[CQ-Contest] Borrowed Calls

[Jim White]

de WM5R

"Subject: [CQ-Contest] Borrowed callsigns

     I know several big contesters who have "borrowed" the callsigns
of friends for use in the WPX contests.  They operate single-op at their
own station, but they just use someone else's (more desirable) callsign
(with the other party's permission, of course.)

     I wonder how other contesters feel about this practice?   "


I feel there is no question there are better calls to be used in this
contest...if you have a rarer prefix, especially now that W can work W, you
might get waited upon (run em) whereas if you are the third or 10th K4 that
someone has worked spin the know takes over!

It is precisely for this reason that we used WC4E in our Multi-Multi effort
in CW WPX from W1CW/W1YL/K4OJ station....

Jeff (WC4E) has a callsign which is almost synonymous with the WPX
contest...I know when I had pileups calling me there were many guys seeing
new prefix on their monitors and were willing to wait!

Contesting is a competitive sport...if you have found a better shaped sail
in sail boating you go with it...or a better tire in auto racing you go with
that.....

Do I have a problem with a fellow ham loaning his "unique prefix" callsign
to another ham in his quest for greater contest success...not in the least -
what are friends for?

We could have been K4NNN or K4FCG or any of the other calls licensed at
W1CW/W1YL/K4OJ in WPX CW but there is absolutely no question in my mind that
by having Jeff's call we did better - his being there to operate was a big
help, too - nice job on 15, Jeff!

Seems like a really nice "hammy" thing to do - at least to me...provided of
course it is a free choice - I would not condone anyone holding a gun to
someone's head in order to use their call during a contest...even if it were
a hired gun!

This is a fraternity, right - a good place to do fraternal kinda stuff, eh?

73,

Jim,  K4OJ