[RTTY] Friend files

[Shelby Summerville]

On Wednesday, July 21, 2004, "Don Hill AA5AU" <aa5au at bellsouth.net> wrote:
"I fully support the use of the FRIEND file in RTTY contests just as Chen
has
explained.  I cannot tell you how many times I have not fully seen my
callsign
but did see my name in an exchange.  Since the rules do not state that
callsigns
need to be copied 100%, seeing my name assures me that the station on the
other
end has come back to me (or someone else named Don)."

Although, at this time, I've chosen not to use the FRIEND file, I do support
it's use, with some conditions!  I believe that, especially in marginal band
conditions, it should only be used when CQing, and then only when using the
"TU QRZ" buffer? The shorter the exchange, the better the chance of not
having to ask for a repeat? For me, nothing is quite as aggravating as: K4WW
K4WW K4WW DE XX4XX HI SHELBY UR !#$%^&*&^$#^"! As I already know my call and
name, absolutely nothing in the exchange is useful, requiring a repeat!
Absolutely nothing wrong with being "friendly", but lets be "friendly",
after the necessities are taken care of?
As the number of SO2R increases, I've experienced several "extra long"
periods of waiting, for some of the "newer" SO2R operators to respond? How
do I know they're "new"? They indicated "first time using SO2R" in their
3830 post! Yep, I read most of them. I'm just curious as how SO2R decide
whom to answer: "the one that answered their CQ, or the one they called"?
Precious little is accomplished without practice/experience, but in a "time
constrained" contest, such as NAQP, it seems to me that the practice should
be done elsewhere?

I suppose the "bottom line" is: "you can call me whatever you care to,
whenever you care to, have me wait while you use your other radio, but
please, please call me:

C'Ya, Shelby