After spending 12 nights-in-a-row straining to hear and
assemble thousands of weak calls, I would cautiously agree
with Herb: if the DX clearly has the prefix, just send the
missing letters.
Maybe it is mental, maybe something else, but time and
again I heard clearly (almost loud) the caller's prefix
and number, just to experience the rest kind of fizzle
into something weak and incoherent ... This happened so
many times that I was ready for it, focusing only on the
suffix, and still many times I could not copy it, while
the prefix came through (almost) loud and clear. It must
be that you can "hear" what you know or expect, while it
is much harder to hear and decode something random. But
that does not explain the whole thing. How does one get
the prefix so many times correctly when the suffix just
fizzles into nothing. I have checked with the other
operators on PT0S and they had similar experiences.
Perhaps there is some hearing mechanism at work, similar
to vision; where acuity diminishes with usage...
73,
George
On Tue, 04 Dec 2012 17:54:26 -0400
Herb Schoenbohm <herbs@vitelcom.net> wrote:
Doung, So many times I just hear the prefix and the
suffix drops out or is covered by noise. It maybe a
mental thing as I have no other explanation where the
prefix comes through time and time but the suffix is
lost. Since I know what the correct suffix is, sending
only the missing information make so much sense and saves
valuable time. In such cases sending only the missing
data is what I would recommend for stations struggling to
get in the log as the prefix is already confirmed to both
of the stations. So many times DX-peditions will not get
my call correctly and butcher a portion of it...like
"KV4Z ur 5NN" to which I immediately reply "FZ...FZ...FZ
KV4FZ K" This procedure works every time especially
layers deep in piles up.
Thanks for your remarks,
Herb, KV4FZ
On 12/4/2012 9:51 AM, Doug Renwick wrote:
When a cw station asks for a fill I send my COMPLETE
callsign. Why?
a) My memory keyer or logging program has my full
callsign, no partial
callsign. I don't use the hand keyer just in case I
have 'dead' fingers and
make a mistake.
b) It allows the other station to focus on my signal
when other stations are
calling at the same time near or on my frequency.
c) It makes sure that the correct suffix is added to the
prefix.
d) It confirms my prefix if part of it is copied
incorrectly.
Patience is needed when ones signal is subject to 160m
QSB. Sri Herb, I
fully disagree.
Doug
-----Original Message-----
I worked a whole bunch of Europeans in the 160 meter
contest along with
UA9's and even 4Z1UF who had a good signal. My pet peeve
is that when I
hear only a weaker stations prefix but miss the suffix
and ask for a
repeat and request for example "HB9 ? AGN" all I hear
is the prefix
before the suffix is in the noise. The station knows i
have the correct
prefix and number but how do I get them just to send the
missing portion
which is crucial to completing the QSO? Even if I send
HB9??? they
return with de HB9### and the process repeats. If in
such circumstances
once the calling station realizes I have the correct
prefix all they
need do is send the two or three letters of the suffix
several times.
Resending the prefix is not helpful in high noise or qrm
situation. I
have tried SFX? SFX? but many stations are confused by
that and keep
sending their whole call. So here is my advice in just
difficult
circumstance:
Do *not* repeat your whole call if the other station has
the correct
prefix and all they need is the remaining portion. I
just wish more
stations on TB would do this as it would enable them
getting in the log
correctly and save time. Time length of an opening to
some parts of the
world is everything in a crowded contest. Why waste it?
73,
Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ
_______________________________________________
Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
_______________________________________________
Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
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Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
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