[Elecraft] Operating Practices (WAS: Is CW a Language? OT)

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

Different practices apply to different situations. 

Contributors to the thread have discussed how some contests have a procedure
all their own that often do not apply to any other operating situation. 

Casual nets like the one ECN net that Kevin manages are quite different,
general QSO's are quite different again and traffic nets line NREN require a
whole different protocol. 

We've added another issue over the years; single frequency operation. Some
people assume that anyone who calls them will do so on their frequency.
After all, everyone has a VFO, right? Not right. There are still a lot of
crystal-controlled stations out there who can't zero beat (or in SSB terms
'net') your frequency. 

I always tune around after calling CQ. If I find a rockbound station, I'll
usually tell him/her that I'm going to QSY to their frequency and do so to
avoid using up two frequencies.

Being able to adapt to different operating protocols depending upon the
situation is one sign of an experienced Ham operator. 

Ron AC7AC