[CQ-Contest] Partial Exchanges

[Dan Levin]

In a previous post, Barry said that

> my response is: CALL? Most of the time, I'll get the call. 
> However, some of these DX hot shots, knowing the CQWW is essentially 
> an exchangeless contest, assume my 59905 and send TU. 

This brought to mind a question that has been
bugging me of late: what I perceive as an increased
tendency to send only partial exchanges in contests.
For example, in WPX, stations would, with fair
frequency, only give me their serial number, and no
signal report.  Inevitably, in this case, I would
either ask them for a signal report, or if I was lazy,
repeat back to them "59 #, right?" and make them
at least acknowledge me.  If they didn't, I wouldn't
log the contact.

It seems pretty clear to me that the exchange must
be communicated in its entirety, even if part of it
is "pro-forma."  I won't log a contact for which I
don't get a complete exchange.  Am I just being
a stickler for the rules, a hard headed conservative?

To me, what matters most is what you do when people
aren't watching.  This is an example of that - our
sport is self-policing, if we don't each work to
honor the spirit of the rules, we might as well
not operate - but I may be alone in thinking so...

                  ***dan, K6IF

See you all in the California QSO Party, 
October 4-5!