[CQ-Contest] Do you have to log QSO times?

[Paul T. Antos]

I don't remember the contest (probably something on 160M), but I had an LCR report once with mention that 2 Q's did not match in terms of a specified time period ( within 5min??). As I recall, I wound up using the paddle trying to break a pileup, and completed the QSOs without hitting <enter> to log the contact, which was done later. ( Silly, isn't it? ) I don't believe the Q's were dinged. I can visualize two logs having different times for the same contact - the running station already has you logged sending his exchange, then responds to your request for repeats, which puts in a delay until you send your exchange, putting a different time in your log.

My ancient SS memories recall having to send the time of the contact as part of the exchange, which really flustered newby-me, because my time and the received time almost never matched.  Oh Oh, what do I do now?

ABD

> My initial reaction was "of course you need to
> log the time for every QSO!"


Well, Ken, back before you were born it was a common practice to log the 
time only every 5 or 10 minutes.  It's possible the ARRL has not adjusted 
the language to be more specific.  We take a lot for granted in the 
generation of computer logging.  It's not like the good old days.

Gramps, N5OT