7 Reasons You [probably] Should Not Call Me - Part 1

 

Because radio amateurs utilize a shared frequency spectrum, during radiosport weekends when
I make a "CQ Contest" call, other hams (often BORED out of their Minds) will call-in, looking for attention; which may or may not be the correct thing to do.  In all too many cases, if they had read
the contest rules (who does THAT anymore?) they would have known that working me offers no
QSO credit in that particular contest event.

You too may also be wondering when it is appropriate to call me during a radiosport event. 
To assist your understanding in this, here is my list of times YOU  SHOULD NOT CALL ME;
when to actually call me you can then deduce for yourself.

This first point should actually be a "no-brainer", and it often isn't.

When I am calling "CQ JA" or "CQ EU", what part of that call actually indicates that I am looking for calling stations residing in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Texas or Louisiana?



If I am not calling for you, then please do not call me.  If you don't know what "JA" or "EU" means, then, YOU SHOULD NOT CALL ME.

Here is another no brainer:
If I am having trouble deciphering a callsign
and send something like "KX6?", if your callsign
is WB4XYZ, then, YOU SHOULD NOT CALL ME.

You may be louder than the KX6 station, covering him up, making me send "KX6? AGN?".  This wastes everyone's time.

If you don't know what I mean when I send "KX6?", then, YOU SHOULD NOT CALL ME.

What part of "KX6" sounds like "WB4XYZ"?
Am I missing something?

If I send "CQ SS" and
you don't know what the "SS" means, then, YOU SHOULD NOT
CALL ME.

In this November contest event, I DO NOT want a signal report and I DON'T CARE what your name is. 

If you have read the Sweepstakes rules, then you know EXACTLY the six pieces of information I am expecting; if not, ask.  Otherwise, DO NOT
CALL ME.

If you hear me calling "CQ California QSO Party" (or "CQ CQP") and you are looking for a 20 minute ragchew, then, YOU SHOULD NOT CALL ME.

If you have read the CQP rules, then you know that what I am looking for is a QSO # and what State/Province you are located in - that is all I need and want. 

I could care less how much power you are running, what kind of antenna you are feeding into, what the weather is like, what you had for dinner, or what kind of beagle dog you have.

I may be interested in those things AFTER the contest, but for now, if you can't give me the required CQP information, then, DO NOT
CALL ME.

If I am making a typical "CQ CONTEST" call and you are simply looking for a signal report to verify your LOUDENBOOMER amplifier or the 12-element Signal-Pumper antenna are doing their job, unless you are willing to give me a proper contest exchange, then,
DO NOT CALL ME.
As it is, even if I DO send you "5-9-9" or "5-9" as part of the contest exchange, you may really only be S-2".  If you want a REAL signal report, catch me AFTER the contest.

If I am in the middle of making a contest exchange with ANOTHER station and I miss a piece of sent information, I may well send "AGN?  AGN?" until I receive
the information I need.

This is NoT the time to send
your "KB6LID" callsign.  This is the time for YOU to STFU and give me a clear frequency to complete the current QSO. 

Then (and only then) should you send your callsign; assuming you know what the contest rules are, FIRST.

If you do not know the contest rules, then, YOU SHOULD NOT CALL ME - read the contest rules first and THEN call me when you know how the game is played.

Sometimes things can get so out of hand on a run frequency that I end up sending "QRX!" many times until everybody listens and agrees to STFU while I regain my sanity and begin the frequency run all over again.

At other times LID operators will start calling CQ on my run frequency; had they been listening first they would know that THE FREQUENCY is IN USE.  Correct me if I am wrong, but this is why we should ALWAYS listen before we transmit.  When idiots like this attempt to move-in on my operation
I use the F-11 key to send "QRL QSY" again and again.  If they persist, then I send "KU6LID QRL QSY".

Bottom-line, if you are not sure whether or not you should call me, then most likely, YOU SHOULD NOT CALL ME; it's really as simple as that.  If you follow the edict of always listening before you transmit, then you will ALWAYS know whether or not calling me is the right thing to do.

What part of the above do you NoT understand?

If you have any questions about this, let me know.

"7  3"
C U in the next contest.