[CQ-Contest] Partial Calls

[vk3ajj]

Hello Reflectees,

I have two separate trains of thought on this matter.

First - I would prefer people calling me in a contest or pile-up to use
full calls as undoubtedly my rate improves.

Second - It is undoubted that using two letters can (and often does) crack
a pile where a full call will not. I am not 100% sure why this is so??
Often I use just "VK". This short TX strategically placed in the midst of a
pile (combined with my Australian accent) can do wonders. No matter what
the purists advocate I will not stop using a technique which I know to work.

How can the practice be stamped out. It is my view that it is always the dx
station (the one being called) that determines how a pile-up will behave.
In my view it is good pile-up control procedure to alternate between taking
a strong signal and then picking a weak signal (it also improves rate as
often the weak signals will give up after a half dozen calls whereas a
strong signal rarely gives up - I think this is a confidence issue - a
strong signal is probably hearing you 5x9 and it almost becomes a matter of
pride that he work you - a weak signal however has a lower level of
confidence and will give up if he thinks there is a wall of strong sigs
calling). Unfortunately few dxers adopt this practice - they simply take
the strongest signal everytime (which is rarely ever a VK like me calling
from the other side of the globe) and this gives me no choice but to use
the partial call procedure. 

As a matter of interest I think the best op around today for picking weak
signals from the bottom of a strong pile is Alex (Pa3??) of tl5a, d25l etc
fame. It amazed me how consistently he could pull my 339, 449 signal out
from under a thundering EU or NA pile-up. It is this skill to my mind that
makes a great dx operator not the rate per hour that is traditionally
utilised as the "skill" benchmark.


Paul (vk3ajj)

ps I did post an earlier item on this subject which was either lost or
censored by the sysop.    





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