I've got a question for #Hamradio / #Amateuradio folks who are also into #FT8.
When calling CQ running #QRP in FT8 and I want to specify that I'm running QRP, what is the "proper" format for the CQ message? Should it be "CQ QRP <callsign> <gridsquare>" or "CQ <callsign>/QRP <gridsquare>"?
My [possibly incorrect] understanding is that what you put after CQ is about whom you'd like to respond; what you put after your own call sign — with or without the slash — is about about. So:
- "CQ QRP {call sign} {grid}" means "I am calling from {grid} and wish to hear from low power stations."
- "CQ {call sign} QRP {grid}" mean "I am operating QRP from {grid} and wish to hear from anyone".
Happy to be corrected.
Isn't that the same thing? They're saying "calling all POTA stations, I'm <call> at <grid>", no?
Oh, I see what you mean. Interesting. Yes, this would appear to break the pattern.
(I've not performed POTA activations, but SOTA certainly. In that case I just call CQ, but there it's also considered reasonable to self-spot on the app, so there's little reason to announce my participation in SOTA in the on-air call.)
I had a look at an old video that a friend shot of me during a SOTA activation and, yes, I was in fact calling "CQ SOTA {call sign}". An odd thing to forget...
Much the same is true for IOTA: "CQ IOTA {call sign} {iota ref}".
In both cases it's relevant because the operator relies on respondents to be willing to upload their logs to the respective programs, so it's not just "I am a SOTA/IOTA station" it's "I am seeking stations participating in SOTA/IOTA".
Oh, I hadn't realised that POTA log processing is based on the activator's log only. That makes this practice particularly odd but, yes, it appears to be common anyway.
I suspect that the POTA usage arose by analogy to the SOTA/IOTA use, overlooking the fact that POTA stations don't rely on respondents to upload logs, thereby inverting the meaning: in a POTA activation it's a statement about the calling station, not about the stations being sought.
What a mess.
@9v1rt I had read, but forgot, that SOTA chasers needed to submit logs for the activators to be validated. I've never seen a SOTA station on SSB or digital though, so I haven't had to worry about submitting my logs anywhere.
After thinking about my original question, I think it makes more sense to use the "CQ <call>/QRP" format when announcing that I'm specifically operating QRP. To me, that says "Anyone hear me? This is <call> and I'm QRP".
DCom - Serial Hobbyist ☕️
Roland Turner