I noticed this year, more than ever, CW speed seemed to be an issue. Of
course, I haven't made a serious SS attempt since my Colorado days, but I
digress...
W4*** CQ at 35wpm. Yes, 35wpm.
I called him back at about 30.
Sure enough, "?"
Send my call again. N1TA (especially the "TA" part) isn't too rough on CW
Now I get "N1?"
I slow it down to about 25wpm.
Still get "N1?"
I slow it down. We're now sending at 20wpm.
Now, he hears N1TA.
He tears his exchange off at 35wpm. I shoot mine back at 30wpm.
Sure enough, "?" again.
Back down to 20wpm, this time I'm not messing around.
Now, he hears my exchange.
Now, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe 4/4 pointed right at him
just wasn't cutting it. Maybe my computer keyer didn't sound enough like
the imperfect human fist. Hey, crazier things have happened...but it seemed
to me he could copy 20wpm a whole lot easier than 30+wpm. I listened to him
a bit longer and, sure enough, everybody started stepping back to about
20wpm.
Just goes to show you, sending at a speed you can copy - regardless of how
slow that speed may be - will increase your rate! In the era of mostly
computer-generated CW, it's easy for everyone to respond as fast as you can
send.
My $0.02. Now back to the business of DX contesting...
-Mike N1TA
On Wed, Nov 9, 2011 at 12:16 PM, Gerry Hull <gerry@yccc.org> wrote:
> Interesting discussion.
>
>
> I CQ'd most of the contest at 32 wpm, with bursts of up to 36 or 38 wpm
> when I had big pileups.
>
>
> In general, I was never asked for fills. I did have guys who called me at
> the same
> speed I was calling CQ at, then, asked for complete fills (even though they
> were loud).
>
> I had no problem QRSing if someone asked. And some did. If signals were
> marginal, I
> immediately QRSed.
>
> I heard many ops were CQing in the 30+ speed range.
>
> I did have one very strange thing happen related to code speed. Someone on
> 40m
> decided to lecture me on code speed. Without signing a call, they started
> sending
> "Don't you think you would work many more people if you QRS?" I
> immediately QRS to
> 22 wpm... send QRZ... and ... no reply from the station. I turned up the
> speed again,
> and called CQ. The station kept sending the lecture. So, I was QRMed by
> someone who
> did not like my fast speed, but refused to work me when I did slow down.
> Weird.
>
> I, like many as a newbie, went through a period of struggling with speed in
> SS... I would listen to a station
> sending exchanges quite a few times before I'd get the whole thing. SS is
> a real test of CW skill,
> and that includes speed.
>
> I noticed that W0UA, N2IC and lots of the top-end guys were not sending at
> 25wpm, for sure.
> SS is a pure rate contest, and speed definitely is a big factor.
>
> I was amazed at the number of people who copied my call as W1UE... who is
> Dennis, usually operating from MA.
>
> 73,
>
> Gerry Hull, W1VE
>
>
> On Wed, Nov 9, 2011 at 11:35 AM, Timothy Coker <n6win73@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > I get the same response throughout the contests. I can't head copy past
> > 25-28 wpm... so I run at 22-25 wpm. Most guys will call in at around 25
> wpm
> > and I do ok at making it through the QSO without messing it up for them
> > (I'm not a cw guy, but I like using the contests to get better). The guys
> > who call in at well over my running speed usually end up slowing down for
> > me after 2-3 rounds... I am now left wondering why they don't just turn
> > down their keyer speed to accommodate my lack of head copy speed on the
> > first call? After all, I am advertising that I am not that darned good at
> > this yet by running slower and usually higher in the band...
> >
> > It's no different than me slowing down my pronunciation during a SSB
> > contest for the guys who are obviously not as quick as me there...
> >
> > 73,
> >
> > Tim / N6WIN.
> >
> > On Wed, Nov 9, 2011 at 7:03 AM, Bill <Bill@ng3k.com> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > According to Skimmer, I was CQing at an average speed of 25 WPM during
> > > Sweepstakes. Most callers answered at or near my calling speed. But,
> a
> > > not insignificant subset responded nearer 35 WPM, including when giving
> > > their exchange. It seems like some callers assume that if you're
> running
> > > at 25 WPM you can copy faster than that. I suspect, in general, that
> may
> > > very well be true, but maybe I'm just projecting. And for whatever
> it's
> > > worth, I was not using my own call sign, but that of another amateur
> who
> > > probably never sends north of 18-20 WPM.
> > >
> > > 73,
> > >
> > > Bill/NG3K
> > > _______________________________________________
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> > > CQ-Contest@contesting.com
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> > >
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> >
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--
Mike DeChristopher, N1TA
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