On 10/2/07, D. Chester <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I don't recall it always being that way. I seem to remember that once upon > a time it was standard procedure to give a real signal report, particularly > for Field Day, and I seem to recall that Sweepstakes used a serial number > that simulated a message preamble and that part of the exchange was the RST. > > But that was in the days when hams built transmitters too... and most phone > was AM.
Yes and no, Don. When I first got involved in amateur radio in the mid/late 70s via a local club, it was through Field Day. Even though they were using a Yaesu FT-101 and Atlas box on SSB, they were still using accurate signal reports then. I know because one of the ops I was logging for late at night decided I was going to operate for a while, despite not being licensed, with him as control op. He took the time to explain the importance of not only prompt exchanges, but also accuracy in the information exchanged, including RST. But then again, he and the others still saw Field Day as an emergency preparedness drill as opposed to yet another contest. Obviously things have changed in 30 years. I also dispute the notion that contesters are great emergency traffic handlers, from first hand experience in many drills as RACES State Director for ten years. The OTs tended to handle themselves pretty well perhaps due to plenty of NTS training, but the newer crowd got flustered easily when traffic/messages started to arrive in rapid succession, and included more than a few, simple groups. They'd either send too fast and need to repeat the message several times or fold and need to 'go get some coffee' etc. I attribute it to the new age contesting approach, where minimal exchanges and numbers are all that matter instead of content and accuracy. They might make good dispatchers for a taxi service, though. Minimal information required and maximum throughput. ~ Todd, KA1KAQ ______________________________________________________________ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:[email protected] To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
