Frank and Bob have answered a question that's been puzzling me ever
since I got back into the game 3-4 years ago after a several decade absence.
I'm an HF contester. When I got back in I couldn't figure out why
people seemed to have so much trouble slowing down to my 15 wpm. I had
no trouble sending at the other guy's speed no matter what it was - 5
wpm or 50, didn't matter so why can't they? How did I do this? I have
never used paddles and/or a keyer. In the old days, I used a bug but
that skill is pretty rusty. I use TRLog and have a bunch of canned
messages appropriate to the contest I'm in for dealing with the various
parts of the QSO, asking for fills etc. To speed up or slow down in 3
wpm increments I just hit PgUp or PgDn respectively. Presumably all the
other contest logging s/w can do this too. Sometimes, when calling
someone cqing at 30 wpm (after I'd spent 5 minutes trying to figure out
his call), when sending my exchange I would hit the PgUp key enough
times to get up to his sending speed while TR was sending the exchange.
I found that even the really good ops have trouble copying if the speed
doubles between the beginning of the exchange and the end! I don't do
this anymore.
If a canned message won't handle a particular situation I use the
keyboard. This is rarely needed.
So, here's a suggestion. Purists won't like it. It presumes you are
using logging s/w. Maybe VHFers don't, I don't know.
Set up your logging s/w with appropriate canned messages and find out
how to change the cw speed quickly. You will need a means of
interfacing your computer to your key jack if you haven't done it
already. My interface consists of one transistor and 2 resistors
attached to the computer parallel port. You will also need some kind of
Y connector to connect your keyer (presuming it's external to the rig).
No doubt, there are many variations I don't know about but they might
be fun to discuss.
Go ahead and use your paddles as usual. I know that there's pleasure to
be derived from exercising good cw skills. I'm up to 30 wpm (receive
only) in contests. (I suppose that if I ever get into cw rag chewing
that I'll have to either get out the bug and learn how to use it again
or learn how to use paddles and keyer.)
When someone asks you to QRS hit whatever function key it takes to match
his speed and hit the function key that sends the exchange. Once the Q
is complete go back to the paddles.
I would have to agree that the straight key solution is simpler but I
guess there might still be a problem if you're using a builtin keyer in
your rig.
Hope this is of some interest.
73 de Jim Smith VE7FO
w2fca@capital.net wrote:
>I use this method in low band contesting too, and it has another advantage.
>You
>can leave your keyer at your normal comfort speed and just switch to the
>sraight key for QRS. Before, I'd try to change the keyer speed and often get
>it
>wrong, then try to reset it and get that wrong too.
>
>Frank
>w2FCA
>
>Quoting Robert Cumming <w2bzy@cfl.rr.com>:
>
>>To those who, like myself, can't send slowly with a paddle (my
>>comfortable speed is 25 wpm) try this. What I find helpful is
>>to have both a paddle and a straight key hooked up to all my radios.
>>It is easier to send 2, 3, 5 or whatever wpm with a straight key
>>(also helpful for tuning up.
>>
>
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