[RTTY] QRL?

[John]

I believe sending a short QRL message is the courteous thing to do 
before sending a longer CQ message.  There have been many times I've 
waited 20 seconds on a "clear" frequency before sending QRL and had a 
station come back on or near the frequency.

As far as how long to wait on a quiet frequency before sending QRL, I 
suggest:

10 seconds	If both stations on the freq are SO1R and conscious
20 seconds 	If either station on the freq are SO2R (just in
                 case)
30 seconds	If the station running on the freq is SO1R/SO2R
                 and is copying a station sending a brag tape
40 seconds	If the station running on the freq is SO1R/SO2R
                 and is trying to work a mult up the band
60 seconds	If the station running on the freq is filling their
                 emergency relief bottle
1 min 30 sec	It the station is rebooting their locked-up computer
2 minutes	If the station running on the freq is over 60 and
                 filling their emergency relief bottle
2 days		If the run station is involuntarily upgrading to
                 Windows 10

I'm leaving up to ED to make a chart for SO3R times.  ; )

Happy Easter!

John  W0DC

---------------------------------------------------------------

On 3/27/2016 12:37 PM, Ed Muns wrote:
> QRL? may give the sender a warm, self-righteous feeling, but it does little
> to politely determine if a frequency is in use.  When I hear "QRL?" on my
> run frequency it is almost always at a time when I'm struggling to copy the
> exchange of a weak station.  (Otherwise, I'd be transmitting.)  The last
> thing I need to do is answer the QRL? query and further QRM the station I'm
> trying to copy.
>
> Sending "QRL?" means that the station did not listen long enough and has
> decided to risk QRMing an ongoing QSO rather than be patient.  He might as
> well just starting calling CQ.
>
> The best way to determine if a frequency is in use is to listen a long
> enough time to account for the possibility that half of the on-going QSO is
> not apparent to you.
>
> Those with a sufficient waterfall history don't have to listen as long, but
> the goal is the same: a quiet frequency for a sufficiently long period.
>
> Ed W0YK
>
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