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Re: [CQ-Contest] [YCCC] Key Clicks in ARRL DX CW

To: YCCC <yccc@yccc.org>, cq-contest@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] [YCCC] Key Clicks in ARRL DX CW
From: Barry N1EU <barry.n1eu@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 22 Feb 2016 08:24:37 -0500
List-post: <cq-contest@contesting.com">mailto:cq-contest@contesting.com>
Great point Randy!  The untenable fact now is that those using clean
transmitters (esp K3) are clearly at a disadvantage when running because
they're just sitting ducks, i.e.  inviting someone to get real close to
them and click all over their run frequency.

Barry N1EU

On Mon, Feb 22, 2016 at 8:07 AM, Randy Thompson K5ZD <k5zd@charter.net>
wrote:

> The challenge is that the problem is asymmetric.  It is all good for the
> clicker in that he gets a clear frequency.  And there is little that a
> station not clicking can do in response.
>
> We added the signal quality rule to CQWW, but we receive only 1 or 2 direct
> and specific complaints after the contest.  We need more of those to gauge
> impact and to know where to look.
>
> This is problem that is going to take a long time to fix, but it has to
> start with peer pressure.  I.e., naming names publicly and often.  Stop
> saying things like "S5 station" and actually say their call.
>
> Randy, K5ZD
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: YCCC [mailto:yccc-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Barry N1EU
> > Sent: Monday, February 22, 2016 12:57 PM
> > To: YCCC
> > Subject: [YCCC] Key Clicks in ARRL DX CW
> >
> > (FYI - I just posted this to CQ-Contest)
> >
> > Instead of the situation improving over the past 15 years with more
> > awareness, key clicks on the bands during contests have gotten much
> > worse.
> > I've copied excerpts from score postings from W1UE and N1EU below.
> >
> > Two groups of contest operators are going to be much more aware of the
> > problem than others: those who run a lot (and experience the clarity and
> > usability of their run frequency deteriorate over time) and those
> > equipped with panadapters.  I also suspect that east coast operators are
> > going to be impacted more due to stronger European signal levels.
> >
> > I suspect the situation doesn't bother most contesting folks as much as
> > me.  I really think it has gotten bad enough to warrant extreme measures
> > - we've got the tools to monitor/playback spectrum.  Wide signals simply
> > should NOT be tolerated and operators should be disqualified.
> >
> > The other measure I'd really like to see is an S&P only category because
> > I, for one, would like to throw in the towel entirely on running during
> > cw contests.
> >
> > 73,
> > Barry N1EU
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Mon, Feb 22, 2016 at 6:54 AM, Dennis Egan <egan.dennis88@gmail.com>
> >  wrote:
> >
> > > Sunday afternoon on 40M was a true click-fest.  I had a good 40M
> > > frequency, with a rate of about 80.  Gerry W1VE then nestles in 400
> > > cycles up, and I started getting key clicks, destroying the frequency
> > > for Rx.  I slid up to chastise him for the clicks, but when I got on
> > > his frequency I could still hear the clicks- his station wasn't
> > > generating them!  I went up another 4 KHz, and the offender was an S5
> > > station occupying about 20KHz of spectrum with his key clicks!  His
> > > station was only S6- if he could have channeled the power expended on
> > > his clicks into his signal, he probably would have been S9.
> > >
> > >
> > On Sun, Feb 21, 2016 at 8:02 PM, Barry N1EU <barry.n1eu@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > > Lastly, I have to say that I ended the weekend with a bad taste in my
> > > mouth from the rampant key clicks on the band and the recurring
> > > experience of having my clear run frequency eventually being
> > > over-ridden by key clicking neighbors getting too close, over and over
> > > and over again. I'm not sure if having the P3 panadapter is a good
> > > thing or a bad thing, because it clearly shows the band filled with
> > > wide key clicking signals. It's really sad that the ham radio
> > > community has never come to grips with this solvable issue. It has
> > seriously spoiled cw contesting for me.
> > >
> > _______________________________________________
> > YCCC Reflector mailto:yccc@contesting.com Yankee Clipper Contest Club
> > http://www.yccc.org Reflector Info:
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/yccc
>
>
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