Hi,
I have a few questions regarding ideal CW procedures - for quick SOTA QSOs and for “her majesty”-style, formal, conversational QSOs.
What is the best way to ask the other station to repeat the RST report in case I missed it?
a) Simply "HW?"
b) RST?
c) PSE RST?
d) PSE RPT RPRT
e) PSE RPT RST
f) QRI? QRU? QSA?
I recently had a QSO where the other station did non understand any of those and kept sending detailed CONDX and WX info when I asked for the RST.
Who may/should say “TNX FER UR CALL” at the beginning of a QSO - the station calling CQ, the station answering a CQ call, or both?
What do you use if you hear a weak station answering your CQ that is too weak to be copied?
a) QRJ (“I cannot receive you. Your signals are too weak.”)
b) SRI NIL CPY
Each activator has his own style, you’ll soon settle into a comfortable routine.
RST? or similar should work fine if you need a repeat. You’ll find that a lot of chasers usually give the RST twice or more anyway - the first time you can copy it, the second time you can double check.
RST isn’t needed for the SOTA log, as the saying goes - ‘no one dies’ if you don’t copy your RST. After a while, the common reports 5nn, 55n, 57n really stick in your mind and it becomes almost automatic transferring from CW to the log paper.
Keep it simple. I need to because I’m not very good at CW. RST? is what I send. As Colin says, we all end up with our own style, try to keep consistency in how you call, what you send etc. That way the smart guys will learn your style and know when and how to call you.
Hello Martin:
My answers below in bold.
What is the best way to ask the other station to repeat the RST report in case I missed it?
a) Simply "HW?"
b) RST?
c) PSE RST?
d) PSE RPT RPRT
e) PSE RPT RST
f) QRI? QRU? QSA?
I recently had a QSO where the other station did non understand any of those and kept sending detailed CONDX and WX info when I asked for the RST. Perhaps he was not paying attention or not copying what you were sending and he was just sending with the help of a computer or some morse machine his recorded messages one after the other.
Who may/should say “TNX FER UR CALL” at the beginning of a QSO - the station calling CQ, the station answering a CQ call, or both? If I call CQ I respond to the ham who called me TNX FER CALL but, when I respond to someone’s CQ, he usually comes back to me with a signal report and so I say to him TNX FER RPRT.
What do you use if you hear a weak station answering your CQ that is too weak to be copied?
a) QRJ (“I cannot receive you. Your signals are too weak.”)
b) SRI NIL CPY I usually say SRY TOO WEAK. CANT CPY. 73