[UK-CONTEST] RST - who needs it?

[Bob Henderson]

Paul

I will happily answer your questions!

> 1.  Do you give "real" reports?  If not, why not?  Isn't RST
>     intended to signify Readability, Signal Strength and Tone?

This depends on the event but as a general rule the answer is No!  Why?
Because the rules don't require me to do so and if I give 5NN everytime then
folks don't need to worry about whether they've read the RST I sent
correctly.  It's also one less thing I need to think about.  I'd rather
spend my time working multipliers on my second radio than worry about what
report to send.  In a serial numbered exchange the computer sorts out the
serial number sent and if I send 5NN everytime it sorts that out too.
Initiating the sending of an alternative RST requires manual intervention.
That's bad for rate and bad for multiplier hunting on radio nr 2.

> 2.  Do you send 599 in full?  If not, why not?

No I don't.  I send 5NN because it takes less time.  The only thing that
prevents me sending ENN is that having weighed the issue, I have so far
concluded the confusion caused outweighs the time saved.  If the use of ENN
becomes more commonplace, I will likely adopt its use.

> 3.  If you send 5NN, is it OK to send this faster than the rest
>     of the exchange.  If so, why?

I do send 5NN and I do send it faster than the information critical part of
the exchange.  Why?  It saves time and the 5NN is merely a header which
warns that the information critical part of the exchange is about to be
sent.  5NN says listen carefully now!

> 4.  Is it OK to send ENN?  If not, why not?

Of course it is OK to send ENN but it's a matter for judgement.  E and N are
valid cut numbers which have been in use in telegraphy at least since WW2.
The judgement required concerns whether the speed advantage of cut numbers
will outweigh the risk of confusion.  Currently, my judgement has me using
cut numbers only for 9=N and 0=T

> 5.  If someone sends you anything other than 599, do you log
>     it, or just leave the 599 the software has already entered?

I log it, even though I know the RST information is unlikely to be cross
checked.  Why?  Because I just like to copy what is sent and I find it
easier to do that rather than decide on the fly what to discard.

> 6.  If it is OK to send ENN, is it OK to send it faster, and to
>     reduce the spacing between letters to save time?  If not,
>     why not?

Do I think it's ok to send it faster.  Yes I do.  Do I think it's ok to
remove the intercharacter spaces and send didahdidahdit?  No I don't.  Why?
Because didahdidahdit means something else entirely.  So doing this has two
things wrong with it.  Firstly, its not an RST exchange so may contravene
the rules.  Secondly, the use of a character with an established and very
different meaning is likely to cause confusion.

>
> I maintain that none of the above options or practices contravenes
> the "rules". Does anyone think otherwise?

With the probable exception of 6, I agree with you.

73  Bob, 5B4AGN