[CQ-Contest] "?" not equal to "QRL?"

[James Cain]

When I was a big-time CW traffic handler in high school, after each message sent the receiving operator would send one DIT to indicate he'd received it and was ready for the next one. Efficiency was everything. (I learned this from W0BDR, who was blind -- he typed and read his messages on a Braille writer, sent with a bug, and never, ever made a mistake or asked for a fill. Sort of a cyber operator.) 

Today, contesting is ham radio's efficiency showcase. So, I may change my procedure. To check if a frequency is in use I could just send one DIT. This would reduce my electricity bill. 

On a related subject, now that full break in (QSK) is built into most rigs, why not just continuously send "CQ TEST K1TN QSK" and wait for someone to send a DIT? Think of the wear and tear this would save on the F1 key.

jim cain, K1TN/9