The born of a new morse code Union “QTT” or “Qualified True Telegraphist”

QTT means no machines and no computers but Human morse code…

Following review by OM Louis SZONDY – VK5EEE

To encourage and increase human CW contacts in quality and duration the QTT idea was developed. In this context of human CW, QTT means many things: Quality Telegraphy Time, Qualified True Telegraphist, “The identification that follows is superimposed upon the current transmission”, and a fun one-hour event which takes places 24 times each month for a total of 24 hours.

With the aim of increasing contacts and friendships between former professional CW operators of any profession, whether maritime or other, as well as between and among the many CW clubs all over the world, “QTT Hour” was developed as an activity inspired in part by the annual MRD event.

During QSO you send a former CW professional call sign that you operated in the past, or a CW Club that you belong to along with membership number. Thus QTT Hour participation is open to all who are either former professional CW operators, and/or those are currently a member of a CW Club, union or group. For example: QTT IAR, QTT INORC3579, QTT FISTS1124 etc.

This exchange during QSO often brings friendships and longer QSO because two radio amateur CW operators who were not aware they shared a profession, or of their membership of a CW club, thus become aware of this. CW clubs worldwide are freely promoted by their members showing off their membership numbers, and this in turn supports CW associations growth.

Although a QTT exchange can occur during any QSO at any time, there is special encouragement to take place in “QTT Hour” with optional sending of logs after the 24th of each month, with total minutes duration of all QTT QSO during QTT Hour counting for monthly total.

In future prizes may be offered for top minutes, for now it is your chance to fame on vkcw.net/qtt-hour page. The actual QTT Hour is easily remembered and determined by the date in UTC. So on the 1st of the month, QTT Hour takes place at 0100Z. On the second at 0200Z, etc, until the 24th when it takes place at 0000Z. Therefore each day until the 23rd, QTT Hour occurs one hour later, but the 23rd 2300Z and 24th 0000Z give a two-hour opportunity to increase your final monthly total.

To make it easy to find each other in QTT Hour, the centre-of-activity frequency will be the same number of kHz from lower band edge, e.g. on 17th of the month at 1700Z on 1817, 3517, 7017, 10117 etc, all bands are allowed as this is not a contest with longer QSO offer more minutes totals. If a contest or DX activation is causing QRM there are alternatives, see vkcw.net/qtt-hour The only information that must be submitted for monthly total if wishing to be listed in the total score each month, is callsigns, QTT exchanges, start and end time of each QTT QSO, total minutes of each QSO (but only those minutes within the designated QTT Hours qualify toward the total score).

Honest reports are exchanged but not included in log submissions. See the web page for details and example of required log format, and be sure to check this page each month as it is possible the rules will change or be modified as this new activity becomes more popular.

Several former Maritime Radio Officers are already taking part in QTT Hour and QTT activities and translation and sharing of the information about QTT Hour is encouraged. Please send your feedback and experiences via the contact form at www.vkcw.net and encourage your CW Club to link to the QTT Hour information page and encourage members to participate in the only world-wide CW cross-club event of its kind, which benefits each CW club the more its members participate as many are looking for CW Clubs to join so they can participate in QTT Hour.

As a special benefit only to former professional CW Operators no club memberships are required to participate. For all others who have not operated a professional CW callsign in the past, a current membership of a CW club is required in order to be able to pass QTT information and qualify for the monthly QTT Hour totals. This in turn will increase membership sign ups for clubs. Use of the new “77” greeting is encouraged, meaning in any language: “Long Live CW, wishing you many happy CW QSO” at the end of QTT QSO.

Remember QTT takes place whenever a Quality Telegraphy QSO takes place without decoders, and stale “5NN TU” exchange. The activity encourages increased CW usage of the bottom 25kHz of our bands, which are being encroached upon. As an alternative during times of QRM, the top kHz of any band can be used as CW is allowed throughout HF amateur bands. Qualifying minutes however are available only during QTT Hour.

About QTT Hour: http://www.vkcw.net/qtt-hour

QTT Frequencies: http://www.vkcw.net/qtt-table

Sample QTT Log: http://www.vkcw.net/local–files/qtt-hour/201604VK5EEE.txt

Feedback and submissions: http://www.vkcw.net/contact

This is an excellent opportunity for Qualified True Telegraphists to engage in Quality Telegraphy Time and find each other at least every month at a convenient time and propagation, with changing centre of activity frequency each UTC day, thus giving a chance to participate no matter which part of the world you are in. We hope to see you whether in or outside QTT Hours!

    On this website QTT Union will be followed and supported to fight against the use of any type

of Morse ROBOTS!!