[UK-CONTEST] Redundant contest reports? (SSB CC (and other 80m contests))

[Stewart Rolfe]

>>----- Original Message ----- 
>>From: <g3ory at lineone.net>

>> I found that I missed the 5NN/59 as a lead in to the serial
>> number  in the 80m Sprint last autumn.  Maybe there is someone
>> else out there who missed it too.  I expect he is a G3 as well.....

>When you don't expect to hear 5NN, you don't miss it. Of course,
>for as long as you're not used to contest exchanges without
>reports, you might miss them.

>73,
>Paul EI5DI

More to the point surely is the fact that 59/5NN (as against true reports) is redundant information, adds to the general inefficiency of the contest exchange and should be left out. It also adds to the criticisms contest bashers use in their diatribes....

I'm sure the human brain, or at least mine, does become conditioned to listen for the 5NN etc and I'm almost certainly still 'waiting' for it in classic contests. By now however I find the Sprint style completely natural and would probably have to double take if I actually did receive any sort of lead-in report.

Time to ditch it? (or go back to true reports?)

73,

Stewart Rolfe, GW0ETF
(A 60+ something G0 of little brain...)