Does it seem to you that low power (QRP) signals are more affected by fading (QSB) than higher power signals? It does to me. If any of you know what mechanism is producing this effect, please let me know.
Speaking of QRP signals, I suggest that stations running QRP should follow the 3 x 3 protocol when responding to a CQ. By 3 x 3, I mean sending the CQing station’s call sign three times, then the QRP station’s call sign three times.
Several times lately, I’ve had a QRP station call me with only their call sign and only send it once or twice. The last time this happened, conditions were marginal, and I just wasn’t able to copy the other station’s call correctly. In addition to that, I’m never 100% sure that the station calling is calling me.
So, if you’re replying to my CQ, please send your call three times, followed by “DE” then your call three times. It doesn’t take that much extra time to send, and I’ll be sure that you’re calling me as well as copy your call sign properly.
QSY protocol
A couple of nights ago, I was working a station on 7028 kHz. He wasn’t very strong and when another station popped up on frequency, I couldn’t copy him at all. I tried calling him 1 kHz up, but he didn’t follow me there.
With this in mind, I’d like to suggest the following protocol for dealing with this situation. First, tune up 1 kHz, and if the frequency is free, call the other station a couple of times. If no reply, listen 2 kHz down (1 kHz down from the original frequency), and if the frequency is free, call the other station a couple of times.
Having an agreed-upon protocol like this might help stations reconnect when their QSO is interrupted by interference.
Using the BK prosign
I’ve noticed more stations using the BK prosign to denote that they’ve finished a transmission and to invite the other station to transmit. They’re using this instead of the more traditional “<your call> DE <my call> K,” or more simply “DE <my call> K”. I think that perhaps this is catching on because this is the accepted method for POTA contacts.
I think this is an entirely appropriate thing to do. The BK prosign is well understood, and the rules say that you only have to identify every ten minutes, so you’re not breaking the rules if you operate this way. And, in a ragchew, it might even be a more natural way for a conversation to flow.
I haven’t started doing this during all of my contacts, but I’m starting to do this more and more. If sending BK seems natural during a contact, I’ll just send it and let the other station take over. If it seems like it might be too abrupt, I might send “BTU BK” instead.
I like BK too – it makes for a more relaxed QSO, as opposed to “your call de my call k.”
I wish folks would spend more time listening for a response to their CQ. Too often I hear stations starting to call CQ when I haven’t finished sending their call!
Great post, Dan. I like BK, too, and started using it more in ragchews after using it so much in POTA/SOTA exchanges.
One note: BK is not actually a prosign. It is a common CW abbreviation for message handling, though. Technically, it shouldn’t be sent as a prosign—meaning, BK together as dah dit dit dit dah dit dah (no space)—but as separate letters “B [space] K” much like TU, DE, or CQ.
Cheers,
Thomas
Hmmmm. I disagree with you there, Thomas. It’s definitely a prosign, and while the ARRL Operating Manual does show it as being sent as two separate characters, I think that you hear more often as a single sequence than two separate characters.
Hey, Dan,
We can totally agree to disagree on this one. :) You’re right in that many ops these days send BK as a prosign, though.
There aren’t actually that many prosigns–perhaps roughly a dozen in common use? There are loads of abbreviations, though.
Here’s some online references:
https://longislandcwclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Prosigns-and-Q-Signals.pdf
and
https://www.radioqth.net/morsecode
and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosigns_for_Morse_code
At the end of the day, it’s not a big deal either way. I have a friend who knows BK isn’t a prosign, but sends it as one regularly because he likes the sound of it as a prosign rather than an abbreviation. At the end of the day, languages evolve. :) I actually prefer the cadence of BK as an abbreviation, much like I do the sound of TU.
Cheers,
Thomas (K4SWL)
I’m using the ARRL Operating Manual, 12th Edition, as my source. On page 4.5, it lists BK as a prosign meaning “back to you.”