This is excellent advice.
Quite often I encounter something like:
CQ TEST K8MR TEST
W6#E!^*T#BAI
My brain responds much more quickly than my fingers that K4BAI is in that
pileup, so I send K4BAI with the paddle and hit F2 to send the exchange.
Unfortunately many logging programs don't understand this concept. In
contests that have serial numbers, they don't increment the number from the
previous QSO until at least one letter is entered in the callsign field. This
results in giving K4BAI the number for the previous QSO, unless I first mash
something into the computer before I hit F2, which I then have to wipe and
start over from the beginning.
As far as I know, only NA gets it right. Which is one reason I keep using
NA in serial number contests such as SS and the Sprints. And for users of
other software, do listen to what QSO number you are sending.
73 - Jim K8MR
In a message dated 1/14/2013 4:46:28 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
k4bai@att.net writes:
I always have a keyer and paddle in parallel with the computer keying so
that I can respond with the paddle if something happens like the
computer locking up. I recommend that to everyone. BTW, it should be
used when you are being called and don't have the call correctly into
the logging program. Rather than losing the rhythm and waiting to get
the call correct into the logging system, call the station with the
paddle, let the computer send the exchange, and you can have the call in
correctly before you need to copy the other station's exchange.
Particularly, if you don't use full QSK, you will loose a lot of time if
you wait until everything is perfect in the computer to send the call of
the station you want to answer. You will probably finally start sending
his call when he starts to give his call again, you two will "double"
and there will be silence when you finish the exchange.
Bottom line: to be really efficient in running, you need a paddle ready
to go whenever the computer isn't ready and you need to always use QSK
(if your amplifier has QSK). If you don't have a QSK amplifier, you
should get one or get a QSK-5 or equivalent and use it with your
amplifier.
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