[3830] CWopsT VE7FO LP

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                    CWops Mini-CWT Test - 0300Z Sep 4

Call: VE7FO
Operator(s): VE7FO
Station: VE7FO

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: BC
Operating Time (hrs): 1

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:           
   80:           
   40:  13     11
   20:  22     22
   15:           
   10:           
-------------------
Total:  35     33  Total Score = 1,155

Club: Orca DX and Contest Club

Comments:

Well, that was interesting.  While I've been aware of CWT for some years this
was my first time to try it.

As some of you know, I've been running op training sessions for members of the
Surrey ARC here in the Vancouver area for the last three years with the view of
introducing members to the fun of contesting and building op skills in order to
improve Field Day scores.  Well, we've certainly been successful at improving
FD scores, being #1 VE in 3A in 2013 and very likely the same in 2A this year.

One difficulty, though, is to build CW contest skills as the suitable contests
are too infrequent.  However, CWT tests look to be ideal for my purposes as
they are very frequent, don't chew up whole weekends and low skill ops are
welcomed.

One of our member tried a CWT a little while ago but felt quite intimidated by
the speed at which everyone was CQing.  

So, to get some sense of how a newbie is treated, rather than go at my
accustomed speed (approx 30 wpm) I throttled back to 21 wpm and called CQ.  No
shortage of callers which was a good sign.  However, very few slowed down to my
speed until after I hit the QRS button.  Sometimes it took two hits of the QRS
button to get them all the way down to my speed before I would send my
exchange.  Some never did QRS so I just called CQ again.  Of those who did,
none of them abandoned the Q, which I took to be a good sign.

As we got close to the end I decided to answer some CQs.  So, they CQ at 35
wpm, I answer at 21, they respond at 35, I request QRS, after some delay they
respond close to my speed and we make the Q.  I didn't feel very comfortable
doing this as I'm deliberately slowing down a fellow contester so only tried it
a couple of times.

I will recommend to my trainees that they try this out, adopting the same
approach as mine
a) Call CQ as opposed to S&P
b) Force the callers to respond at the trainee's speed if they want the Q.

I hope nobody here has any problem with this.

I will also recommend that they take advantage of the mentoring offered by
CWops.

May I request that if you are responding to a slow CQ that you match your speed
to theirs?  You'll make the Q faster if you do and you'll make a beginning
contester feel welcome, rather than simply being in the way.

As far as the contest itself was concerned there was some difficulty with QSB
but plenty of activity to keep a newbie interested.

See you soon.

73, Jim  VE7FO


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