[UK-CONTEST] CQ WW 160M CW

[David G3YYD]

Due to various other commitments I was only able to do the last couple 
of hours.

One thing I found was using a short contest call, M7T, that about 15% of 
the people I called could not get their head round a call that is only 3 
characters long. They felt that letters were missing even after they had 
copied the M7T perfectly. Lots of M7T? even after a double repeat. I 
found turning the keyer down to 18 WPM from usual 27 to 30 WPM got the 
point across - I did this after I had previously sent R 5NN14 in reply 
to there M7T? 5NNZZ.

I note that England is one of very few countries that has a prefix 
enabling use of a 3 character call. Most countries minimum call length 
is 4 as per the other UK countries.

I am seriously wondering if it is just as "good" to use my normal call 
rather than an SCC. Or may be I should have gone for a GnX call rather 
than a MnX call. I would like to know what others have experienced in 
this regard.

I suspect a better alternative for England would be a GnXX call but you 
need to know the right people as well as being very persuasive to get 
one of those.

I would welcome comments from others experience of using a 3 character 
or a 4 character call.

73 David G3YYD