Topband: Fw: Patience in ARRL 160 Contest

[Mike & Coreen Smith]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Mike & Coreen Smith
To: topband at contesting.com
Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2012 6:23 PM
Subject: Re: Patience in ARRL 160 Contest


I would have to agree with Herb 100%, in fact, I believe in this past ARRL 
160, Herb got me as "VE9??" and I sent AA AA (maybe I sent AA 3 times, I 
don't recall) and he came right back with VE9AA 5NN etc. and we finished 
very quickly.

If I'm in S&P mode and the running stn sends to me "VE9A?" or "VE9??" I will 
usually reply with "AA AA" or "AA AA VE9AA" or some variation thereof.

If I get a "??" from the running stn, I presume he's confused or doesn't 
hardly hear me at all, then I'll go the "VE9AA VE9AA" route.

I would say in the majority of cases though, "AA AA" or "AA AA VE9AA" works.

If I hear VE8?? sent (which I sometimes do) I'll send my full call only.

I know when I am running and I send "WB1??" and I hear this back:
 "VE9AA VE9AA de WB1ABC WB1ABC" ,  I would've rathern heard "ABC ABC ABC 
ABC" (or just "ABC ABC").  Better use of time and it's only the suffix that 
I needed.

Now, whether that's due to there being so few VE9's in contests and DX 
pileups, "super check partial" SCP, or people actually remembering me 
(gasp!) I don't know, but most guys get me the 2nd time around, QRM/QSB/QRN 
or whatever.

Mike VE9AA
--------------------------
Doung, So many times I just hear the prefix and the suffix drops out or is 
covered by noise. It maybe a mental thing as I have no other explanation 
where the prefix comes through time and time but the suffix is lost. Since I 
know what the correct suffix is, sending only the missing information make 
so much sense and saves valuable time. In such cases sending only the 
missing data is what I would recommend for stations struggling to get in the 
log as the prefix is already confirmed to both of the stations. So many 
times DX-peditions will not get my call correctly and butcher a portion of 
it...like "KV4Z ur 5NN" to which I immediately reply "FZ...FZ...FZ KV4FZ K" 
This procedure works every time especially layers deep in piles up.
Thanks for your remarks,


Herb, KV4FZ

Mike, Coreen & Corey Smith
699 Rte 616 Keswick Ridge
NB
Canada
E6L 1T1