Example Function Keys

Below some example function keys for some CW and RTTY contests.

Note 1: There may not be any 'holes' in the function keys lines with skipped function keys.  ALL preceding Function keys must at least have a line in the table. Example: You'd like to have a different S&P F3 key than the Run F3 key. First you have to add the 12 Run lines in the table, after that the S&P lines for F1 + F2 +F3 which you liked to change for S&P. So at least 15 lines in total have to be in the function key table (12 run + 3 S&P).

Note 2: The text F1 (etc.) in the left column is only text and has no intelligence/meaning for the program. You could remove it and change it to any text you like, which will show on the Function key in the Entry window. The order of lines determines what the key will do. Examples:  line 5 is Run F5 , line 11 is Run F11, line 17 is S&P F5 (17-12=5) etc.

SSB

The .wav files can be anywhere on your computer as long as the filename in the FKey setup includes the path.  If in the wav folder, than it should read wav\[filename].  If in another, for example ARRL DX, it would read arrldx\[filename].

WPX SSB example by Pete N4ZR

Here is an excerpt from my macro list that I used in WPX SSB with ESM.

Message Notes
Note that I was voicing both serial numbers and the other station's callsign. Note also that I used a brief pause.wav file (finite length but no sound) to get a pause between his call and the serial number.  There are no doubt other syntaxes that work, but I know this does, with no spaces, commas or other punctuation in the part on the right.

CW

CW program default

Below the default function keys as setup in the program. The F3 up to F12 keys under S&P are not filled which means the F3 up to F12 from Run will be used.

Sprint CW examples

Example 1

This Functionkey set is based on a set posted by Kenny, K2KW.

Running Message Notes

• For F2, there is a space before the *; E.G. "<space> * {EXCH}"
• For F3, "EE" is there to confirm the QSO. You could easily use "TU".
• After the "EE" is sent on the F3 message, the {S&P} macro puts you into the S&P mode. Then just hit your UP/DOWN arrow to QSY.
• Personally I have F6 programmed as {EXCH} to send a repeat on the exchange

S&P Message Notes

• Note the difference in the sequence for the F2 message compared to the Running F2 message
• For the F3 message, the {RUN} macro puts you in the running mode, ready to work a tail ender and send him the correct QSO sequence
• Personally I have F6 programmed as {EXCH} to send a repeat on the exchange

Example 2

This Functionkey set is based on a set posted by Pete, N4ZR.

Note two things about this set:

1. The {RUN} macro is in S&P F2, not F3. This worked great for me - when I pressed Enter to send the S&P exchange, the exchange was sent, the QSO was logged, and the mode changed to {RUN} with the cursor in the call sign box. Therefore I did not have to press F3 to get from S&P to Run. The main problem with this is that if anyone asks for a repeat of the serial number, the Run keys are already active, so you have to either remember how to get the serial number from the S&P set (Shift+F3), or else just use the paddle, which is what I did.

2. There is no {S&P} macro in this set. At the end of a Run QSO, you switch to S&P mode by just QSYing. This also worked OK for me; since you are going to have to QSY anyway, there seems to be no real need to force a change to S&P mode. I also had the "QSYing wipes the call & spots QSO in bandmap" option selected, which may have helped ensure that the cursor was in the right place after QSYing by wiping the entry window. Of course I did not actually have the band map open, and I just ignored any call signs that showed up in the frame in the entry window.

It would be a nice touch if the final Enter in Run mode would not only log the QSO, send the acknowledgment (E E or R) and switch to S&P, but also QSY the radio by 1.5 kHz; but as far as I am aware there is no {QSY:+1.5} macro to do this. I think you have to either turn the radio dial or press the up/down arrow or PgUp/PgDn key (depending on what increments you have these keys set for). I just turned the dial. Next time, if I remember, I will set PgUp and PgDn to 1.5 kHz and try to use them more.

73, Rich VE3IAY

Example 3

This Functionkey set is an example how to use the Single Operator Cal Stacking macros in CW. Posted by John, K3CT. 

DX4Win uses F12 for Wipe so I use the same key for casual operating and contesting.
Colored stickers with a message on the key tops helps me find the important keys.

RTTY

General RTTY contests

The way the keys below are designed, they will work in many RTTY contests without any changes. Whether these particular ones suit your situation will depend on your antennas, your power, QTH, etc.; but maybe these will give you some ideas to work with.

When using the above keys it is assumed that ESM is on. The Run mode keys F5, F6 and F7 are not very useful when you are S&Ping, this is why I put those keys to better use by programming them different from the Run mode keys.
Note also that you can use up to 24 additional buttons (mouse only, no keyboard access) on the digital interface window. For example, you can set up 0x1, 0x2, 0x3 and 0x4 calls, single, double and triple exchanges, separate requests for his zone and state and repeats for your zone only and for your state only, and so on.

Another RTTY example for a contest where the time is part of the exchange (like ANARTS).

73, Rich VE3IAY

Example WPX RTTY

Here is a freely "translated" set from the AA5AU's messages at http://www.rttycontesting.com/rttymessages.htm The examples mentioned are for a different contesting program. For those who are not familiar with the macro commands in that program, here is a freely "translated" set for N1MM's Entry window buttons using ESM, for contests with exchanges similar to WPX RTTY. These are based on AA5AU's suggestions but with a couple of twists of my own. Those of you who have been using N1MM in RTTY contests for a while will already have messages set up that suit you better, but for anyone starting out in RTTY maybe this will help get you going:

For other contests and wherever they are different from WPX, making the corresponding changes. You can save each different set of messages in a separate file and load the desired set before the contest - the set above is my WPX_RTTY.mc file.

I made a distinction between the exchange you use while running and the one you use S&Ping. N1MM does, and I have taken advantage of this.

Running, AA5AU's (F3) exchange becomes my F5 + F2. If you are not using ESM, or even if you are but you want to program a similar exchange message in the Digital Interface window buttons, combine my F5 and F2 into a single message. I have taken the liberty of adding the ! at the end. AA5AU does this in his (F8) tail-ender exchange, but not in his dual-purpose (F3) exchange message.

S&Ping, you do not need the other guy's call sign in the exchange, so in the S&P F2 I have replaced it with a third copy of the serial number. AA5AU suggests adding DE * for the S&P exchange, and I have taken the additional liberty in my example of putting this at the beginning instead of the end - sometimes one is better, sometimes the other, so use what you are most comfortable with.

AA5AU has two different requests for repeats, one for the call sign (F6) and one for the exchange (F10). I have combined these into a single purpose "Agn" message in F8, mainly because in Run mode the number of free Entry window buttons is limited. If you have "Work dupes" selected, you don't need a B4 message and you could use F6 for this. In the Digital Interface window, you have lots of room and you can easily program separate buttons for all sorts of things.

AA5AU's set has a tail-end message, (F8). I would put this in a Digital Interface button, where it would look something like:
{TX}{ENTERLF} {LASTCALL} QSL TU NOW ! 599 {EXCH} {EXCH} ! BK{RX}
This assumes you have already logged the last QSO - if not, maybe the message should start out with {LOG}. You might also experiment with using {GRAB} in place of the first ! . Warning: I have not tried this out yet, and "correct" behavior is not guaranteed. This is an area where experimentation may pay off.

When S&Ping, I like to have lots of different choices for calling the CQer, so in addition to putting AA5AU's (F5) in F4 (S&P) and his (F7) in F4 (Run) and F6 (S&P), I have added a 1x1 call in F5 (S&P). You may have better uses for these keys; you should change them to suit your preferences.

73, Rich VE3IAY

Example RTTY Sprint

73, Rich VE3IAY