[RTTY] RST in contests

[Ktfrog007 at aol.com]

For what it's worth, back in the day meaningful RSTs were exchanged in  
contests.  I looked at my 1963 CQ WW CW log and my received signal  reports 
ranged from 559 to 599.  I even sent 449 to one station,  459 to another.
 
Personally I would like to see contest RSTs consigned to the dust bin  of 
history.  Put 'em in the Hall of Fame.  Let them be legend.   But Ed does 
make a good point in #2: once they're built into the system, it's  difficult to 
get rid of them.  They're vestigial like the appendix and  flare up once in 
a while, like now.
 
73,
Kermit, AB1J
 
 
In a message dated 3/21/2011 5:47:01 P.M. GMT Standard Time, ed at w0yk.com  
writes:

1.   If RST is part of the exchange defined in the contest rules, always  
send
it.  Contest sponsors do expect this rule to be followed and some  will DQ 
an
entry for not sending it.

2.  Few contest sponsors  cross-check the actual RST value in the two logs 
to
see that they match,  but a three digit number must be there to pass the
robot format check and  to work in most log checking software.

3.  This thread about  eliminating RST or making it "real" comes up a couple
times a year on the  various contest reflectors.  Lots of strong opinions
expressed, but  nothing has changed in the contest rules or adjudication ...
and probably  never will.

My advice is to enjoy the contest and don't waste time  going down a 
rat-hole
on this topic.  Be sure you always send an RST  when required by the contest
rules and don't sweat the actual number sent  to you.  Log it precisely as
sent or just '599', it really doesn't  matter to the contest sponsor.  If a
station doesn't send the RST in  their exchange, feel free to ask for it as 
a
way of letting them know that  it should be sent, but don't get too worked 
up
over it.  If you log  the QSO, then stick in a RST, whether the station sent
it or not.

Ed  -  W0YK