[RTTY] Two NA Sprint Questions

[Ed Muns]

I strongly agree with you, Iain.  The 'CQ' or 'QRZ' at the end is a "RTTY
thing" carried over from the RTTY CQ messages where common practice over the
years has been to end such messages with CQ or QRZ.  Like you, I think it is
a confusing practice, but I've caved in to what seems to be popular
practice.  Maybe its time for us to start retraining ourselves.  It has sort
of worked OK on RTTY because the pace has been slower than CW and SSB, but
more and more our RTTY contests are getting every bit as snappy on the QSOs
as the other modes.  Now, this practice is becoming a big problem.

One example of why this is a bad practice is if I just tune across your QSO
and hear "... N6ML CQ", then I will dump my call sign in immediately when
your carrier drops.  But if that snippet was the end of your EXCHANGE to a
station who needs a fill, or you would like to hear their 'TU' as
confirmation, then I've just QRM'd your QSO.

I'm all for an immediate campaign for everyone to eliminate CQ, etc. from
the end of their S&P exchanges.  What say all?

Ed - W0YK

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Iain MacDonnell - N6ML [mailto:k6iam at dseven.org] On 
> Behalf Of Iain MacDonnell - N6ML
> Sent: Sunday, 15 March, 2009 10:40
> To: w0yk at msn.com
> Cc: david at levinecentral.com; RTTY at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [RTTY] Two NA Sprint Questions
> 
> 
> 
> Ed Muns wrote:
> [snip]
> >> So here's my first question.. An odd part of the whole exchange is 
> >> the final confirmation.  The CQ station sends their 
> report. The new 
> >> station sends their report. What happens next was either the CQ 
> >> station confirmed and said QSY or another station would 
> immediately 
> >> call the new station and I wouldn't see a confirmation from the 
> >> previous CQ station.
> >> I think there were 2 times this happened that the original CQing 
> >> station needed to come back in the middle of the next exchange and 
> >> ask for the info again.  How *should* it all work?
> > 
> > Well, this is a bit tricky.  The new station often has a 
> 'CQ' or 'QRZ' 
> > at the end of their exchange message.  It's not really 
> needed because 
> > their call is also at the end, per Sprint convention, to 
> signify that 
> > they get to stay on the frequency and the QSO is over.  It is 
> > important though for the CQ station, who is now leaving the 
> frequency, 
> > to give a 'TU' or 'QSY' to confirm they got the report 
> before another 
> > QSO starts.  New callers SHOULD WAIT for this TU message from the 
> > prior CQ station before dumping their call sign it.  
> Otherwise, they cover up the prior CQ station who may need a fill.
> 
> I actually found the "CQ" on the end quiet offensive. In my 
> opinion, it should NOT be there. It's NOT their frequency 
> until the QSO has been completed by me confirming the 
> exchange. The "CQ" gives others the green light to call, and 
> if I'm weaker than them, my "AGN?" is probably not going to be seen.
> 
> Just my opinion...
> 
>      ~Iain / N6ML
> 
>