rag chew” is not something that should be the aim of everyone: both partners in a rag chew need not only sufficient time to enjoy a half hour (or even six hour long!) chat but also to speak the same language, and typically to already be friends. Otherwise it is hard to find what you can talk about or to enjoy talking about nothing, anything, or everything. Rag chew typically comes when you have already built up a QTT friendship.

Once you have mastered the art of the basic QSO there are plenty of other areas that you can improve your skills. Let us make a list of a few of them:

  • Using another type of key. Everyone should be able to use a straight key which is best for slow speeds. Using an electronic keyer at slow speeds is cumbersome. An often missed and truly wonderful method of keying once it has been mastered, is the side-swiper. Those who haven’t tried bugs might also miss out on countless Quality Telegraphy Time stuck with only the straight key or electronic keyer. Versatility in your keying methods is something that can be aimed for, and you can connect all these different keys in parallel to your radio.
  • CW NET participation. There are many types of CW NET from simple checking and checking out nets, to roundtable nets where each takes a turn (not suited for large participation), to so-called “traffic nets” where formal QTC are exchanged as training, and other nets that are flexible and provide a number of options for participants. Look for any CW net and have a listen for the first few times to get a feel for it, then check in and participate according to its procedures. This is an important skill to have.
  • Participate in various activities that also teach you new skills in operating. We do not count the simple “callsign 5NN TU” type “Con Tests” and “DX Pedos” in this. QTT activities is an area that we are developing and expanding to give more options from new CW NETs to new activities such as QUA and more. The best way to stay informed of all these are to join the QTT Mailing List and Important Announcements List here but also to join any or all of the Email Discussion Lists of interest to you, and also the anonymous QTT Reflector.

Operating Strategies

To maximize your chances of QTT you can use the following strategies:

Here we give some examples of how to maximize your success at getting QTT with a possible operational flow:

  1. Have a listen on any of the bands of interest. Although you might usually work on lower bands such as 40m, remember 30m is open throughout the day and night as well as throughout the solar cycle, and the higher bands are open when you think they’re closed simply as there is no CW activity taking place. But there is! 24 hours a day all year round since the 1980s, there are 18 beacons transmitting every 10 seconds in a 3 minute cycle. By making use of QSX Calling Frequencies you can notice them 1kHz lower. So take a listen first for 3 minutes on 10, 12, 15, 17 or 20m on one of the IBP Frequencies!
  2. Listen for any other CQ calls especially on the QSX Frequencies or within the TOP9 part of the CW Band. Resist the temptation to answer calls that typically result in “5NN TU” lower in the bands, and certainly resist temptation to call CQ in the typical 20-28kHz mid range. Instead, first, encourage QTT activity by listening for calls in the TOP5 or TOP9.
  3. If you haven’t heard any CQ after the above, check a clear frequency within the TOP5 by listening and asking “QRT?” or “QRL?” or “QSY?” and make a note of that frequency, then put out up to 3 CQ calls on one or more of the QSX Calling Frequencies and either add “QSY (frequency)” that you made a prior note of, or, wait for a reply first, then give QSY.
  4. If you still have not achieved any results, you have several options according to your preferences:

    – Change band and repeat the above flow or similar
    – Put out more calls on either QSX Calling Frequency and/or in the TOP9 or TOP5
    – If bored, rather than close down, get busy in the shack with soldering, emails, or other work while keeping the rig on one of the QSX Calling Frequencies, perhaps even with the squelch.

Remember that almost never are “conditions bad” — this is usually a false judgment people give when they don’t hear many signals or have a poor result in one direction. The constant whining of FT8 computers lamenting the absence of the operator and more importantly the IBP Beacons which are adjacent to the QSX Frequencies (so that in fact both can be monitored at the same time in wide CW or SSB filter) will show with just 3 minutes of listening, whether the band is truly dead or not.

QTT Action

  1. Keep a watch on no5nn.org for up to date QTT activities and other interesting information in blog posts and pages of the website.
  2. Place one of the QTT banners on your page (e.g. QRZ page) to promote QTT.
  3. Share info during QSO about QTT e.g. send: “see www.no5nn.org” or “www.no5nn.org/qtt” or share info about the QSX Frequencies with “see www.no5nn.org/qsx”
  4. Stay up to date with announcement of new QTT Activities developments by joining the Email Announcement List(s) and ideally joining in Email Discussions.
  5. Be as active as possible, especially during the daily QTT Hour, calling and monitoring on QSX Frequencies, making use of QUA to share updates on your QSO activities, and being active within TOP9 at least and especially in the TOP5.