[CQ-Contest] Fills and repeats

[K1AR at aol.com]

Rowland,
 
Try using better antennas (sorry, too hard to resist)!
 
Seriously, I've always subscribed to the theory of keeping it simple.  
Sending "NR agn?" or just "NR?" is best. Trying to be cute with coded algorithms  
(e.g., 3?9) is generally unproductive in most cases.
 
So, the bottom line is that you have it right. BTW, with longer exchanges  
(especially contests like CW SS),  it's sometimes easier to simply ask  the 
station to repeat the entire exchange rather than trying to negotiate a  partial 
fill -- especially if the operator is inexperienced or slow. One or two  
attempts at CK?, for example, will give it away.
 
We could also talk about phone contest exchanges, but I don't think anyone  
sponsors SSB contests anymore, do they? Or, is it that most of us don't like  
them anymore? :-)
 
73 John, K1AR
 
 
In a message dated 8/11/2008 11:34:48 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
Rowland.Archer at gxs.com writes:

Hi  folks,

While asking for "nr nr" over and over this weekend on WAE CW,  it occurred 
to me that I didn't know any "standard" practice for asking for  the JUST that 
one digit or letter I'm missing.  Nothing more frustrating  than something 
like this sequence:

You:  K4XD ur 5NN  3<QRN>9
Me:  NR NR?
You:  5NN 3<fade>9,  3<static crash>
Me:  AGN NR?
You:  NR 5NN  3<fade>
Me:   3?9 3?9
You:  ur 5NN 3<crash>9  5NN 3<fade>

You get the picture.  I keep hearing the stuff I  don't need, and not hearing 
that one bit of information I'm lacking.   Only once this weekend did I hear 
someone try to specify the single digit he  was missing -- he sent "NR 3 NR 
3?" to indicate he was missing the 3rd  digit.

I would think sending 3?9 would indicate "please just send the  number 
between 3 and 9" but it seldom works, people resend the whole sequence  most of the 
time, or send 5NN very slowly just in case I missed that  part!  It is 
frustrating to hear the parts you already know coming  through clearly, knowing you 
would have the missing info if they were sending  that instead of what you 
already copied.

Any advice from the brain  trust? (Besides better antennas!)

73,
Rowland  K4XD






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