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What about 1X2? I think they are MUCH better (a more expected combination) than 1X1 or 2X1.
73 N2MG <-- that's a 1X2 in case you couldn't tell
Posted by
N2MG
on February 24, 2007
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tough poll
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1x2s and 2x1s are fine, but 1x1s are invitations to thousands of repeats and lots of dit-dit-dah-dah-dit-dit
Posted by
nn3w
on February 23, 2007
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Good, and Not So Good
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I'm convinced that 1X2 calls are advantageous, as that is what most are expecting, at least from US stations? The disadvantage is having a call, similiar to other active contesters! I get mistaken for K3WW, very often, even to the point of the "dreaded" QSO B4, reply.
Posted by
K4WW
on February 23, 2007
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1x2 better than 2x1
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I had NM4M for 25 years, a tongue twister on phone, but great on CW. Changed to a 1x2 last Fall and love it! Much easier to copy on both modes. 73, Gene N4FZ in Ky.
Posted by
N4FZ
on February 22, 2007
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Damn airplane call
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1 x 1 is a formula for repeats. I have a 2x1 (aj9c got any ideas on a new call?) and no one gets it correct it seems. As K9NW had said earlier your call is less of an issue the louder you are.
Posted by
aj9c
on February 17, 2007
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A bit of advantage
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I would like to have XM3A as my contest call. I simply like the sound of it. Although the prefix is available in Canada
for unknown reasons the Canadian rules are set up in the way that I cannot have it.
I think it would be a little bit of an advantege, specially at the beginning.
Certainly having a short 2x1 or 1x2 call in a CW contest would help.
For an example if a call like HA9KOB takes 3 seconds to send and my own XM3A takes only
2 seconds and we send them 5,000 times during a contest then I would have an hour and a half
more time for listening or do other things. I am not sure if this comparason is right but that is what the numbers show.
I would say 2x1 or 1x2 is a bit of advantage but 1x1 is confusing for some. As someone earlier mentioned
apropriate speed, good rhytm and good clean signal helps a lot.
73
Lali VE3NE / HA9RX
Posted by
ve3ne
on February 16, 2007
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Why is it an advantage?
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Oops there's a typo in my previous post. I meant to say "Who are the majority of the voters that believe having a 1x1 or 2x1 callsign offers a competitive advantage?" Right now 56% of the voters said yes, however none of these voters have commented. If you voted yes, why do you feel having a 1x1 or 2x1 callsign is a competitive advantage in major contests?
Posted by
kk9a
on February 14, 2007
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WPX
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Having a 2x1 in the WPX contest is not likely to ever hurt one's score but it's doubtful that it provides any significant advantage. The most important key to posting a nice score in WPX is to be loud.
Posted by
K9NW
on February 13, 2007
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No Advantage
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Interestingly 57% of the comments believe that 1x1 or 2x1 callsigns offer no advantage and only 30% of the voters feel this way. Who are the majority of the voters that believe having a 1x2 or 2x1 offers a competitive advantage? I have had a 2x1 for decades and don't feel it offers any advantage or disadvantage in most contests. I have never had anyone confused or have trouble copying my callsign. The only exception my be WPX contests where having a rare 2x1 may offer some slight advantage.
Posted by
kk9a
on February 13, 2007
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2x1 vs 1x2
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Having had K30Q for almost two years now, I can appreciate my present call versus WI2T, my previous call. I am have eliminate all of the requests for the 2nd letter in my suffix. Granted WI2T was a great call for WPX, I have gotten great pleasure out of the new call...I think I'll keep it. For the primary question of does it give a competitive advantage...I think the skill/knowledge of the operator, and how well known he/she is has more to do with it than anything...not to mention location with regard to some of the contest DXpedeitions.
My .02 cents.
73,
Jeff - K3OQ -
Posted by
k3oq
on February 13, 2007
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Copy as sent !
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I don't believe format should matter if proper technique is used.
The DX having trouble is true, and it's odd since they have started obtaining 2x1 calls !
The error lies with the other and in all cases it's hurting them more than me !
;-)
73 Matt WV1K
Posted by
wv1k
on February 12, 2007
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2x1 callsigns - not a disadvantage
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I have a 2x1 callsign (I got it as a vanity call in 1998, because I wanted a weird prefix for the WPX). It sure beats my old 2x3 call by a mile. Especially QRP, where I used to get nothing but "again with the last letter", when I contested. Repeats aren't that big of an issue because of my call. Limited antennas due to my location are a bigger factor in repeats for me. Besides, I think that unconsciously, a 1x2 is considered to be more desirable because it's an older style call, and having a 1x2 makes you look more like an old timer, than a newbie. Nope, I think this Gen Xer will stick with her 2x1 callsign. Besides, AF9 is much rarer than W9, K9, or N9.
