[RTTY] Dashes in Contest Reports

[Bill, W6WRT]

ORIGINAL MESSAGE:

On Mon, 25 Jan 2010 08:15:43 -0700, "Dave Hachadorian" <k6ll at arrl.net>
wrote:

>Here is Chen's suggestion, and you can follow the thread:
>http://lists.contesting.com/archives//html/RTTY/2009-09/msg00100.html
>
>Dave Hachadorian, K6LL
>Yuma, AZ
REPLY:

In the above web page, Chen makes the statement:

"Indeed, 599-3 is encoded into exactly the same Baudot sequence
whether  the transmitter is using USOS or not, and it is received as
599-3  whether the receiver is using USOS or not.  It is the most
perfectly  cross compatible way to send RST and a zone number.

I repeat, "599-3" sent with or without USOS is received as "599-3"  
whether or not the receiver is using USOS."

Chen's statement is correct IF AND ONLY IF everything is received
correctly at the receiving station. I think we can all agree that that
condition is not always true, to say the least. 

What Chen ignores is the case where the FIGS shift character before
the 599 is lost or garbled. When that happens and the dash is present,
the receiving station will print TOOAE. If the dash were NOT present
and USOS was enabled as it should be, under the same conditions  the
receiving station would print TOO 3. 

So which is better, TOOAE or TOO 3? To me, the choice is obvious.

73, Bill W6WRT