[CQ-Contest] Reciprocity in signal strength,

[jpescatore at aol.com]

I think all of the major kind of universal factors have been listed, you can see those at work on FT8  where an algorithmic SNR is part of the exchange and often urban stations are many dB worse at hearing anyone than they are received.
But there are many operator specific issues that cause lack of reciprocity:
Some ops aren't real familiar with their RX settings and have filters wide open, passbands offset, NR on in the presence of loud signals, RF gain cranked down, AF gain all the way up etc. This is really apparent in Field Day when you sit down at a rig someone else has "tweaked." Also apparent when my K3 was remotely operated by multiple ops! They may be loud but their hearing is down many dB through "odd" settings...
On the other end are ops who are like FT8 algorithms and can pull calls out when normal humans don't hear anything. Fred K3ZO (sk) comes to mind. My very first big time contesting experience was sitting side saddle to Phil KT3Y at W3LPL and on 40 CW while he ran stations I wasn't even hearing - a combination of Phil's skill and my lack of experience on what a "clear" run freq sounds like in CQ WW CW! After about an hour, the signals magically got more readable to me...
A more recent factor is SO2R operation. The really skilled guys are one thing but as SO2R use has increased, lack of answers from a station on Band A often means they are busy working more on Band B or really don't hear as well on Band A as they are heard on Band A.
73 John K3TN