Hello,
I don't think slow CW sub-bands in the SS will be the salvation of either it or
CW itself. It won't hurt, though, to try it and newcomers to CW should be
advised to ride high in the SS-active parts of a band and the faster ops should
be encouraged to dial it back for slower ops everywhere. It should mean more
contacts overall. Folks complain about not enough activity, but as it is said:
"A slow QSO is better than no QSO." ("The Art of War", Sun Tzu, ca. 544-496
BCE)
CWops runs three, one hour mini-contests every Wednesday. I think a better way
to encourage new CW ops is for the CWops group to establish permanent slow CW
sub-bands at the high end of their normal operating frequencies, maybe 5 kHz at
about 45 kHz (e.g., 7045- 7050). Every session, every week. Newer, slower
ops should start out there and faster ops can visit, both running and S&P, and
everyone should always match their speed to the slower side of a QSO.
To some extent people do this now informally, but it could become a CWops
standard.
Right now CWops has occasional slow CW days but they are difficult to keep
track of, not everyone slows down, and fast and slow are intermixed.
The exchange, while shorter than the SS, is still challenging enough for good
training: Call, name and #/S/P/C (member number/state/province/country prefix).
Newcomers should be encouraged not to use a call history file. True, there
are enough regular repeats that you start remembering things in your head after
a while. I'm pretty good with calls, not so much with names, and as for
numbers, forget it. (If you are too good at remembering, refer to the movie
"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" for unassistance.)
Scores are reported to the 3830 site.
Rate obsessed CWops regulars might resist going to the sub-bands, but they
should go because:
1. CWops is dedicated to advancing the art and use of CW and this is right in
their charter:
"CWops encourages the use of CW in Amateur communications, and it supports CW
activity through planned events. CWops promotes goodwill among Amateurs
throughout the world, and it fosters the education of young people and others
in matters related to Amateur Radio."
2. The top ops have already established their reputations and now do almost the
exact same things, session after session, week after week, sometimes on almost
their exact same frequencies. Each op could devote part of the hour of at
least one session per week to promote their organization by helping new CW
operators. Mix it up. Mentoring is good.
The CWops weekly contests are very popular and well known, but extra promotion
would be necessary to establish this extended program. CWops is a capable and
effective organization and I believe they could do this.
73,
Ken, AB1J
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