[CQ-Contest] Mastering "cut numbers" for this weekend

[kr2q at optimum.net]

Tutorial on "Cut Numbers"

Everyone worth their salt already uses some cut numbers:

For example,

9 = N (dah-dit)  ...  as in ... 599 or 5nn.  Heck, I even did that as Novice Class....we (almost?) all did.

Ø = long dah (well, today, just a single DAH).  As in serial number 1 = TT1

Now the "Hard" stuff:

1 = A (the opposite of "nine"...both by at-the-end-of-range and in the American morse).  If you can "do"
N=9, then this one should be just as easy.

5 = E (how easy is that?).

Almost nobody (less than 5 entrants per contest?) use any other cut numbers.  So all you need to
do is learn two "new" cut numbers, namely, 1 and 5.  If you hear someone sending U as a cut number,
then I'll join you in complaining....maybe.

Again, the percentage of folks using these is very, very, very tiny and they often only send
it to "each other" (among friends), but maybe you can be a new friend with someone!

And here's the best tip of all.  I am 99.5% confident that if you're reading CQ-Contest and
also actually participate in the contest, you use some type of contest logging software....
AND....that it will auto-fill the zone for you.  Further, I speculate that if have been a CQWW
contest devotee for any length of time, that you already know the vast majority of zones
you'll be working based on the callsign alone (save the USA zones where it may not be
obvious and very, very few others [some UA9s]).  So between the two (being able to correclty
anticipate the zone AND the logging software filling it in for you), you should have no problem 
learning or "on the fly" decoding of these two addition cut numbers (one of which "E" will almost 
never be sent).  When I work CT1BOH in the test, I'll send him "enne" just because I know that 
I can.  But I won't send that to too many others, if any.  I also do that to K1DG at EE5E, just
cuz it seems like the right thing to do...if I remember to.

Anyhow, what is worse: sending cut numbers or sending the exchange at 60wpm?  I know....
doing both.

Have fun in the contest and don't forget to send in those SSB logs soon (yes, PHONE logs)!

de Doug KR2Q







stirring the pot just a tiny bit