[CQ-Contest] QRL?, ?, etc on phone

[Vladimir V. Sidorov]

Hi all,
let me jump in with another opinion.
- Asking "QRL?" or "Is the frequency in use?" sometimes just advises others
that the freq looks clear for you, i.o.w. you are doing a nice job for your
competitors. The result is just opposite to what you expected. You get a
couple of stations immy jumping to this freq and starting CQing.
- I agree that even a brief but straight CQ could be a bit too agressive.
- What I do is a quick "QRZ <MYCALL>". Than the same for another time. Than
CQ. Obviously in case nobody tells me that the freq is in use (believe me,
everybody understand what I mean by that, and in case the freq is occupied,
a reaction follows immy, politness varies). And it works both for CW and
PHONE.
And BTW, the "I E" is not really a common thing here in this part of the
world.

73,
"Walt", EU1SA



>
>"You need to listen a fraction of a millisecond longer on phone than on CW
>before asking "Is the frequency in use?" I guess you could say "QRL?" but
>the former is much clearer."
>
>--especially if the person on phone doesn't know "QRL"...I've run into a
lot
>of people that aren't familiar with the CW prosigns (and even confuse such
>common ones as QSL and QRZ...the elmer shortage shows itself).  I guess the
>? on CW is quicker and less obtrusive, although the ambiguity sometimes
>bothers me.  I remember trying to pull out a ZL2 on 160m only to hear a
>?...I "guessed" that he was asking QRL and told him it was.  I must have
>guessed correctly because the person asked "who?" and sent TU once I gave
>the prefix.  If he had been talking to the ZL2, however, I would have
become
>the problem.  I prefer QRL, like Brett, but can see the merits of the ?.  I
>do see the use of "CQ" as being an aggressive tactic (i.e. "I'm taking your
>frequency"), however, and don't care for it, especially when looking at the
>alternatives.
>73,
>Bridget, KS4YT
>dxcc at dbtech.net
>
>
>
>
>--
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