[CQ-Contest] Section phonetics on phone

[RICHARD BOYD]

Personally, I think whatever phonetics you want to use -- or not -- to communicate what your section is is fine.

I have noticed that some people have trouble understanding when I say "Puerto Rico," but if I say "papa radio" they get it.  As long as they ultimately know to put PR in their log, it doesn't matter.  It's that bottom line that's the point, that they understand that I'm saying PR.  Most all of us use computer logging and I don't know of any program that will allow you to type in the full "Puerto Rico" or any other section -- you are forced to use an abbrevation.  And virtually no one spells out their section on CW either -- abbreviations are the accepted way to convey what your section is.  After all, SCV is not the name of a section; it's an abbreviation for the name of the section.  It's another way to convey Santa Clara Valley -- and so is sugar charlie victor.

An interesting -- and unique -- one is MDC.  It is one of the only ones where two separate "jurisdictions" (e.g. states, but in this case one is a state and one is a federal district, which may be a one-of-a-kind situation in the U.S. although maybe some others like KP1 or KP5 are analogous -- but rare).  Another two-jurisdiction combination is VE8/VY1 and another is KG4/KP2, interestingly.

Back to MDC....I have long contended that MD is a valid abbreviation for MDC.  I believe most MDC people, at least the active contesters, do send MD, rather than MDC.  You could say the M is for Maryland and D is for the District.  Then again, you could say MD is okay and DC is okay to send, both for the same section.  I've been chewed out before (when working W1AW) for not sending MDC.  So now when I work W1AW I send MDC.  That encounter bothered me so much I had to start operating from PR instead of MD and haven't opped from MD since (just kidding).  Other examples, like MD, MDC, or DC all being valid to send:  EM or EMA and other variations like this one, NWT or NT or YU all working to convey what section a VE8 or VY1 is in.  As long as the person on the receiving end knows what section you are saying, you can send it however you want.  It's getting the correct section in the receiving log that counts, not how you convey that information.

And by the way, DC should be a separate multiplier, in my opinion.  Why not, it'd add to the fun, and would definitely get more activity out of W3DQ, K3VOA, W3DOS, KE3VV (I think it is) and whoever else resides in D.C. and they'd have a heck of a good time being a rare mult (like NNY) and we'd have a good time having another one to work for the sweep.  This is a unique situation in the continental U.S., I think, two jurisdictions being combined like this.  D.C. is definitely not a part of Maryland as anyone in Maryland or D.C. could tell you.  The comparable situations, like I say, may be VE8/VY1, non-U.S., Maritime Canada where more than one province is combined, KG4/KP2 being combined, and the Pacific section where various islands or island groups, separated by large distances, are combined into the PAC section, all the "KH" callsigns.  Can you imagine if each of the KH groups was a separate SS mult??  That'd definitely add some interest and some life into SS operation from the Pacific!  And, unless someone went to places like KH9, nobody would get a sweep!  So maybe that one's a bad idea, for that reason!

73 - Rich, KE3Q (WP3R op).