In a message dated 11/4/2009 4:30:43 PM Greenwich Standard Time,
mstangelo@comcast.net writes:
Apparently, there is an unwritten rule to send 59 or 599 instead of
realistic reports. Besides being meaningless this is noise because it doesn't
convey any information.
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I am an industrial strength contester. Automatic 59905 has not always
been this way, and I still get an occasional 57905 and dutifully log it as
such. However, I don't think they log checkers even look at the RST anymore.
Agreed, the RST is pretty meaningless, but you have to know that if you
are running a 200+ hour you have a good signal, and if it took 15 minutes to
break a pileup on a 9Q5 your signal is not really 599. The automatic 599
increases the rates especially in CQWW where the zone is almost automatic
(unless you are running W/K)...and rate is what most contesters love.
It's pretty much the same for DXpeditions too, every one is 599. Although
not big DX I try to pass out real RSTs when running daily pileups. I
guess this is not always common practice since sometimes guys will ask for
"real RST" when I give a 599.
Bill KH7XS/K4XS
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160 meters is a serious band, it should be treated with respect. - TF4M
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