[Elecraft] EQP - RST reports

[Scott Richardson]

Wow... had I only known RST was a hot-button issue that had already been
flogged in the other forums... ;-)

Earl:
>that's what my log shows"599" even though you may have sent me something
>different.


I wonder if this would result in a broken QSO by computerized contest log
verifiers. (I would guess not; why program to verify RST when it rarely if
ever changes?)

David:
> Well, I don't know.  I agree that RST ought be removed from all
> contests where it has evolved that one merely sends 5nn regardless of
> the signal.  And I guess that includes almost all contests.

I'll agree, too. If it's useless, ditch it. And it's usually useless.
But if it can be salvaged, keep it and try to imbue it with value.

Ron:
> It was different 40+ years ago

You don't have to go that far back, do you? It was different 25 years ago.

In part, I see the marginalization of RST being another loss in the radio
operator's skill set. As a novice, I studied the nuances of the RST system
and struggled to recognize the difference between the steps till I finally
felt comfortable giving a report --- and interpreting received reports with
the same standardized system. If I got a lot of 439s, it might mean it was
time to take my antenna a bit more seriously, especially if I was giving
569s. Now I can get 599s across the board from the Canary Islands, Japan,
Minnesota, and New Zealand, contest or not, using my K1 and low wire.

Newbie: "What is RST?"
Elmer: "Five nine nine. That's all you need to know."

(I am not holier-than-thou, having spewed many thousands of invalid 599s in
my time. Just pining for the past, I suppose, and I'm not even an old timer
yet.)

73, Scott W1QHG