[CQ-Contest] AL-811 for Contesting, OK or not?

[Bill Coleman]

On May 31, 2006, at 10:28 PM, Tom Osborne wrote:

> I think the reason most people put another "test" (or CQ or  
> whatever) on eht
> end is so that when someone tunes across your signal they know you are
> calling CQ.  I hate to hear "de W2ABC", then have to wait to see if  
> they are
> calling CQ or calling someone else.  If you put the CQ on the end,  
> there is
> no doubt what is going on.

I've always hated this practice. If you are struggling to copy the  
contest CW, and you only pick out a few letters each time you hear  
the call, the CQ or TEST at the end is always confusing.

You're more likely to hear just part of a call and CQ or TEST, which  
doesn't do you any good unless you want to call blind. Which you can  
do anyway whether you hear the call or not.

Most contesters only listen for 1-3 seconds after a CQ. So, if you  
tune up and happen to miss the call, you don't have a long wait.

I always send CQ TEST AA4LR.

Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
             -- Wilbur Wright, 1901