[CQ-Contest] Call sign choice

[Ron Notarius W3WN]

Well... I'd vote for V3X.
Reasons:
(1)  Unusual or unexpected calls, including very short 1x1 calls, that you don't normally come across are often used in the major contests (for example, think EE5E circa 2007 - 2012, or the KG44 prefixed calls circa 2006; to say nothing of the OT#$ calls you'll hear from Belgium during a contest) and won't strike most ops as THAT strange, if they haven't heard about them in advance.  Most know to WFWL.  I don't believe that most Sprint ops are used to or expecting the unusual calls - in the Sprint, that is.
(1a) And as we've seen in the recent past, once unusual prefixes or short calls can sometimes become everyday calls, as well (such as all the 2x1 assignments in Spain, and similar assignments that are reported to be coming soon from Australia).
(1b) Also, the more that these unusual calls are used, the more 'common' they become.  Goes from "what was that call again?" to "oh, alternate prefix!"
(2)  V3 (as opposed to V3#) has been used in the past by Amateurs in Belize.  My log shows V3DX from 1982, and V3CAG from 1985.  So their is precedence for the V3 prefix by itself.
Good luck, hope to work you on multiple bands!
73, ron w3wn


-----Original Message-----
From: Bill kollenbaum via CQ-Contest <cq-contest at contesting.com>
To: cq-contest at contesting.com <cq-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Sun, Oct 24, 2021 4:44 pm
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Call sign choice

Quick question...
I have the call V31XX, but am allowed to use V3X for the CQWW contest.  I tried the call out last night in the Sprint with mixed results.  Although the call is shorter, quite a few guys struggled to get the call right.  Some wanted to make me a VE3, others added stuff to the suffix, etc.
Given a choice which call would you use?  Any comments are welcome.
Bill K4XS/KH7XS.V31XX
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