Topband: Patience in ARRL 160 Contest

[Doug Renwick]

When a cw station asks for a fill I send my COMPLETE callsign.  Why?

a) My memory keyer or logging program has my full callsign, no partial
callsign.  I don't use the hand keyer just in case I have 'dead' fingers and
make a mistake.

b) It allows the other station to focus on my signal when other stations are
calling at the same time near or on my frequency.

c) It makes sure that the correct suffix is added to the prefix.

d) It confirms my prefix if part of it is copied incorrectly. 

Patience is  needed when ones signal is subject to 160m QSB.  Sri Herb, I
fully disagree.

Doug


-----Original Message-----

I worked a whole bunch of Europeans in the 160 meter contest along with 
UA9's and even 4Z1UF who had a good signal. My pet peeve is that when I 
hear only a weaker stations prefix but miss the suffix and ask for a 
repeat and request for example "HB9 ?  AGN"  all I hear is the prefix 
before the suffix is in the noise.  The station knows i have the correct 
prefix and number but how do I get them just to send the missing portion 
which is crucial to completing the QSO?  Even if I send HB9??? they 
return with de HB9### and the process repeats.  If in such circumstances 
once the calling station realizes I have the correct prefix all they 
need do is send the two or three letters of the suffix several times.  
Resending the prefix is not helpful in high noise or qrm situation.  I 
have tried SFX? SFX? but many stations are confused by that and keep 
sending their whole call. So here is my advice in just difficult 
circumstance:

Do *not* repeat your whole call if the other station has the correct 
prefix and all they need is the remaining portion.  I just wish more 
stations on TB would do this as it would enable them getting in the log 
correctly and save time.  Time length of an opening to some parts of the 
world is everything in a crowded contest.  Why waste it?

73,

Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