[SCCC] CQP CQ for little pistol

[hounds1234 at comcast.net]

------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Tim Goeppinger" <timgep at hotmail.com>
> Just curious what everybody thinks is a good CQ for the Cal QSO Party.
> I'm starting to program my CW messages tonight.
> 
> Here is what I have for CQ
> 
> CQ CA TEST DE K6GEP K6GEP

"CQ  CA"  will mislead others  to think you are *looking* for 
CA QSO's, so definitely leave out the CA .  The 6 in your
call tells others you are in CA.  [If you were operating from 
CA with say a K2 call, you might  send "CQ Test de CA K2GEP 
Test" or CQ Test K2GEP/6 test"]

Maybe better to send:

option 1:  "CQ Test K6GEP test"  

-- By sending 'test' at the end, someone just tuning across your signal
and hearing K6GEP will  know you are seeking QSO's.  IF you omit
the final 'test', it is ambiguous - you could be sending your call in 
response to another station's CQ. 

Other common variations:

option 2: "CQP K6GEP Test" 
Option 3  "CQ   K6GEP Test"
option 4: "test K6GEP test"

This CQP is so big it's virtually the only show going on. 
My own choice would probably be to use both Option 1 and 
option 4, but each year I always question it, and others
will give different advice I'm sure.   Option 2 has, 
to me, an uncomfortable rhythm, but others use it,
and I have on occasion.  

As for sending your call twice - it probably reduces your rate; most stations
will get the call the first time.  Many ops will give your call when they come
back to complete their end of the exchange; those who don't echo
your call run the risk of record it incorrectly; but it will be their error,
not yours.  You could send CQ twice in option 3.

[ As you gain experience, consider giving the exchange even
if you've copied only a partial call.  For ex if I answered your CQ with
N6ZFO but you only heard "FO" you can come back "FO 325 ORAN" and then
I will be sure to send my call again. That usually saves some time.  It works
unless N6ZFO and VE7FO call you at the same time :-) )   OTOH.   . some
ops prefer always to get the calls established before sending any
numerical and county information, and that's perfectly fine if you're not
comfortable with the shorthand version.  Of course if you sent only FO
in your initial response, you would always acknowledge the full call
on completion of the QSO before you initiate your next CQ -- i.e.
 "N6ZFO TU K6GEP Test] 

[But see Note 1 below for a short story about this procedure] 

> and for the exchange
> <CALL> # ORAN BK
> 4.  BK at end or not?

Don't send "BK"; the four-letter county sequence says you are done
and ready to receive the response.  BK is, in effect, redundant.

> Questions: (remember I'm a little pistol)

Fantasize that you are running 1.5 KW and you will do fine
unless you are really, really weak.

73 Bill n6zfo/6  

For CQP: N6ZFO, Tehama county ("TEHA") 
from the Eagle Peak CDF Fire Lookout west of Paskenta, CA.

Note 1.  In the CQP last year, my car quit while returning from the 
pre-contest dinner trip, stranding me in Corning CA, 35 mi from my CQP
site. Sat am I hired a taxi and then hiked in 3 miles, arriving 5 hours 
late.  By then, stations were frantic for Tehama county and the pile-ups 
were huge.  With multiple stations calling at once, you are lucky to hear 
anything, so I would frequently pick out just a tiny piece of the call, 
and send, for ex. xr or W2 etc etc.  Always, on several bands, a certain 
N4 with a very loud signal (he's a well-known op) would answer, no matter
what partial call I asked for, both on SSB and CW.  I refused to 
answer him until no other stations called sometimes making him
wait nine or ten QSO's.   What amazed me is that never gave up, and
he repeated this technique on multiple bands, multiple times.  But
I still think the proper thing to do here is stick to your guns: if you
said K8? and an N4 calls, keep asking for the K8.  Most of the good
DXpedition ops' follow that practice.   I did not have this experience
with any other station in the CQP last year except this N4, whom 
I worked six or seven times.   In spite of the 5-hour late start,
I managed to hold 2nd place LP single op expedition in CA, but
still far behind some guy for some Southern CA club.




> Questions: (remember I'm a little pistol)
> 
> 1. Do I need CA or CQP in there?
> 2. Callsign twice?
> 3. K at the end?
> 
> and for the exchange
> <CALL> # ORAN BK
> 4.  K at end or not?
> 
> Tnx,
> 
> Tim K6GEP
> 
> 
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