[UK-CONTEST] Signal reports in RSGB Contests

[Don Field]

Given some of the recent correspondence on here about signal reports in
contets, we (the RSGB Contest Cttee) felt it would be helpful to state our
position (you are not, of course, required to agree with it!).

Our view is that the majority of contesters continue to feel comfortable
with sending RS(T) as part of the contest exchange and, on that basis, we
have no intention of removing the requirement where it exists in the contest
rules.

While we recognise that most entrants will send 59(9) it should not be
assumed that no checking of signal report takes place. It has certainly been
the case that it wasn't checked for all our events, but our view is that we
should make the effort in order to encourage proper attention to the
received exchange and to discourage shortcuts (there have been reports that
some entrants may be omitting this part of the exchange entirely). Where
appropriate, the same penalties will be applied as with other parts of the
exchange (serial, region, etc.).

This has always been the case for RSGB VHF contests and for some, but not
all, of the HF events. The software we are now using makes it practicable
for all events so expect, with immediate effect, that RS(T) will be checked
along with the rest of the contest exchange. This does, of course, mean that
if you send anything other than 59(9) it behoves you to ensure that the
submitted log shows what was sent, so that the other party to the QSO is not
penalised for logging the 597 or whatever that you sent him (yes, there were
a few of those old-fashioned chirpy signals QRV in CQ WPX this weekend!).

Don G3XTT
Contest Committee Chairman