Ending in 'K'...

[KC0PBP]

Hi Gang,

I am going to change my call. KC0PBP is real long and is a real tongue twister in ssb. So, are call signs ending in 'K' troublesome in cw? I was indeed confused by this one time, maybe it is less confusing as you improve...? Your thoughts...

Thanks,

Lance
kc0pbp

[K4KK]

I would NEVER have a callsign that even contained a "K"!!!  They are awful.  They are confusing.  Do not do it!!

Seriously, I find mine to be very easy to send and copy on CW.  It actually seems to be a "pile-up buster" since it is easy.  I think a lot has to do with the overall construction of the callsign on CW.  Some, like W#IHK might prove tougher than W#DGK just based on the overall rhythm.  If you are looking to get a vanity callsign, simply test them over and over to see how rhythmic they are sending/receiving.  I don't think ending with K is a problem but maybe I'm biased!

[AC5XK]

Hi, Lance.
At first my callsign tripped me up...it turns out I was pausing too much between the X and the K and that confused people.  Now I send evenly spaced, and hardly anyone is confused.  In contests, I almost never have to repeat my call--the other stations pick it up clearly the first time.  

[WB2WIK]

Actually, given a choice, for a CW operator, I'd avoid the last letter "K."  It's part of my call only because this is my first and original call from when I was a kid, and I was hesitant to change it, so I didn't.

But it has caused confusion on CW...not much in contests, when the ops are very astute, but more so in casual work, where ops think the last letter "K" is the prosign K, and start transmitting (and cutting off my callsign).  This happens mostly with slower speed ops who aren't that sharp, but it surely happens.

If I had "PBP," I'd probably want to change it, too!

WB2WIK/6

[CROOKIE]

Okay, we agree (for CW) there are reasons not to pick a vanity *ending* in K, but what about *starting* with K vs with W (or even better?) N or A? Also: is it felt to be better to avoid repeated letters, particularly adjacent repeated (like K4KK's call?!)?

[WB2WIK]

This survey's already been done, many times.

CW contesters mostly agree the fewer bits, the better, as long as the letters don't create confusion.  As such, N2EE might be a great choice (fewest bits) but N2EA might be a better choice, as it's only one more bit and less likely to be confused.

Rhythm also counts, and helps if it's good, and hinders if it's not.  I operated the contest station K2XR many, many times and found that even though XR is more bits than desirable, it has excellent rhythm and is almost difficult to send, or receive, wrong.  Years before that, I operated the contest station K2CW, which I must admit was absolutely excellent for contesting, and nobody ever got it wrong.   That same station was later used under callsign N2AA, and almost nobody ever got that wrong, either.

I keep my call only because I've had it all my life, and so many people recognize it and answer me by name.  If not for that, I'd have dumped it long ago.

WB2WIK/6

[X-WB1AUW]

I liked the juxtaposition and cadence of AE7G; figured there wasn’t any confusing characters, like B&D, j&1, and did not end in K or R.  But, Eu ops moved me to EA7, and some ops move me to VE7; BK, KN, RR, CQ, DX were NO WAYS! for me. TTT has a nice ring to it.

I liked the cadence in my old call AUW

Have FUN
Bob

[AB3BK]

I operate mostly CW. I have had this call since my upgrade in Nov. 2003. I have many, many contacts in my log. You would think the BK would be a nightmare, but it has not. Not even with DX stations when "BK" is used alot. Most ops can hear the space between the call and whatever prosign is used. I have more problems with the "B" than "K", they return with AB3DK. I'm keeping the call they gave me, nobody else ever had it but me.

73
Dave AB3BK

[WB2NVY]

I operate almost exclusively CW. I figure if the sender sends with proper spacing and the receiver knows how to copy code, ending in K or any other letter is not a problem. It's only a problem with unskilled ops. It's like driving and intersections.. there are no "bad" intersections.. only bad drivers who don't obey the signs at the intersections. I would never consider changing my call to accommodate ops that confuse callsign letters with a prosign.

[CROOKIE]

It's not so much about *changing* signs, as it is about picking a vanity initially that would not be as problematic for the new/inexperienced operators. (though differant than a bad intersection, of which we have some, e.g. where the sight lines are very poor -- one near me comes to mind that requires one to enter the intersection by several to many feet to see beyond a hedge down and the curve in the road, fortunately it isn't heavily trafficed, but I digress). Indeed good technique, good spacing, good receiving operator, and a decent received signal make it moot.

[N5XM]

Study the available calls carefully.  Narrow your list down to 5 or 6 and practice sending them off the air until you can decide which one you like best.  When I chose n5xm, there were still some good 1x2 calls available in the 5 call area, and while a few had fewer suffix characters than xm, I loved the rhythm and distinctive sound.  Good luck.

[K3ESE]

I love my call!  100% CW op here...it's so cool, that there are now three official "copycats:" N5ESE, K6ESE and K9ESE.  See our "QRP Barbershop Quartet Contest" page at:

  http://www.io.com/~n5fc/barbershop_contest.htm

[N8CPA]

My nephew changed chose N8XE as his Extra vanity call. Now, some of the CW ops who get on the local repeaters have dubbed him Slash.