[RTTY] RTTY YV0D

[W0YR at aol.com]

Jim & Denny,

You can't win in a situation like this.  The gadget boys, instead of tuning 
around and looking for DX, now read funny books and monitor the DX clusters 
waiting for someone for find the DX and spoon feed it to them. 

Far fewer ops actually sit, tune and look for DX any more.  

Besides all this, the DX stations apparently get some kind of ego trip out of 
NOT giving their callsign --- or giving it ONCE, quickly.  If some kilocycle 
kop is transmitting on top of the DX and his callsign blip gets obliterated, 
and should you be so foolish or bold to ask, "Could you please repeat the 
call?" you are instantly flamed by the all knowing "Hairy Chested Packet Watcher."

Last month, after sitting for 20 minutes to hear the callsign of a DX 
station, I broke (modern) protocol and actually had the NERVE to ask who the DX was?  
I was instantly inundated with berating comments, the stupidest of which was, 
"It's on packet.  If you want to know who it is, turn on packet."  

In order to be of maximum service to the packet kings I have recently begun a 
new service.  I find and work DX and then post the DX on the packet with one 
small error in the callsign.  YI1DD might become YI1BD, just enough of an 
error that when the packet kings send for their cards (never having actually heard 
the callsign of the station they worked -- and never asking for it), they'll 
get a nice "SRI, not in log" reply.

I figure its their comeuppance for taking such a lazy, simplistic and 
offensive approach to working DX.  

I actually had the effrontery to SEND YT0D's callsign in my CW, RTTY and 
Sideband exchanges.  I know that hacked off a lot of people.  TFB!

Don't give up on good operating practices.

Don't be afraid to ask for the other guy's callsign if he hasn't given it 
after a reasonable amount of time.

Don't be afraid to send his AND your callsign if you want to.  

I don't think it's new hams who are doing this.  The very fellows (and 
ladies) whom we should be helping along are cowed by the all-encompassing rudeness 
in our hobby and it has lost a lot of its attraction.

I wonder if YV0B is still on?

73

Mike
W0YR