From: Bill Turner <w7ti@ispwest.com>
To: <rtty@contesting.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2003 08:11:52 -0700
On Tue, 10 Jun 2003 09:19:57 -0400, Phil Florig <W9IXX@arrl.net>
wrote:
>I have been mostly chasing DX and have been "up in the air" about using
>the /4. I lets the person know that I am in 4 land but that is about it.
>Most of the time for DX it doesn't matter to the DX station. Problem is
>when the DX calls for the "4's" am I ok to jump in the pile. HI....
>This has caused some problems as one DX station would not work me because
>I jumped in with the /4 and he said I was a 9 and didn't get in the log.
>When he got to the 9's he wouldn't respond to me. (Selective hearing???
HI.)
_________________________________________________________
As you mentioned elsewhere in your post, DXing is a different issue
from contesting. FWIW, I never use the /6 when DXing, ragchewing or
anything but contesting. The FCC says my call sign is W7TI,
regardless of where I am in the US, and that's that.
I have been tempted to use the /6 when a DX station asks for *sixes*,
but so far I've been able to restrain myself. :-)
If the DX station is smart, and working the propogation, then they
should honor the portable designator, since a station that's stroke-4
has the same propogation as the native 4's.
If it's just a control issue, then it's too easy for unscrupulous
DXers to attach a stroked number to jump the queue. It's those people
who make it difficult for the DX station to actually know who is
abusing the system. It's a lot easier to use the simple rule that
ignores propogation. And if you're getting a lot of the unscrupulous,
it's VERY tempting to have selective copy.
I must admit, I'm more likely to work those who operate the way I
like, and less likely to work those who cause problems, even if they
think they're being "smart". For instance, I hate "tail-ending" on
RTTY, because although a few people do it properly, many more do it
badly, and it breaks the rythmn. That means, all other things being
equal, I'll work anyone else before I work a tail-ender. Just my
little attempt at behavior modification.
73, doug
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