[CQ-Contest] Re: QDC- What's ur damn call?

[John Downing]

>(a) because he believes everyone knows it...
>(b) so he can speed up his run rate by shortening up his default
>exchange

I'd like to add (c) to thin out the pileup.

When the sunspots are plentiful and the pileups huge (kinda sounds like white
noise with the S-meter far to the right!) at the DX end of things the Q-rate goes
right in the dumper.  During a contest working split on 10,15, or 20 is obviously
impractical.  Working stations by zones, etc. makes everyone crazy and takes 
too long.  I try to pick out individual letters, numbers, phonetics - sometimes only
a single letter can be heard - and sometimes I just make something up like 
"the six?" or "the station ending in oscar", etc.  All the while trying to "train" the 
pile-up participants to give their call only once by quickly coming back into the
face of the pile-up.  One thing that works for a while at least is not signing your
(DX) call for a few QSOs (I don't believe that I've ever gone 25........).  Additions
to the pile-up slow down, thining the ranks and improving everyone's rate.   When
the "What's your call?" queries start I always sign with my call.  Despite the occasional
use of this rather controversial technique (and only when the pile-up becomes 
unmanageable) I've not noticed much change in DUPES.  Seems some folks
keep logs and some don't.  Normally, of course, we at the Cuba Libre Contest Club
always give our call each and every QSO: VeethreeonedeeX, next?

best,

John W2NA / V31DX

the Cuba Libre Contest Club



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