[CQ-Contest] "QTC?"

[Pete Smith]

Further to the discussion about when and to whom QTCs should be offered....
Yesterday afternoon, I was having some very fast and enjoyable runs in 
WAE.  I mean last-10 rates of more than 200 QSO's per hour, almost too 
many stations calling to manage.  Then, out of the blue, a big gun 
arrives on frequency.  "QTC?", he shouts.

This, to me, is one of the biggest reasons for non-Europeans to be 
unhappy about WAE.  If I'm running fast, the last thing I want to do is 
break off to send "QRU", much less stop entirely and do a QTC exchange 
while my pileup goes elsewhere.  Running fast is what I enjoy most, and 
if I'm not trying to win the contest, then I'm in it for fun.  "QTC?" is 
a fun-buster, whether tossed into the pileup out of the blue or 
delivered at the end of a run QSO.

So, let me suggest a simple guideline - be extremely selective in asking 
a *running* non-European if he wants to do a QTC.  Unless he's really 
struggling (pretty unlikely on Saturday anyway), it will not be welcome, 
and almost certainly with get a grumpy "NO." Wait till Sunday, or wait 
for him to call you when you're running.

-- 
73, Pete N4ZR

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