[CQ-Contest] Re: Signal Reports

[Alastair Beaton]

5NN? Please let's leave it as it is.

An RS(T) report is a fairly subjective assessment. Even the 'S' part, as
meters aren't calibrated the same. 'Rag chewing', you have _time_ to
consider these things, but not in a fast and furious contest where 'rate'
is so crucial. If rules changed such that you couldn't give constant 5NNs,
I'd either send 55N for all QSOs or use logging software modified so that
it generated a random selection of 5NN, 589 or 579. I'm sure most other
people would do this also - so there'd be nothing to gain from changing the
rules.

In a contest I rate the effectiveness of the station I'm using on the basis
of how fast and effectively it cracks pile-ups (and generates them) - not
on the basis of reports received. For really high-speed CW I NEED the 5NN
incoming as a 'flag' for the serial number.

So RS(T) in contests is meaningless, but we still need it. We'd lose the
'sporadic' QSOs from DXers looking for a card, as many awards need RS(T) on
the QSL card. I seem to remember (maybe some globetrotters or IARU types
can confirm/deny) that some countries have licensing/log-keeping
requirements which need a record of signal reports. It may even be the case
in the UK (I never read our regs in the hope I can plead ignorance when I
get a knock on the door).

73
Al, GM4BAP


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