On Fri, Jan 30, 2004 at 11:19:01PM -0800, James Neiger wrote:
>
> Secrets of Contesting, Chapter 14
...
> 3. Never, ever, call a station unless you know 100% his callsign. Ever.
> (please see 1. and 2., above). It's truly amazing to me HOW MANY call
> without a clue. Is this sound operating? I think not. Yes, the DX station
> has the ultimate responsibility to identify on a regular basis. In that
> there are no defined standards, I can well appreciate that some
> 'ambiguities' might exist. However, I believe that unless YOUR rate is 200+
> per hour, it is your responsibility to harken to the DX station's operating
> procedure. Please, if you don't like it, don't call. Simple.
I totally disagree with this.
Many DX stations arrogantly feel that they can make _many_ QSOs in a
row without giving out their callsign. A lot of them, I am sure, are
relying upon the packet network to inform the W/VE stations of their
callsign. But, whether it's laziness or arrogance, or both, the problem
for the serious W/VE contester is the same. When a W/VE contester
tunes across a DX station that is not giving out a callsign, the W/VE
can either wait (for who knows how long) or call the DX station and
ask for the callsign if they get through. Waiting is NEVER the right
decision for the W/VE station that wants to make as many QSOs as possible.
To call and ask for a callsign if you get through is ALWAYS going to
be faster for the W/VE station.
DX stations that refuse to sign frequently enough are gambling. They are
gambling that their time is more valuable to them than the W/VE stations'
time is valuable to the W/VE stations. This may even be true for the vast
majority of W/VE stations that the DX works. Nevertheless, DX stations who
sign infrequently should not be upset when their gamble fails once in
a while, and a W/VE station calls and asks for a callsign. If the DX
station is not willing to put up with that, they should not complain
to everyone on the planet that the W/VE station is "clueless" or
"irresponsible." They should instead learn to sign more frequently.
Simple.
--
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Kenneth E. Harker "Vox Clamantis in Deserto" kharker@cs.utexas.edu
University of Texas at Austin Amateur Radio Callsign: WM5R
Department of the Computer Sciences Central Texas DX & Contest Club
Taylor Hall TAY 2.124 Maintainer of Linux on Laptops
Austin, TX 78712-1188 USA http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/kharker/
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