[CQ-Contest] Callsign (dis)Advatages

[Dennis McAlpine]

It seems like most of the comments are on letters to avoid not to include.  In that vein, I reemphasize that you do not want a single character at the end of your call.  When I first started out as W1DYE, I hate to tell you how many QSOs went to the credit of W1DY.  I assume that the same problem exists with "T".

On the positive side, I have always felt that your  call should end with a dash, which seems to get thru better, ergo my selection of "K2SX."  

I used to think "SX" would be a "sexy" suffix and, at first, it did attract some attention.  Now that people are familiar with the suffix, it draws no attention.  Sorta like its namesake, I guess, its attraction wears down as you get familiar with it.

A word of caution, try to avoid having a suffix that is well known.  It might sound cool to have "AR" as a suffix so you can be like John but you will soon find out that John is getting some of your QSOs and he doesn't even take credit for those contacts.   I know K3SX has a much higher score in a contest than he thinks he does because people give him credit for a contact with me.  It used to be even worse when I was K2SX/1 and had to contend with Whizzer when he was KD2SX/1.  Try and convince someone that they hadn't worked me before with that combination.  Also, I get called K2SX a lot so Tony also gets some bonus Qs.

But, the best way to get your call through is to be loud and accurate.  Invest in that stacked array and you will be amazed at how much better your call gets thru.

73,

Dennis, K2SX