[SESprint] Latest List of Participants

[John Laney]

Hello fellow Southern Sprinters:

One of my recurring themes lately is how important QSK is to the 
contester.  Until about 2 years ago, I was using since the early 1990s 
amps that didn't allow for QSK.  I had used a Tentec Titan for about 10 
years in the 80s and early 90s.  But, I forgot in the ensuing years how 
important QSK is.  During that interim time, I was often frustrated in 
CW Sprints by finishing an exchange after I had called a station only to 
hear nothing.  No acknowledgement, not even a dit.

It hit me this weekend what had been happening.  Some of those guys I 
had delted from my log in frustration over not knowing whether they had 
copied the exchange or just lost me.  Now, with QSK, I realize that they 
had sent their TU or dit or whatever after they got the information from 
me that they wanted and before I could send my call at the end.  As you 
know, the preferred technique for a station answering a CQ is the other 
guy's call first and, required by the rules, your own call at the end. 
With QSK, I heard over and over this weekend, as I sent my call, the CQ 
station sending his acknowledgement as I began to send my call.  Most of 
them then sent a TU again when they realized what they had done, but 
some of them were gone, but I had heard the acknowledgement because of 
QSK.  Without QSK, I would have been without a clue.

OK, I know it is distracting somewhat with SO2R and I don't have a good 
answer to that, so you SO2R guys can work on that some way.

By the way, one of our SSC team members, maybe new to serious Sprint 
work, but not new to contesting, was consistently violating the rules of 
the contest by not sending both calls during the exchange.  If he called 
someone, he sent only his call and, if someone answered him, he sent 
only their call.  That was really confusing to me and resulted in my 
calling him several times out of sequence for a QSO.  I finally worked 
him, for a multiplier no less, but I hope he will read this and comply 
with the rules in the future.

Hope everyone had fun in the Sprint.  I will probably miss the SSB 
event.  It isn't nearly as much fun as CW and we plan to attend a 
wedding and reception that night (as well as there being a competing 
event for some on CW).

Oh, yes, I haven't posted my score here yet.  It was rather 
disappointing.  Everything worked well except the operator.  Guess I was 
all tired out after watching KU8E do so much antenna work for me.

Band  QSOs
20      55
40     111
80     121

ALL    287 x 48 = 13,776  HP 4 hrs  SSC#1.  (I gave the band breakdown 
from memory and it might not be perfect, but I think it is.  I posted it 
properly to 3830.)

73,,


John, K4BAI.