[CQ-Contest] Cut numbers and V47T SSB recordings

[Mike Smith VE9AA]

Randy's right. You have to know your audience (& condx).  When running EU on
SSB I almost never say "New Brunswick".
I usually say "November Bravo" (or even "Norway Brazil" the 2nd or 3rd time
if they aren't getting it.
 
If condx are good, on a quiet band, running the USA, it's a bit quicker for
me to just say "NewBrunswick" (practically as one word). (shouldn't most
logging programs tell you automatically that a VE9 is in NB??)
It still catches some folks though.  Hey, I fully realize all hams are not
Geography majors and we are a small, not much talked about Province.  (I bet
no VA3/VE3 has to repeat "Ontario" too many times though, hi!)
 
That's SSB, on CW:
Occasionally, if a stn is not getting my full CW serial # and it's a real
easy cut #, I'll usually slow down and then send it cut, after sending the
real one a few times first.  I distinctly recall sending 500 as 5TT a few
times to an Eastern EU op who wasn't hearing the whole 5-0-0 due to QRN I'm
assuming. (80m)
 
de VE9AA....glad to have something to pass the time before cabin fever sets
in. -8C and windy here.  Too cold for antenna repairs yet.
 
 <snip> "Having said all that, it makes perfect sense for W/VWE ops to say
the state 

abbreviations for non-USA contesters because they don't all know or can
guess 

the correct state identifier without our help.  

 

Not complaining, but it is a great example of how our expectations impact 

information transfer.

 

As for cut numbers, they have a place.  When I was sending a long number in
QRM 

this weekend, I would occasionally send the full number one time and then
use a 

cut number the second time.  This could help the receiving operator confirm 

that some digits were a 0 or 9.

 

Randy K5ZD

 

 

Mike, Coreen & Corey

Keswick Ridge, NB