SOTA CW shorthand / shortcuts

On the Bands Operating Procedures
1

I’ve noted some variations in the activator/chaser script. What I have used:
Chaser: N6XXX (them)
Me: N6XXX DE W7MDN, GM “XXXX”, UR 449 44N, CA BK
Chaser: BK UR 339 33N CA BK
Me: BK R R TU 72 E E

I’ve heard many versions of this. I’ve always confirmed the QSO by beginning with N6XXX (them) DE W7MDN (me) but not everyone does this. I’ve also heard QSOs where the chaser never actually sends my call, just a signal report, TU 73 E E. And chasers in a hurry send my sig once, 73 and are gone without checking to receive a confirmation. I’ve got more than few missed QSOs where I got a 55N from someone but never heard their call clearly. I very much appreciate chasers who remain to confirm I got their call correctly or at all.

I’m curious to hear what shorthand or shortcuts are out there. Is sending their call DE my call an extra unneeded step? What is the preferred operating practice to ensure both sides get a full QSO with confirmation?

TU 72 E E

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2

This question (more or less) has come up before. I try to end each QSO in the same way so that chasers in a pile-up patiently waiting for their turn don’t feel the need to ‘tail end’ the current QSO. Here’s what I do …

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3

I typically omit “de my callsign” at the beginning of the QSO because I just called a CQ a moment ago and anyone watching for a minute or two would know who I am. I also often drop BK, especially at the beginning of the transmit. I would drop other non-essential words when there is a pileup. I would resume a bit more polite messages when the pileup clears.

The quicker I can clear the pileup, the more likely I can pick up S2S calls. This is even more true when I am double activating POTA.

I also do not send “R” unless there was a longer or important message, but in that case I’m more likely to reciprocate with my info or repeat the message to let them know what I copied.

I also send “C” as the affirmative response, not “R.” R only means received, not affirmative.

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4

Matt,
There are endless variations of the SOTA CW exchange, as previously discussed here. Use whatever you are comfortable with.

For example, I give my callsign at the start and end of each QSO at about 20 WPM. From the unique viewpoint of an s2s hunter who sometimes does not have access to the on-line spots, I have often listened to a pile for 3 minutes before hearing the activator’s callsign !!

Any chaser who happens upon my pile knows almost immediately who I am. In my opinion, SOTA is an awards program measured by successful exchanges rather than by contest or DX run rates. Others are entitled to their opinion.

Stay well & 73!
Mike WB2FUV

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5

As a DXer and contester I think it is instructive to listen to well managed DXpedition pileups and to CW contests. In these events speed and accuracy are essential. The minimum amount of information is sent, clearly and unambiguously. The same applies when dealing with a large number of chasers as a SOTA activator.

What is the essential information for a valid QSO?

Activator: Chaser’s callsign, your report and SOTA reference.
Chaser: Your callsign and report

That’s it. Everything else is slowing down the QSO rate and is inconsiderate when there are other chasers patiently waiting for a QSO.

A fast, efficient SOTA QSO might therefore proceed as follows:

Activator: TU G3WGV (the end of the previous QSO)
Chasers: Send full callsign once, then listen. Repeat… until
Activator: XX1XYZ 599 LD012
XX1XYZ: 599 TU
Activator: TU G3WGV

There is no need for chasers to ever send the activator’s callsign: he knows his callsign already and will quite reasonably assume that if you’re in his pileup then you are calling him!

Similarly there is no need for the activator to send his callsign as part of the exchange because the chaser already knows it. The activator should give his callsign at the end of every QSO, so chasers tuning into the pileup are not left guessing who it belongs to for more than a few seconds.

Consistency is important: use the same QSO format for every QSO, so the chasers know what to expect and when to call. As an activator you are in charge of and responsible for your pileup, so of course you are entirely at liberty to add in more information, e.g. your name, QTH, inside leg measurement and so on. In so doing you need to recognise that this is slowing down the QSO rate and may be reducing the possibility of other chasers getting their QSO in the log before you have to go QRT.

Chasers can also help to speed up the QSO rate. Never ever, under any circumstances call while the activator is working someone else or has called a partial, e.g. 3WG?, unless your callsign contains those characters. This is known as calling out of turn. It is bad manners, poor operating practice and it slows the QSO rate down considerably.

The DX Code of Conduct is an excellent, succinct guide that is as applicable to SOTA as it is to DXing.

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6

SOTA isn’t the same as a DXpedition or contest. Although we get pile ups they are usually short lived, so there is time for a few pleasantries such as GM JOHN and 73 at the end. I also think the activator should end his over with BK. They are often weak and this makes it much easier to know it is your turn to send - after all he might be sending his inside leg measurement.

