[CQ-Contest] Expect the unexpected but....?

[Martin Luther]

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 good 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 to create the unexpected are /m, /qrp,/interim Ag. etc.
the stroke means I must NOT assume nothing important follows as it may
be a country indicator as in VK5GN/VK9L. However, if it is important to
you I log it. It does, however 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 50X3=150; call it 2minutes. In a run Ican 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. 

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.

I'm not posting this to be say this is the way everyone MUST operate a
contest. What I am saying is that every good contest op deveops the
skill to know what is expected by the station he is 


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