[CQ-Contest] SIGNING PORTABLE IN ARRL DX CONTEST

[VR2BrettGraham]

AA0CY asked:

>I have a zero-land call, but currently reside in 3-land.
>Although not required by the rules to sign portable, I
>wonder if there are advantages to signing portable anyway.
>For one thing, especially in the CW test, there would not be
>any hesitation on the DX side when I send PA since I sent my
>call as AA0CY/3.  I've also noticed that the "/3" on CW or
>"portable 3" on phone oftentimes show up in the clear during
>the pileups.  OTOH, it is more time consuming and would be
>required for every QSO.  BTW, I do about 99% S&P.  (The
>other 1% is getting few, if any, responses to my CQs.)

I find quite often it's the /3 or equivalent that can catch my ear in
a pile-up.

 From here, knowing that you're /3 is helpful as it narrows down the
choices of what I would expect you to send as your state (if that's
the exchange in the contest) & you're weak or the band isn't good.

And since the amount of time the band is open to 3-land from here
is shorter than 0-land, knowing that I'm getting through to that part of
USA is appreciated as I know that some relatively rare state might
call, or it's time to take a listen on the sub-RX for S&P between CQs.

Signing /3 sometimes & other times not is an interesting one - wonder
what that does to our UBN/LCRs?

73, VR2BrettGraham