The Stew is excellent in cross checking by using the grid for distance measurements and qualifying rankings in the results. Unfortunately the grid is found on QRZ.Com. A contest to separate the men from the boys would be the grid plus serial number or age of the operator. But it’s all mostly for fun and a challenge. My point is the RST is indicative of nothing anymore. Val Sent from my iPad
> On Dec 8, 2025, at 7:12 PM, Hugh Valentine <[email protected]> wrote: > > If 99.9% of all signal reports sent are 599, what is that good for? > A contest QSO at minimum should contain a serial number to cross check > Signal reports are not genuine anymore and are as significant as teats on a > boar hog. > Replace the abused and insignificant 599 with a serial number when a contest > is established. > N4RJ > > Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef> > ________________________________ > From: Topband <[email protected]> on behalf > of Tree <[email protected]> > Sent: Monday, December 8, 2025 6:28:31 PM > To: Wes Stewart <[email protected]> > Cc: [email protected] <[email protected]>; [email protected] > <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: Topband: ARRL 160 comments > > There were indeed a couple of stations not sending the RST. I won't name > them here. > > I don't believe any of them were contenders, so more likely, they just > thought it was a good idea or didn't know. If I worked someone who only > gave me their section, I might send them a note after the contest letting > them know. We certainly don't want this to become widespread. > > EXCEPT for the Stew Perry Topband Distance Challenge. Originally, RSTs > were optional and some people sent them and some didn't. We eventually > eliminated them as the grid square was hard enough to copy. Mark your > calendars for December 27th - December 28th. Starts at (let me see if I > can get this right) 1500Z and goes for 24 hours. Full rules and previous > results are here - http://kkn.net/stew/<http://kkn.net/stew/> > > 73 Tree N6TR / K7RAT > >> On Mon, Dec 8, 2025 at 2:07 PM Wes Stewart via Topband < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >> From the published rules: >> "Exchange: W/VE stations send a signal report and their ARRL/RAC Section. >> DX stations send a signalreport." >> Seems to me that anyone not sending a report isn't making any contacts. >> Wes N7WS >> >> >> On Monday, December 8, 2025 at 03:00:31 PM MST, [email protected] < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Another trend I noted was people not sending the 599. Several were just >> sending their section. >> The "599" is a place filler in the exchange, but not sending it seemed >> to slow things down." >> >> I noticed that too. Other OPs are expecting a certain sequence in the >> exchange >> and if that's disrupted then it may cause a problem. Especially if >> signal strength >> is marginal. >> >> Charlie, N0TT >> >> On Mon, 8 Dec 2025 15:36:26 +0000 jon jones <[email protected]> writes: >>> I missed K7RAT despite looking... I had put up a ¼ wave wire in tall >>> trees on our farm north of Lawrence. It worked really well. It came >>> down last week in the snow storm. So to hand out a few Qs used >>> the rain gutter on our home again. >>> >>> Despite a minimal antenna and my old TS-850 at 50 watts, worked many >>> people "S & P" including PJ2T and KP4AA. And Don, WD8DSB — thanks! >>> >>> Conditions seemed down Friday night with east coast stations weak >>> and unworkable. Better Saturday evening and worked many W2, W3s and >>> K1KI CT. Copied several W6 but no luck. N7EPD WWA strong but didn't >>> copy me. High K index didn't help. >>> >>> Tree has a point with the exchange issue and timing. Sending the >>> other station's call helps. Another trend I noted was people not >>> sending the 599. Several were just sending their section. The "599" >>> is a place filler in the exchange, but not sending it seemed to slow >>> things down. >>> >>> >>> * >>> Jon N0JK >>> >>> ________________________________ >>> >>>> Conditions have not been so good - although I did manage some East >>> Coast >>> QSOs around midnight local time. >>> >>> One or two QSOs didn't make it into the log for a reason I would >>> like to >>> share. When the band is open to Europe for the East Coast, it is >>> common >>> for us West Coast people to end up on their frequency as it is >>> totally >>> clear on this end. If an East Coast station sends their call sign - >>> but >>> totally out of sync, we pretty much know what is happening. >>> However, if >>> the timing is good - then we can feel confident that they are >>> working us. >>> >>> However, when I am low power - it is hard for the East coast station >>> to >>> hear me - add in some QSB - and thus the timing might get messed up. >>> I had >>> this happen last night (calls changed to protect the guilty): >>> >>> CQ TEST K7RAT >>> K3ZO >>> K3ZO 5NN OR >>> <nothing> >>> K3ZO 5NN OR >>> <nothing> >>> K3ZO 5NN OR >>> <them sending the exchange but out of sync> >>> <K3ZO 5NN OR> >>> K3ZO 5NN MDC >>> <nothing> >>> >>> At no time during this am I feeling very confident that I am the one >>> being >>> worked. Instead of sending K3ZO again - which I already have - >>> sending >>> K7RAT once would really help me understand what is happening. >>> >>> Food for thought. Again - if the QSO is well timed, this isn't >>> necessary - >>> but if things are difficult due to QSB, sending the "other" guy's >>> call when >>> S&Ping really helps. >>> >>> Thanks for reading. >>> >>> Tree N6TR / K7RAT >>> >>> _________________ >>> Searchable Archives: >>> http://www.contesting.com/_topband<http://www.contesting.com/_topband> - >>> Topband >>> Reflector >>> >> _________________ >> Searchable Archives: >> http://www.contesting.com/_topband<http://www.contesting.com/_topband> - >> Topband >> Reflector >> >> _________________ >> Searchable Archives: >> http://www.contesting.com/_topband<http://www.contesting.com/_topband> - >> Topband >> Reflector >> > _________________ > Searchable Archives: > http://www.contesting.com/_topband<http://www.contesting.com/_topband> - > Topband Reflector > _________________ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _________________ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
