[CQ-Contest] What's with the power = 0 watts exchange?

[N4ZR]

I worked one too, with a strong signal.

73, Pete N4ZR
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On 2/18/2018 8:06 PM, Tom Hellem wrote:
> John-
> Could it be that stations were sending ATT for 100 w., etc?
> As you stated, conditions were in the toilet for you, so maybe
> the A sounded like a T??
>
> 73
> Tom
> K0SN
>
> On Sun, Feb 18, 2018 at 11:58 AM, John W <xnewyorka at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I'm playing a little in the ARRL DX contest and I've noticed something new
>> that I don't recall from previous years.  Several DX stations have sent
>> their power as zero watts.  I've received  5NN T,   5NN TT,  and 5NN TTT
>>   so far.
>>
>> (For some reason, nobody is sending something more precise like 0.0
>> (would that be  TRT?)
>>
>>
>> What is the reason for this?   I must have missed the memo.
>>
>>
>> At least one of the stations was in Puerto Rico. So I was wondering if his
>> zero meant that he has no commercial power at his station.  Maybe I'm
>> reading into it too much?
>>
>>
>> And one South American sent "LP" for his power.  So does that mean he is
>> using a generator that runs on Liquid Propane?  😉
>>
>>
>> The rules at http://www.arrl.org/arrl-dx say:
>>
>>
>> 4.2 DX stations send signal report and power (number or abbreviation
>> indicating approximate transmitter output power).
>>
>>
>> Where I come from, transmitter power is measured in units called WATTS.
>>
>> So I would expect the exchange to be either a number, or an abbreviation
>> for a number, for example using 'cut' numbers.   "LP" is not exactly that.
>>   But I get it - it probably means 100 watts, or at least "no amplifier".
>>   But what does TTT mean?  That must mean "approximately 0.499 watts or
>> less".   Yet the guy was 10 dB over S9, so I doubt that.
>>
>>
>> Ahh well, got to do something to keep it interesting when condx are in the
>> toilet.
>>
>>
>> Hope everybody caught the brief but glorious 10m opening this afternoon.
>>
>> P40W was 15 dB over S9 in NNJ for more than 10 minutes!
>>
>>
>> 73,
>>
>>
>> John
>>
>> W2ID
>>
>>
>>
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