[CQ-Contest] CW at VK5GN

[Martin Luther]

I just know that the old timers on this reflector have all just been
waiting and waiting to see what happened to GN's efforts to learn morse!


Here it is, the very very LAST update.

As of the end of 1994 with a receiving speed of sub 5wpm I was
definitely morse challenged! Listening to morse contests I couldn't even
get a call out, it all sounded like a mess of diddles and dits. 

Visitors to my shack like N6AA , WN4KKN etc showed what was possible. I
was still skeptical, I had great trouble learning morse in the first
place to get a licence, I had made a 12wpm test in the 1960's but very
quickly became a phone only operator.

I started practicing and sought advice from those I respect and who do
this morse thing well. I continued practicing. I practiced some more and
I practiced. I used PED, RUFZ and TR in simulator mode. I asked
questions and tried again, I persevered.

Over the last few years CW contesting from GN has either been guest ops
or multi op with me struggling to keep up. For this last ARRL weekend
there were no takers for operating GN so I decided to get on and give
out a few points. Especially make VK available on 40/80/160.

This is the last bulletin on my morse because for the first time:-

	I only lost control of a pile up once
	I was able to hold the rate meter over 120 for large slices of
time
	I was able to get repeats without a lot of hassles
	Nobody got irritated with me - (with the exception of the clown
who sent CALL CALL CALL, each time on top of the weak station I was
trying to pull through. I was giving my call on each transmission. He
irritated me!)
	I was able to write a note to myself about an error while I
still kept running stations. 

The good operators out there may wonder what I am on about with this
last comment, but to me this is the real clincher that I am now capable
of contesting in morse. Up to this contest to do anything but just
operate and read morse was more than I could manage, to think at the
same time was beyond me. So this is a mark to me that I am in control.
It also means that I can contest and not just work stations in a
contest. There is a difference and a big difference in the achieved
scores

Don't misunderstand, I am not, nor will I ever be, one of the elite that
can get rates very high for all day. I do feel an enormous sense of
satisfaction that a goal has been achieved.

AND I'm having fun!

So when I seem to be a little impatient with the whiners who don't want
to bother themselves with learning morse because they are unique and
cannot  cope with the challenge you will perhaps forgive me. After all I
KNOW they are talking rubbish.

On a slightly different subject I also found in the contest that the
power of individual self set goals was still very powerful for me. I was
"just" on to hand out some points. So I thought a target of 500 QSOs
seemed reasonable (note I always have to have some sort of quantifiable
target).

 I went to bed on Saturday with 460 so in the morning  changed the
target to 1000 with some sub goals on mults per band. As the contest
progressed I was sitting here more and more not only CQing but also S&P
ing. I was working at the contest. The goals and targets had sucked me
in again! 

Going to bed on Sunday I was on 1095 so I set 1500 as the goal for
Monday morning. Too ambitious, but I tried!

If I'd had the time and set that goal at the beginning I would easily
have made the 1500.

The actual result:-
BAND   Raw QSOs   Valid QSOs   Points   Mults   
 __________________________________________________

  160CW        1           0          0       0 
   80CW       88          88        264      29 
   40CW      419         410       1224      50 
   20CW      167         162        486      37 
   15CW      558         549       1647      50 
   10CW       97          96        285      22 
 __________________________________________________

 Totals     1330        1305       3906     188 

    Final Score = 734328 points.

In the chair for 24 hours. 12 of those were over 60 in the hour with a
best of 96

I have no idea what category, certificate or trophy I may be eligible
for, I have already achieved my satisfaction and pleasure by setting my
goals, allocating the time I have available, having fun and winning. 

I guess I am different. I don't need a third party to tell me I've  won.
I know in my own mind when I have won, it's measurement is easy, I feel
good!

Thanks to everyone who gave me advice on morse, I will still strive to
get better but with your help the first goal has been officially
achieved...... I am a multi mode contester!

73 


Martin VK5GN


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