The problem is that SOTA activators are often weak and the chasers can’t hear everything. Of course you shouldn’t send if you can’t hear, but often QSB takes an activator right down into the noise.

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7

Very true but the pileups, whilst short can be quite intense and time on the summit is usually limited so it is useful to know how to maximise QSO rate when it is necessary.

Yes, this happens in DXing and contests too. The occasional out-of-turn caller is inevitable for these reasons but that should not mean that it is a free-for-all where chasers call incessantly regardless of who the activator is working.

Even in contests I will often go back to someone that I know with his name if rates are slow, though I do stop short of discussing my anatomical attributes(!). The original question was about shortcuts/shorthand. Contests and DXing provide a useful insight into current operating practices.

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8

I wholeheartedly agree. One of the things I love with CW is the peculiarities of the “language”. Even in a pileup, I enjoy the activators throwing my firstname, a “QSL” or “FB” here and there.

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9

Why bother send the RST twice? Its not needed anyway. And numbers are clearer than letters to read and you know the last one is going to be N or 9 anyway.

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10

As an activator I don’t know yet how well I am being received by the chaser so I send his report twice in case I am weak. I regularly receive 229 or 339 so this is often the case.

It’s useful information. I like to know how well my signal is getting about, whether I am activating or chasing (which is often S2S). Plus to be a complete QSO we need to exchange reports.

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11

to be a complete QSO we need to exchange reports.
[/quote]

Oh yes, I forgot that bit. :saluting_face:

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12

Just to be clear the reports are not needed for the uploaded SOTA log. I make a mental note of reports to judge conditions and my choice of antenna. But I stopped including them in the log years ago when I realized I never referred to them again.

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13

In addition to the above point, I sometimes send the RST twice to give myself a moment to breathe!

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14

FWIW my CW activating procedure is almost identical to John @G3WGV 's, and for the very reasons he gives. Occasionally I do add in the superfluous pleasantries, but my usual and unashamed objective is to make as many QSOs as possible. Therefore I tend to be fairly concise.

The best chasers know how to “read the room”. If an activator is running down a big pile-up contest style, then they send their callsign once, report, and acknowledgement (“TU”) and that’s it. If the activator is going at a leisurely pace on a quiet frequency and exchanging 2 or 3 “conversational” overs, then the good chasers might do likewise.

The most annoying thing I encounter these days is chasers who can’t hear me, and therefore assume there’s no activity on the frequency. And so they call incessantly, usually with a bit of protracted waffle - and effectively QRM the QSOs that are actually taking place! Oh, and another one that seems to be getting more common of late - I give the chaser their report. They say “Thank you for the 5 and x” - but they’ve got their report wrong. But they QSY immediately before you’ve even said “No, your report is…”. So they’ve gone before acknowledgement, and the QSO is not complete.

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15

Speaking as a chaser who frequently gives out 319 reports, I can confirm this is generally a helpful practice if you are a QRP activator working distant stations (or otherwise expect you may be heard with difficulty).

So is giving the chaser’s call sign twice, not only in case of weak signals but, unfortunately also due to unruly chasers who are calling out of turn.

If I’m giving a 3XX report or 4XX report without having asked for a repeat, often it is because the activator preemptively sent my call and/or report twice, and I was able to piece together what I heard from the repetitions.

With that said, I don’t mind asking for a repeat if I need one.

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16

When a [CW] chaser interrupts my current QSO with another chaser, it’s either he can’t hear the current chaser [but that’s no excuse for his selfish behaviour] or – even worse – he can’t even hear me properly [he’s probably seen my spot] but proceeds to have a single-over all inclusive ‘phantom’ [often QRO] QSO with me so he can ‘bag’ the summit / get a unique / etc. In this situation, I ignore him and send the current chaser’s callsign on each over to make it clear I’m not in QSO with the intruder. He will certainly log the non-existent QSO anyway.

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17

Never heard anyone in Europe exchange anything but report, summit-reference if S2S, 73, GL.Exchanging the country or state or grid isn’t really important imho, as one can look that up via the reference information.

So there are a gazillion type of exchanges. Use the format you like best.

73, Martin PE1EEC

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18

It’s something quite a few of my US chaser do now in 2023/4 that was less common when I was first having regular cross Atlantic QSOs 12 years back. I guess I always knew where Rich N4EX was located so he never had to. But I like it when US chasers tag their state on the end as it gives a lot of context to me.

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19

I appreciate that too. It gave me a thrill the first time I was sent CA. Although it’s great to see it on the map when you upload your log back at home you can’t beat the buzz in the field.

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20

I’ve noticed this as well and I think the reason is that these days one can no longer tell where a US station is by the area number part of the callsign. This results in some real nonsense, with callsigns that should be in Alaska or Hawaii turning up in Florida, for example. A seriously retrograde step that causes significant problems to logging programs, etc.

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