Chris et al;
K5ZD has an great tip that it is important to develop a good memory of
contesters, their names and QTH. After more than 20 years of membership in NCCC
(three times president), folks in NCCC and NS know who I am, the fact that I
moved, and where. Also remember that many contesters use history files they
have accumulated over the years. What this is to say is that it isn’t just a
2nd or 3rd QSO issue, but rather one that may occur on any QSO. In fact I saw
most of my issues on the first QSO with the other person.
I’m still working on the memory thing, but I am very happy to have so many
friends, even if it does lead to errors once in a while!
73,
Jack, W6FB
yes, Louisiana!
> On Feb 5, 2024, at 9:00 AM, Chris Plumblee <chris.plumblee@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hello Barry,
>
> The problem that Jack is alluding to is specific to QSO’s on a second and
> third band when you’re running. You really only need the caller’s number; you
> already have their name and state. At one time, unscrupulous ops would copy
> the number and tune away, leaving the report unacknowledged and the person
> who’d inherited the frequency unsure if they should log the QSO or not.
>
> I’ve been a middling sprinter for a little while - the software makes it
> difficult to flub the order of the exchange elements and there are always
> edge cases (Tnx W1NVT and VE7ZO for the sprint QSOs when you weren’t in the
> Sprint, for example). I would not be in favor of mandating the order of the
> exchange because that suggests that you throw out QSOs that weren’t completed
> in the proper order.
>
> For a while, the fashion was to send just a “dit dit” as an acknowledgement.
> Peer pressure has worked to make the standard acknowledgement either “X”
> (“TU” run together) or “R”. It’s still an art to detect whether you got an
> acknowledgement when you have a couple of new, loud callers.
>
> 73,
> Chris W4WF
>
> Chris Plumblee
> 407.494.5155
>
>
> On Mon, Feb 5, 2024 at 8:55 AM Barry Jacobson <bdj@alum.mit.edu
> <mailto:bdj@alum.mit.edu>> wrote:
>> Hi Jack, I don't think Steve's issue is the same as yours. Suppose
>> everybody followed the format as you suggest. There is still a problem. In
>> a normal contest when running, and after getting the caller's info verified
>> correct, you would say TU QRZ W6FB. That let's the previous guy know that
>> you copied him correctly, and let's the next guys know when it's time to
>> jump.
>>
>> In the sprint, you are not allowed to say QRZ without 5 KHz QSY. So how
>> does the responding station know that the CQer copied him correctly and
>> doesn't need a fill just because the responder concluded with his own call.
>> And then if everybody jumps at that point, the caller may not be able to
>> get a fill that he needs. This is what I believe Steve is addressing.
>> Before jumping, one needs to hear from the previous CQer some type of
>> acknowledgement that he copied the responder properly and is finished with
>> QSO. Only then should people jump in.
>>
>> This is how I understand Steve N2IC.
>>
>> Best,
>>
>> Barry WA2VIU
>>
>> --
>> Barry Jacobson
>> WA2VIU
>> bdj@alum.mit.edu <mailto:bdj@alum.mit.edu>
>> @bdj_phd
>>
>> On Mon, Feb 5, 2024, 7:48 AM Jack Brindle via CQ-Contest <
>> cq-contest@contesting.com <mailto:cq-contest@contesting.com>> wrote:
>>
>> > Nice troll, Steve, but I’ll bite.
>> >
>> > There actually is a problem in NA Sprint. It involves the exchange order.
>> > It seems the Sprint format has evolved over the years, and that has been
>> > brought into NA Sprint in the form of “unwritten rules”.
>> >
>> > The NA Sprint rules, for the exchange, state:
>> > "7. Exchange: To have a valid exchange, you must send all of the following
>> > information:
>> > The other station’s call sign, your call sign, a sequential serial number,
>> > your name,
>> > and your location (state, province or country). You may send this
>> > information in any order.
>> > For example:
>> > N6TR K7GM 154 RICK NC
>> > K7GM 122 TREE OR N6TR
>> >
>> > Note that it fully states that either format (or any other) is perfectly
>> > OK. But, in practice, this is not the case. The unwritten rule states that
>> > when you send CQ, you must send the exchange as follows:
>> > N6TR K7GM 154 RICK NC
>> > and when doing the S&P role, your exchange must take the form:
>> > K7GM 122 TREE OR N6TR
>> >
>> > I used the second form for my exchange. Eight very experienced Sprinters
>> > responded over the end of my call, so that I did not hear the beginning of
>> > their transmission, including the serial number. I managed to get a fill
>> > from a few, but the rest will look forward to a NIL.
>> >
>> > One of the rules we push to new contesters is to read the rules before a
>> > contest. In this case the rules lead you astray.
>> >
>> > The SSB Sprint has the same rule, but they also have a tips section that
>> > explains the format you should use for the exchange whether you are running
>> > or S&P. That tips section is referred to in the exchange rule.
>> >
>> > My suggestion is that it is time to take a good look at the NA Sprint
>> > rules and bring them up to date with these new unwritten rules which have
>> > evolved over time. If the order matters (and it is clear that it does),
>> > then the rules should say so!
>> >
>> > Otherwise we have a contest that is very unfriendly to new contestants who
>> > don’t know the unwritten rules. This type of contest will eventually die…
>> >
>> > 73,
>> > Jack, W6FB
>> >
>> > > On Feb 4, 2024, at 5:02 PM, Steve London <n2icarrl@gmail.com
>> > > <mailto:n2icarrl@gmail.com>> wrote:
>> > >
>> > > There's been some grousing about Sprint QSO's not being acked, or the ack
>> > > getting covered by other stations calling.
>> > >
>> > > May I suggest we all use RR73 to ack in the September Sprint ?
>> > >
>> > > 73,
>> > > Steve, N2IC
>> > > _______________________________________________
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>> > > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
>> >
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