Topband: Patience in ARRL 160 Contest -- copying weak ones

[GeorgeWallner]

After spending 12 nights-in-a-row straining to hear and 
assemble thousands of weak calls, I would cautiously agree 
with Herb: if the DX clearly has the prefix, just send the 
missing letters.

Maybe it is mental, maybe something else, but time and 
again I heard clearly (almost loud) the caller's prefix 
and number, just to experience the rest kind of fizzle 
into something weak and incoherent ... This happened so 
many times that I was ready for it, focusing only on the 
suffix, and still many times I could not copy it, while 
the prefix came through (almost) loud and clear. It must 
be that you can "hear" what you know or expect, while it 
is much harder to hear and decode something random. But 
that does not explain the whole thing. How does one get 
the prefix so many times correctly when the suffix just 
fizzles into nothing. I have checked with the other 
operators on PT0S and they had similar experiences.

Perhaps there is some hearing mechanism at work, similar 
to vision; where acuity diminishes with usage...

73,

George


On Tue, 04 Dec 2012 17:54:26 -0400
  Herb Schoenbohm <herbs at vitelcom.net> wrote:
> 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
> 
> 
> On 12/4/2012 9:51 AM, Doug Renwick wrote:
>> 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
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Topband reflector - topband at contesting.com
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
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