Topband: Chat Room Confirmation

[N1BUG]

Roger D Johnson wrote:
> Over the years I have developed my own criteria for what
> constitutes a valid contact:
> 
> 1. I MUST copy the call of the DX station off the air. Not from
> packet or a chat room.
> 
> 2. I MUST copy my signal report off air.
> 
> 3. I MUST hear the DX station roger my report.
> 
> I will admit to slippage on item 3. many DX stations do not
> confirm the report but just go on to the next station.

That is essentially the same set of rules I use.  I also MUST hear 
my call fully and correctly from the DX, but that is implied in
your criteria since that is how you know the report was for you.

I lost a new one earlier this season because I did not hear my
call correctly sent by the DX.  He had the last letter wrong.
Running out of time in rapid QSB at or after sunrise, I risked
sending my call and report in one transmission. He sent my call
again after to confirm, but QSB took out part of the one letter he
had wrong previously, so I could not be sure he corrected it.
Apparently he did, since I appeared in the online log. However for
me it was not a valid QSO.

You may recall that morning Roger. While people were congratulating 
me on the chat I commented I wasn't sure. I even reviewed my audio 
recording but could not verify the one letter in question there 
either. Reviewing recorded audio after the fact is a "gray area" for 
me. Technically it's a cheat, though I will admit on a few occasions 
when I reviewed the audio and became sure of a detail (usually 
correctness of my call) I have kept the contact in the log.  I will 
NEVER process saved audio to recover a detail. I only use it as is 
to review if I am not positive on correctness of my call. I would be 
interested in how others view this.

> What do you all think about people who have spent time on both
> coasts and are allowed to count QSOs from both! I find this
> manifestly unfair, especially on the low bands, and think there
> should be some distance limit on how far one can move and still
> count the DX contacts.

I completely agree.

73,
Paul N1BUG