[DX] RE: [dx-list] last 2 and CW

[Danny Douglas]

Im sorry, I really dont know why some folks have such a terror of hearing 
last two calls.  If you listen to a pile-up and can hear the DX, as well as 
those calling, you will quite often hear someone (for instance N7DC) giving 
their full call.  Then you might hear the DX station saying "DC? go 
ahead".    Possibly the pile was all talking at the beginning, and cleared 
up just in time for the DX to heard "DC".  Thats all of the call the DX 
heard.  Is he suppose to ignore it?  What this does, to others listening, 
is tell the group that its ok to use the "last two" becaue the DX just 
responded to someone they thought did just that.   Its easy to jump to 
conclusions and assume its ok with the DX station, until he says something 
about full calls only, or like the 9K station, works em, then doesnt log 
the contact.  If you are the DX, and dont want last two- dont respond to 
them, but do be courteous enough to say you want full calls only.

While we are discussing this, I would bring up another point that gripes me 
and that is the DX station who says he is listening up 3, and then listens 
from 3 up to infinity.  If you want to listen to a particular frequency , 
up 3 is fine.  But, dont listen up 6.   If you want callers to call up 3 to 
6 kc, say so.  The ones that really dont make any sense at all are those 
who say something to the effect "up 5 to 15".  He then starts up 5 , calls 
someone there, then moves 100 cy up and calls the next one, then up 100 and 
calls the next.  Within moments, everyone knows his listening pattern, and 
lo and behold EVERYONE suddenly appears up 100 cy from the last QSO. Then 
up 100 for the next, all the way up to the top of his listening bracket, 
and then back down 100 cy at a time.   What good does operating this way 
do?  Got me.  If he wants a pile up on one freq, thats the way to do it, 
but then why not just say up 5 and pick out the strongest one there each 
time?  This type of operation just uses up excess bandwidth for his so 
called "listening freqs" and no one else can use the freqs because the 
group moves in and out , causing QRM over the entire bandspread.  How do 
you avoid these pile-ups?  Quit using this silly method of regularity.  An 
example:   Say your listening up 5 to 15.  Then do exactly that.  Call 
someone up 8, then up 3, up 14, up 2.   Keep the callers guessing, and they 
will finally spread out, up and down your listening freqs, and they will be 
much easier to pick out.  After all, that IS the reason for split 
operation, as far as the DX station is concerned.  You will be able to 
select out even the weaker, and rarer stations as well, and have a lot more 
fun doing so.  Its even fun to insure the callers ARE listening and hearing 
you:  Simply tell them what freq you are going to listen to next.  Up 4, 
Down 2 etc.  There will be a few on each freq; Those who were listening and 
hearing you.  The rest, well they are just yellers anyway. By the way, DX 
stations PLEASE give your call, EVERY QSO, its not only usually the law, 
but its the polite way to operate.   Its always amusing, in a teeth 
clinching kind of way, to hear someone make a QSO with a station, and THEN 
ask him for his call.  If you dont know who you are talking to, why did you 
call?