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ANSWERING A CQ IN CW

May 22nd 2016, 17:42

N3JNX

Joined: Apr 4th 1998, 00:00
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
I heard a fellow calling CQ in CW yesterday so I zero-beated with him and gave my callsign once, maybe twice. He gave me a rude remark so I went elsewhere on the band. This morning he sent me a scathing e-mail stating that I should have sent his call 2 or 3 times, then give my call 2 or 3 times. He was so mad at what I did that I'm now wondering if he is just a jerk or was I wrong. Should I answer a CQ by giving his call a few times, then my call? This was not during a contest, just a random CQ. Thank you.
May 23rd 2016, 13:08

aa6e

Joined: Apr 4th 1998, 00:00
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
His response seems rude and inappropriate, so don't take it too seriously. Some (few) folks are like that, but this kind of thing is pretty rare on CW, in my experience.

On the other hand, just giving your callsign in response to a CQ is pretty informal. It's common when you're trying to break through a pile-up to some rare DX station, but I'd say that the traditional hiscall DE yourcall K is more common - with the callsigns repeated once or twice.

This depends on operating conditions. If the bands are empty and you're responding to an S9 signal, you may not need the repeats. But a repeat is a courtesy for operators whose CW skills or whose noise or QRM situation might be worse than yours. I.e. you can't always expect the other guy to get your callsign on one try.

73 Martin AA6E
May 24th 2016, 00:12

N3JNX

Joined: Apr 4th 1998, 00:00
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
Martin, Thank you for your response. The other fellow emphasized that I should have sent his call 2 or 3 times followed by DE my call 2 or 3 times. It would have been very in-appropriate for me to have posted his e-mail reply to me but I chose not to do that. He insinuated that he was "Not Contesting" and to move along. I was very taken aback by this. Ok then, in the future when I an responding to a CW CQ, I will give the other Ham's call twice followed by DE my call twice. Your final opinion on this ??? Thank you and 73's Joe N3JNX
May 24th 2016, 20:32

AI4BJ

Joined: Sep 2nd 2003, 12:14
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
It's perfectly normal to simply send your call sign once or twice when responding to a CQ. If he comes back to you, then you should send his call sign, since he will want confirmation that you copied it correctly.

If somebody sends me their call sign multiple times at the beginning of a QSO, I am going to assume that I copied it incorrectly and that he is attempting to correct me.

73 Mark AI4BJ
May 25th 2016, 00:05

N3JNX

Joined: Apr 4th 1998, 00:00
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
Thank you both Mark and Martin for your insights to this. 73's N3JNX

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