[RTTY] WHY put CQ at the end?

[Michael Adams]

Skimmer data makes click-and-pounce a viable strategy for having fun.

So, let's say that you're running, and I'm clicking.

The next spot on my click-list is W6LL.   I click, and immediately see printed:  "W6LL ".   What do I do?

I have to wait, to ascertain if W6LL is in the middle of a QSO, or if W6LL is calling CQ, or if W6LL is a calling station mis-spotted and someone else is running.  I can't act without more information...at least not if I don't want to act like a jerk. Rate suffers.

However, if I see printed "W6LL CQ " or "W6LL TEST ", there is no ambiguity.  Someone with a callsign ending in W6LL is soliciting callers.  I want to respond...and if it turns out that it's actually WW6LL or GW6LL running, I can probably get that cleared up at the next CQ call.

In a contest, I would be partial to seeing "W6LL CQ " over "W6LL TEST " simply because the former is 2 characters shorter while still communicating the same information.

-- 
Michael Adams | N1EN | mda at n1en.org

-----Original Message de K6LL-----

>My own personal preference is to know who's calling CQ

But CW contest have been going on for 87 years, and nobody puts CQ at the end.  There is no confusion.

With RTTY skimmers now in the mainstream, and most RTTY contests allowing Telnet assistance, most S&P operators are going to arrive on your frequency already knowing who you are.  They want to hear your call sign, or even a fragment of it, to confirm your identity.  They don’t need to hear CQ.  They already know someone is CQ’ing here.  

The CQ at the end is now more of a hindrance than a help, at least for those contests that allow Telnet assistance, which is the majority of RTTY contests.

Dave Hachadorian, K6LL
Yuma, AZ




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