[UK-CONTEST] 5NN etc

[Ken Eastty]

 >I worked 50 stations in the ARRL DX contest the other weekend
>  and didn't send a single report, not a single station queried RST?


You shouldn't do that - you will confuse novice contesters,
and it gives you an unfair advantage over everyone else who
sends, receives and logs 59 or 5NN in every QSO.

Even experienced contesters need something to let them
know that the important part of the exchange is coming
next, and 59 or 5NN does that nicely.

If it's in the rules, you must do it.  It's part of our
contesting heritage and culture, a legacy from the last
century :-)

73,
Paul EI5DI

Paul,

I disagree that it's part of our contesting heritage and culture at 
least it wasn't when I started contesting, I have many logs from NFD 
etc. where real reports were given, we know that it's only the advent of 
logging programs that have given rise to the 5NN nonsense. In any case 
it couldn't have given me an 'unfair' advantage as I was only giving a 
few points away with no intention of entering the contest, everyone that 
I worked seemed quite happy with that.I  had a few QSO's in the ARRL 
even this weekend, again I only sent my power, no one seemed to care.

The need (or lack of) sending 5NN as a clue that the serial is coming 
next has already been discussed. I have no problem with sending a 'real' 
report if that's what someone wants I just don't see the point in 
receiving 5NN or 59 which has already been automatically logged & then 
being asked for repeats because my signal is really 4/3.

Perhaps the logging programs should read the RX 'S' reading which is 
accessible on most transceivers and send that, so what if it makes the 
exchange a bit more of a challenge, isn't that what contests are 
supposed to be about? It would be very interesting to see what real 
signal levels were being received by others from some of the 'big guns' 
on the continent YT....was S9+50 on 20m, about the same strength as some 
of the BC stations down on 13 MHz how do they do that?

If you want to discuss the topic of 'unfair' advantage we'll end up 
discussing the use of QRO amplifiers again, there's still a complete 
lack of transparency when it comes to equipment used. I still wonder why 
it is that some contesters are so shy when it comes to admitting 
amplifiers they are using (you know who you are....). It's sad that some 
very competent operators apparently find  the need to resort to QRO.
You might also say that the use of 1x1 callsigns or 'vanity' 1x2 
callsigns also gives an unfair advantage.

73....

Ken

G3LVP