[CQ-Contest] "Please copy my number"

[Georgek5kg at aol.com]

I'd like to offer the following comments after having just finished SS Phone:

1.)  How many times did we hear "please copy my number"?  I don't want to be 
too critical about anyone who uses this phrases, but I'd also like to say that 
extra wording tends to slow down the process.  It's not uncommon to hear 
"please copy my number" perfectly well, only to miss the number.  Had the op not 
"used up" clear air space to say the words, perhaps the number would have come 
through instead.

Simply replying to the calling station with his call followed by the serial 
number spoken as individual numbers is both adequate and efficient.

2.)  "Good luck in the contest".  Now, lets face it, a little good natured 
bantering in a phone contest can be enjoyable and certainly break the boredom.  
But "programming" oneself to say "good luck in the contest" after every 
contact is going overboard IMHO.

3.)  Saying serial numbers.  I find that saying numbers like 360 as "three 
hundred sixty" is confusing.  Upon hearing "three hundred" I tend to type ahead 
and key in "30".  When I hear the "sixty", I then have to back up and key in 
the "60".  Ok, this may be my awkwardness as an op, but I much prefer to hear 
the numbers are said individually.  360 said as "three six zero", for example.

The same thing goes for the "teens", fifteen, sixteen, etc.  I'd much prefer 
to hear "one five",  "one six", etc.  

Leading "zeros".  I find it best if the ops do not try to add leading zeros 
unless, of course, if they pronounce the numbers individually, such as "zero 
one five".  For me, omitting any mention of the leading zeros is preferred.

Just some thoughts.

73, Geo...

George I. Wagner, K5KG
Productivity Resources LLC
941-312-9450
941-312-9460 fax
941-400-1960 cell