[CQ-Contest] Leading Zeros etc.- I hate'm !

[Mike Smith VE9AA]

In Phone or CW contests.  Especially later in the contest when a lot of
folks are sending 538, or 887 or something and some really weak guy under
the QRM comes by, you B-A-R-E-L-Y get his callsign, then he gives you a
ZERO-ZERO-TWO...Can't folks just say "TWO"?.....Does it have to be
ZERO-ZERO-TWO, or ZERO-TWO?.....If the rules said your serial # had to be at
least 3 digits, then I would understand.

 

I hate them just as much in CW contests.

 

My other related pet peeve is if I am running (or not) and the weak stn
(under the thick QRM sends me a #......let's say it's 123 (CW or SSB, makes
no difference) and I am not quite sure of the number, but figure they hear
me better than I hear them, so instead of asking for a repeat I send back to
them "123?" or say it..ONE-TWO-THREE ?(with an interrogative inflection in
my voice, or I might say "Was it 123?)...and then THEY send (or say)
ONE-TWO-THREE again, but there is still that 20/9 splatter monster next to
you, knocking the heck out of you.

 

You know what I think? I think that I must have botched the # and need to
start again, cuz' it's not 123.....please, for the love of all things
contesting, say "ROGER ROGER ROGER" or on QSL QSL QSL , or OK OK OK OK. or
on CW, send RRR...don't make me start over, cuz if you are repeating
something I have to assume I have some part or all of it wrong.

 

There.

 

I feel better now.

 

I think I did too much SSB this weekend.  Need some CW to fill my veins.

 

Mike VE9AA, eh?

 

Mike, Coreen & Corey

Keswick Ridge, NB