Hi List,

Well, don't get me started on this 5/9 business.  How many contests have 
each of you listened to and some DX station or maybe a state side station is 
doing the following:

W2XXX QRZ
W2XXX from w4XXX 5/9
W4XXX from W2XXX 5/9
W4XXX QRZ
W4XXX from W9XXX 5/9
W9XXX from W4XXX 5/9
W4XXX QRZ
W4XXX from W8XXX 5/9
W8XXX from W4XXX 5/9.

You listen to this for about an hour solid and every signal report both ways 
is 5/9.  This contesting technique of saying as little as you can so as to 
'pile up the points' trivializes the whole idea of giving any kind of signal 
report--which should be something we concern ourselves with--since 
contesting is actually supposed to be a type of training for handling 
emergency traffic.

I could go on about this for a while, but I'll close by saying that if one 
gives a signal report, it should be legitimate, not just a formality as in:

Hi Joe; how are you?
fine; and you?
fine.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Webb" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, June 19, 2006 5:52 PM
Subject: signal report, a bit of a rant


Hi folks,

THe question of whether or not the speech synthesizer in the
op's rig could read out signal reports such as five nine
etc. got me thinking about this, and it's one of my pet
peeves.

THere is a reason that the rst system, that's r s and t as
in romeo sierra tango for those of you who's speech synths
don't do kind things to it) is shorthand for readability,
strength and tone.
SO to answer the op's question, nope your speech synth in
your radio can't do that.  ONly you can judge readability,
and tone for a cw signal.  nOW comes the rant part.

I work a lot of guys on the paper chasing frequencies who
never give anybody a readability lesss than five unless the
signal is almost too weak tohear.  I"ll hear a station with
rf feedback up the wazoo and some guy gives him a five nine.
WHat's with that?  HE sounds like something the dog left in
the yard and this dude gives him a 59 report.

HOnest signal reporting is a proud part of the ham radio
tradition.  WE should educate ourselves about what poor
signals indicate about the state of the transmitter in
question.  GIving honest reports that clue the operator on
the other end in about problems is part of what being a good
operator is about.

73 de nf5b




Richard Webb,
Electric Spider Productions,
Eads Tn.


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