There is a great movie that was released in 1997 starring Jodie Foster called “Contact”. In the movie Jodie Foster plays the character of Dr. Eleanor Ann Arroway, a scientist who after years of studying finds proof for the existence of extraterrestrials after they send plans (the “contact”) to build a space travel machine. In the beginning of the movie there is this scene where a young Ellie, played by Jena Malone, is trying to contact her deceased father by using her amateur radio station to call him,
“CQ, this is W9GFO. CQ, this is W9GFO here. Come back?”
The letters CQ is an invitation for any operators listening on that frequency to respond. Like the movie portrayed, it is still widely used in amateur (or “ham”) radio. However, that doesn’t mean you can use it on your blog!
I can’t site a particular time when I have done this recently (I am sure I have) but I was reminded of this fatal blogging flaw while browsing through MyBlogLog recently. You can usually find this callout at the end of a blog post when a blogger is calling for comments, “If anybody is reading this post would please comment, Hello?”
I can’t think of anything that makes me reach for the back button faster than seeing someone desperately call out on their blog for comments or feedback from their readers. That is a good way of saying to everyone, “No one is reading this so it doesn’t matter what I say.”
Lesson: Please leave “C.Q.” for Amateur Radio and Shortwave Operators, not for blogging! If you create killer content then people will respond without any invitation. Right?
3 Responses
Jamie
March 22nd, 2008 at 9:11 am
1Right! And you are creating killer content now and getting Jamie hooked… =) Keep your posts coming dude =)
Papa Bear
March 22nd, 2008 at 9:15 am
2Thanks Jamie! Papa Bear over and out.
Michael
April 2nd, 2008 at 1:00 am
3Does calling CQ come under the same heading as making silly speling errers?
Cuz, instead of “I can’t site a particular time…” it should be “I can’t cite a particular time…”
Bit of trivia from an old ham: It used to be ICQ, for “I seek you.” In Morse Code, a letter “I” is two short blips, or “dots,” which were often overlooked in radio noise, especially compared to the long “dahs” of CQ: .. _ . _ . _ _ . _ See? You almost missed ‘em here!
Um, I don’t remember that scene in the movie, but shouldn’t she have been using her dad’s call if she was looking for him? As in, “W9BA, this is W9GFO, over.” Using W9BA for her dad’s call; any resemblance or reference to living persons–such as Tatsuo Suzuki–not intended. Just as I’m sure Richard Harman won’t be offended by his call, W9GFO, being used, as long as wemakenomoney from it.
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