lol, very true. I've never heard a contester give worst than a 5/9
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron Canazzi" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, June 19, 2006 3:24 PM
Subject: Re: signal report, a bit of a rant


> 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.
>
>
> Braille:  support true literacy for the blind.
>
>