73,
Ellen - AF9J
Posted by
AF9J
on February 10, 2007
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2x 1's get confused
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I agree that more stations are expecting a 1 x 2 than a 2 x 1. I had a 2 x 1 callsign for 22 years (NE0P) and it would often get transposed as N0EP or something like that. And DX stations didn't understand it as well. Switched to W5TD in May, 2006. While I miss the rarer prefix, it is a nice CW call, and other stations seem to understand it better. It still sometimes takes me a minute in a pileup when they come back to the TD call that they are referring to me!
73s John W5TD
Posted by
ne0p
on February 8, 2007
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Surprised
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I'm surprised at the number of people who think that these calls give you an advantage.
In my mind, the three most important things are:
1. Being well-known.
2. Having a pleasant rhythm/phonetics.
3. Having a "standard" format. (The actual format is mostly irrelevant as long as it's standard and the other characters work well together.)
Of course, when you get to the level of CT1BOH, et al, you can start counting dit's...
Posted by
K8GU
on February 5, 2007
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Long Calls
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Welcome Year 2000 - WY2OOO. Members of Carolina DX Assn ran this call the entire month of January 2000 and again in the WPX contest May 2000. What a bummer, the extra duty cycle on the amp power supply... too many dashes.
de Joe, aa4nn
Posted by
aa4nn
on February 5, 2007
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2x4 Callsigns
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Have never used anything but a 2x2 callsign.. but watch for some 2x4's that are springing up here in VK now. eg.. VK9FXXX...
-> which for logbook lookup writers is now a valid prefix for Christmas Island !!
Cheers,
David
VK2CZ / VK8AA (ex VK9XD)
Posted by
vk2cz
on February 4, 2007
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Music
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I believe 1X2 and 1X3 callsigns are the best, but equally as important to me is the actual 'sound' of the call when working CW. For example, a WW0OOO would take forever to send and be a potential headache to copy, whereas a W4WA would be so much easier to copy and send. Ron has the best callsign available IMO.
FYI...I did check to make sure I wasn't offending anyone with the WW0OOO call:)...it's not assigned!
73's
Greg k4IDX
Posted by
K4IDX
on February 4, 2007
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Reasonable speed for conditions
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When I hear some of the contest Ops sending 80WPM, with awful spacing, on 160( and other bands) through QSB and QRN, it tells me that they have to be very inexperienced and don't have a clue...LOL!
Bob
W6PU
Posted by
w6pu
on February 3, 2007
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Split Vote
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A 1x1 is a disadvantage. Although its short, many won't get it on the first go-around, and they ask for a repeat.
A 2x1 is also a disadvantage. Many won't get it right on the first go-around and will request a repeat; the situation is aggravated even more by the particular call sign (I'm frequently called N6JB).
A 1x2 is the best of the lot in avoiding repeats. That's what the other guy is expecting, and I'd say its copied with far fewer repeat requests.
I've used all 3 callsign formats in a large number of contests. A 1x2 is the best.
Dennis NB1B
Posted by
NB1B
on February 3, 2007
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Familiarity more important
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Being on the air frequently is more important in most cases. If you're going to log 4000 q's as a single op in a 48 hour contest, a shorter callsign might get you enough extra q's to edge out the next superman. In most circumstances though, being well known goes much further, regardless of how long/short your callsign is.
I do believe that 1x1 calls are at a disadvantage.
Posted by
KE1FO
on February 2, 2007
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The best call is the 1x2 for first-time copy.
The 2nd best is the classic 1x3 call, lots of those available now that hams are a dying breed. I prefer 1x3 to 2x1 calls.
The 1x1 calls are a disadvantage, I always think I missed the last letter.
Posted by
N4SL
on February 2, 2007
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2 x 1's Rare these Days
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A short while ago, when I was typing in some hand-written logs for upload to LoTW, I noticed that in the years before the Vanity callsign program, there were a lot more 2 x 1's than today.
Many, many hams have traded in their 2 x 1 calls for 1 x 2 calls. The 1 x 2's are a bit more predictable and easy to copy.
I also remember the high scores that Trey used to turn in as WN4KKN -- which made me believe that callsign length has nothing to do with scoring. (Of course, Trey has gone to a 1 x 2...)
Posted by
AA4LR
on February 2, 2007
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Phonetics have more impact
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A 1x1 call may be a slight disadvantage because these callsigns are relatively rare. When I run across them I do a "double listen" to make sure I didn't miss something.
I believe phonetics and the language skills of the operator have an impact on speed (on phone, obviously). Because an operator might have a different native language, sometimes I have difficulty to determine a callsign without listening to several ID's. (i.e., I NEVER trust a packet spot!)
73 de Bob - K0RC in MN
Posted by
K0RC
on February 2, 2007
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