[CQ-Contest] [NCCC] DUMB CUT NUMBER

[Alfred Frugoli]

Hang on here everyone,

Personally I find the CQWW contest annoying, and what you're advocating
essentially turns ARRL DX into the same thing.

In CQWW all you have to do is make sure you've got the callsign correct and
the most updated zone information on your logging computer.  Then you're
done.

If there are only 5 (or even 10, or 15) possible exchanges, then I agree
with those that have suggested doing away with parts of the exchange.  In
fact, why don't we just exchange callsigns and move on.

If you don't want to copy CW, then don't.  The SSB contest is in two weeks.
If you want to copy code, then copy it, and interpret it.  It's fairly
simple.  As a stateside station in ARRL DX you're going to recieve two
number groups from the other station on the DX side.  They may include cut
numbers of some form.  If they don't make sense, ask for a fill.  If you're
not satisfied with your fill, ask again.  If a KL7 sends 599 AK, send back
KW? or 1000?.  If you get an R, or QSL, then you know you got it right.  If
not, they'll send it again.

Let's just please keep the exchange in contests meaningful, or else we'll
just have hundreds of contest events each year where all we do is exchange
callsigns.  No thanks.

73 de Al, KE1FO




On Feb 17, 2008 8:10 PM, Eric Hilding <b38 at hilding.com> wrote:

> Fellow NCCC member AL, AD6E, wrote:
>
> >This sort of thing cannot be put on the backs of contest sponsors. They
> are
> >unsung heroes as is and don't need any more grief. How could they
> possibly
> >monitor everyone for such infraction? It's not practical.  Those who
> engage
> >in poor operating practices wind up with lower scores just naturally.
>
> I was being tongue-in-cheek about actually having on-air monitors to DQ
> people on the spot.  That would not be practical.
>
> However, there is a way to substantially reduce the great number of
> Unnecessary AGN? repeat requests that eat up people's time.
>
> When Contest sponsors indicate a callsign is to be part of an exchange,
> they
> do NOT allow the creative freedom for a Sender to make up his/her own.  It
> must be the officially licensed call.
>
> When Contest sponsors of domestic contests require a US State and VE
> Province Mult as part of the exchange, they do NOT allow creative freedom
> for a Sender to make up his/her own idea of what these are.  For example,
> CF
> for California is not legal.  MY for Maine is also a DQ.
>
> In the CQ WW, participants are NOT allowed to make up their own Zone
> numbers
> - they must use an establish STANDARD based upon QTH.
>
> When Contest sponsors fail to step in and do what most certainly can
> REDUCE
> the number of off-the-wall dysfunctional cut number options (and resulting
> CONFUSION), the fact is that a few selfish CQ/RUN stations will continue
> to
> eat up valuable time from too many other players in the game.  Life is too
> short for this kind of crap.
>
> Most major contest log processing is done by automated robot.
>
> Each station is supposed to submit a log which contains what exchange they
> sent, and what exchange was received.
>
> The establishment of cut numbers STANDARD for the typical power levels of
> 100w, 1000w (nobody seems to give a rat's butt about the fact 1,000, K, or
> KW are are ILLEGAL power statements being sent when 1,500w is the actual
> used) makes this easy including any other power levels.
>
> Exactly how much work is required for a Sponsor to include in the
> published
> rules something like:
>
> =======
> ONLY the following cut numbers may be used for output power levels in an
> exchange:
>
> A = 1
> K = 1,000 watts (KW)  <---- why send the extra W letter anyway???
> T = Zero
> 9 = 9
> (Etc. if others AND with EXAMPLES like: 5TT = 500 watts)
>
> NO other variations of cut numbers shall be allowed.  Failure to adhere to
> the above STANDARD will result in log DQ.
> =======
>
> Hmmm...that sure took a lot of time.  *NOT*
>
> If a Sender uses AK, XK, YK or whatever {creative}K for 1,000 watts, but
> the
> Sponsor-Established published STANDARD for 1,000w is simply the letter K,
> then the Sender's log rightfully gets DQ'd by the log Robot..  However,
> the
> recipients of XK will NOT be penalized if they copied what was actually
> sent.  In other words, if the Sender sends XK but submits a log indicating
> K, if there are 50, 100 or some number of other logs received indicating
> XK
> was actually sent and copied, the Robot still DQ's the log for post-event
> manipulation.
>
> THIS WILL PUT A MAJOR STOP TO MOST OF THE CRAP, and provide more
> Contesting
> Joy for the multitudes.
>
> By having a cut number STANDARD included in the published rules, this
> affords ALL players the opportunity to 'bone up' (program themselves, if
> necessary) BEFORE the event vs. having to ask AGN? AGN? and/or try to
> figure
> out what the sender may have been smoking before programming his/her
> messages in the contest software.
>
> Since current rules require adherence to legal callsign usage as well as
> things like established Mult names (domestic contest example), then
> adherence to use of a cut number STANDARD is logical, fair and reasonable.
>
> This is not rocket science.  Rather, it will bring CONSISTENCY AND ORDER.
>
> Of course, there is also the new skunk in the woodpile matter to deal
> with...those that want to skip the exchange and just send TU.  That one
> really needs to get nailed down by the Sponsors too.
>
> 73...
>
> Rick, K6VVA
>
>
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