[CQ-Contest] RE: Just when you think

[Eric Hilding]

Bill, AA4LR wrote:

 > I've always failed to understand this from the DX perspective. What's
 > to be gained by not sending your call, especially in contests? How else
 > are stations supposed to know who you are? And after a few QSOs, you
 > end up with guys calling "Your Call?" over top of you, adding to the
 > overall bedlam of the pileup. The worse the pileup, the harder it is to
 > work stations.

Amen & Amen.  I neglected to mention that during previous listening, there 
were other times when I heard the 3G0 only ID once per 10 QSOs, and then of 
course this created the standard additional, unnecessary QRM from wondering 
minds sending: "Call?" and "DX Call?"  When this happens during a contest 
it is simply rude operating that makes a lot of people waste their valuable 
time trying to figure out who the {LID} is when they *could* be making more 
QSOs.

===

Mike, W7DRA wrote:

 > i guess it depends upon what you are doing. i count the number of
 > stations that answer me and don't send my call again until i have worked
 > them all. whether i work 700 or 7000 in a CQWW it doesn't  matter to me
 > in the least as a dx station.

So Mike...assuming some of the callers are calling you "blind" without 
actually knowing your call, how many others are silently "stacked up" that 
you are making waste their time (not knowing if they have QSO'd the 
"Mystery Station" or not)???  IMHO, this is NOT good contest etiquette for 
a DX station.

===

Steve, N2IC wrote:

 > During CQWW CW, the behavior of most of the top-10 single-op DX stations
 > was deplorable, especially during the first 24 hours !  As a single-op,
 > all-band, NON-packet, unassisted participant, it is downright rude for
 > you to not sign your call at least every 3 or 4 QSO's.  It is totally
 > unacceptable for you to ignore me when I ask you for your call.

Again, "Amen & Amen".

No one seemed to be thrilled about my past suggestion that event Sponsors 
should consider implementing a "Contest Police" (squad) to monitor this 
type of self-centered operating, so I won't suggest it again ;-(

However, perhaps the contest sponsors themselves are partially to blame for 
failure to spell out what is "expected" behavior?  I encourage ALL contest 
sponsors to incorporate a sentence or two *WITHIN* the official rules with 
something to the effect that:

	 "Acceptable contest operating etiquette for DX stations is to ID (send 
your callsign)
	  AT LEAST once every {some number} QSOs during the event."

Does "education" work?  Failure to even attempt it certainly guarantees 
failure.

 > As a result of my experience in CQWW, I am instituting a new policy - if
 > you ignore my request for your call, I'm not going to wait around until
 > you feel like signing your call.  No QSO in my log !  I strongly
 > encourage others to do the same.  I may lose a QSO or multiplier, but
 > guess what - you're going to lose a QSO AND you're going to be penalized
 > 3 more QSO's for a not-in-log. You don't like that ?  Tough - sign your 
call !

Amen, Amen & Amen.

73...

Rick, K6VVA