[CQ-Contest] Do I need to operate assisted to figure out the calls?

[Geoffrey Way]

Yannick XV4Y is getting to the nub of this topic. Maybe we need a 
grid/cross reference of the ID requirements based on either completing a 
contact, or based on time interval, of ALL of the relevant governing bodies 
so we can determine a minimum level of ID that would REQUIRE ANYYONE to 
maintain, as *NO LICENSING AUTHORITY allows anything LESS.* If a given 
contest has NO WORDING on the need for ID, we shouldn't gripe unless the 
station in question falls below that standard, or below the standard for 
their governing body (Oh nuts, WE DON'T KNOW WHO THAT IS YET WHILE 
LISTENING FOR 15 MINUTES AND STILL NO ID...).

Ironically, I have personally had an instance where I was running for over 
an hour, and signing after EACH contact; and yet, I QRZ just ONCE without 
my callsign and was immediately given a "watchercall?" in response <eyes roll>.

Another thought on this topic: I recall reading somewhere (I think it was 
here on CQ-Contest) a highly-respected contester opined that if one doesn't 
know enough about ID-ing a little less often than EVERY QSO, one should 
just ID on EVERY QSO. Unfortunately, that can be read/taken as a put-down, 
and some might react to it by arrogantly going overboard and only ID-ing 
when asked. There are several factors at work feeding into this problem, 
and it doesn't all stem from one single direction. I wasn't able to find 
the one I am thinking of in the archives, but I did find this item, which 
covers a LOT of both sides of the issue.
http://lists.contesting.com/_cq-contest/2005-01/msg00215.html

I emailed Paul EI5DI on this thread about ID a earlier:
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 >My questions to Paul: 7/31/2012 9:40 AM

Hello Geoffrey,

 > Thanks for your observation on the ID problem. Don't most contests make
 > a reference to operating within the rules of their license?

Yes, and No.  Some of the major contests, such as CQ WPX,
make no such reference.  I expect there are others, but
I haven't checked.

 >>My response: Wow, if a major contest isn't requiring folks to respect 
their own regulating body's rules, what kind of message are they sending to 
everyone by not requiring that?

 > If so, what is the requirement for the station to ID every so often?

I don't know but, assuming there is such a requirement,
who is going to enforce it and how will they do it?

 >> My response to Paul: The contest organizer could recategorize the 
obvious offenders as checklogs. It isn't hard to tell when 10 contacts in a 
  row are all busted exactly the same way due to a failure to properly ID. 
The contest is the venue for the misconduct, so the sponsor ought to do 
something to encourage misbehaving operators to reconsider their 
undesirable habits. I make a point of correcting my call when a running 
station busts it; they in turn owe it to those listening them to ID 
frequently enough.

 > I'm not well versed in the rules of numerous countries' regulations on
 > this, but I think you might know a good deal about it. Could you share
 > this with the reflector?

Yes, I will - as soon as I see your message there.

73,
Paul EI5DI
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So, what say, Paul? Is there such a reference anywhere already? Perhaps an 
ITU or IARU guideline? Here in the US, I believe each NEW contact requires 
an ID, and in "ragchew" or other pedestrian modes, at least every 10 
minutes. This is one of the things I LOVE about the Nov. Sweepstakes 
contest; the CALLSIGN is a REQUIRED part of the exchange.

FCC online reference; Paragraph A:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-1998-title47-vol5/xml/CFR-1998-title47-vol5-sec97-119.xml

Perhaps a few others from various DX countries could shed more light on 
their respective ID requirements, especially if there is an online 
reference to their governing bodies' regulations on ID requirements...

-- KA1IOR

  "Style is a simple way of saying complicated things."  --J. Cocteau


               \    /
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            \  |    |   ---Tao.   A chinese character that
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             /_________                  Geoffrey Way

      websites: http://www.cape-vision.com/wayg/mrep
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