Seeing the comments on sending /QRP has raised again in my mind the need
for all contesters to avoid the unexpected.
Let me explain, After I finish sending CQ I expect to hear callsigns,
prefixes followed by suffixes. When I call someone I expect to hear a
report followed by exchange information. For the smoothest flow of
information the expected in the right place is best. That is why most
military/commercial signals ops follow very precise patterns.
Now as a contest op I expect the unexpected, and allow for it, but I can
operate the quickest and waste the least amount of your time if you send
to expectations.
Some examples which create the unexpected are /m, /qrp,/interim Ag. etc.
the stroke means I must assume something important may follow as it
may be a country indicator as in VK5GN/VK9L.
I find it amazing, one of the peculiarities of nature, that when a
station sends /QRP that bit comes through readable 5 every time whereas
the actual call is always garbled. Not being a QRPer myself I've often
wondered if they have an amp that just cuts in for the /QRP bit of the
transmission.?
If it is important to you I log it. However it does take a little
longer.
Yes, smarty, only a few seconds, but what is a few seconds in a contest.
Say out of 2000 Q's 50 increase my time by a few seconds each, a total
of 50 X 3=150; call it 2minutes. In a run I can easily achieve 2 or 3 a
minute so this is 4Q's I have missed. At 3 points each that is 12points.
times a multiplier of say 150 = 1800 points! Those few seconds ARE
significant. Try the calculation again for a really good op doing 4 or
more per minute and a bigger multiplier total. Of course it also wasted
your time by the same amount.
The unexpected is also contained in using funny phonetics - unless you
are around long enough for it to become a trade mark like Blooming
Zipper Flipper!
On CW I find "ur 599 599 ID ID bk" distracting I like "599ID 599 ID BK"
or even better just send it once and I'll let you know if I need a
repeat. Speed is another issue, if calling at 30wpm someone coming back
at 50wpm is unexpected and will slow up the contact. Anything below 35
is expected. It has been pointed out to me that in CW I have a bad habit
that causes the unexpected. I mainly operate on the keyboard but my
paddles are connected to a seperate keyer. The speed of the keyer and
the computer are often different. If I start on the computer then revert
to the paddle the receiving station gets an unexpected speed shift.
Especially bad if I am using the paddle to ask a question or get a fill.
I'm not posting this to say that this is the way everyone MUST operate a
contest.
What I am saying is that every good contest op develops the skill to
know what is expected by the station he is working at the time. Watching
the very good operate on both phone and CW the skill they all exhibit is
an ability to communicate quickly and accurately without any waste of
effort.
Part of that is sending so that the receiver doesn't need to expect the
unexpected.
Martin
VK5GN
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