John,
The worst example of a serial number using cut numbers happened to me twice
in WPX. I worked two different stations that sent four digit serial
numbers ending in 50. Using a cut number for the "zero", the two different
stations sent -- at a very high speed -- dit dit dit dit dit dah. I copied
this as a 4, but I knew instinctively that something didn't feel right
because of the extra space before the ending dah. I had to ask for many
repeats
before I finally got it!
BTW, I can easily copy something north of 40 wpm, so this was not a case
where the speed was over my head. What was over my head was the cut number
for the "zero" a number 5.
My impression at the time was that these speed demon whiz kids using their
fancy-schmancy cut numbers had just wasted a bunch of my time!
73, Geo...
George Wagner, K5KG
Sarasota, FL
941-400-1960 cell
In a message dated 5/30/2013 6:29:12 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
john@kk9a.com writes:
I think if you are calling CQ at 20 wpm people should answer you at that
speed. If they call you at a much higher speed it is just rude. If you
call someone, they assume that you were already able to copy their
callsign and that you would be able to copy the report and recognize your
callsign at their speed. You probably already heard the report that they
gave to the station before you so you should already have some idea what
to expect. I think it is unrealistic to expect a running station to match
the speed of every caller.
I also do not like cut numbers when I am expecting a serial number,
especially when it is sent as a mixture of real numbers and cut ones. Many
logging programs will make the conversion if you type the appropriate
letter.
John, P40A last weekend
To: CQ-Contest Reflector <cq-contest@contesting.com>
Subject:[CQ-Contest] When is speed not speedy?
From: Charles Harpole <hs0zcw@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 27 May 2013 19:35:27 +0700
When is high speed CW not speedy?
Answer, when sending to me well beyond my SENDING SPEED of 20 WPM. I
worked the whole contest at 20wpm sending and rcving (I can do that speed
well and remember when it was considered fast?), lots as H&P so the other
station already knew my speed because I called him at 20.
He sends four numeral S.N. at 40wpm, so I have to ask for THREE repeats,
one for each of the last three numerals. If, like good ops of old, he just
came down to 20, no repeats and no delays and no cursing me under his
breath.
I guess some programs are difficult to adjust speed or maybe "real"
contesters are just arrogant??? My radios have a speed knob right on
front.
I bet that without RBN and code readers, the speed demons would not be able
to run like that. BTW, by sending 5NN at 70wpm followed by the SN at 40
keeps even the smartest code readers missing the first few numbers as it
re-times from 70 down to 40.
I copied the "cut numbers" as letters and plan to send in a log that way.
When will ops begin to use cut numbers inside their call signs too?... I
used E2E, and guess I could have signed EAE.
Also, when my friend can win his category for Asia and not know code,
really, something is wrong with contesting and respect for and satisfaction
with human achievement.
Oh, have my smart phone tell me when the next contest is over and how my
new, 80wpm, fully automated station did in scores. 73,