[CQ-Contest] CW speed - send vs. copy

[Pete Smith]

At 09:45 PM 11/17/98 -0800, Bruce Sawyer wrote:
...
>This subect seems to come up every year about this time, and there's
>always a string of pious posters who proclaim their willingness to help
>the newbie and slow down whenever anybody tells them "QRS".  The last
>time this happened I decided to do my own little test, and the next
>contest that came along I went around calling all the QRQ guys at about
>15 wpm, just to see what they would do.  Almost all simply blew me off
>when I asked for QRS, but in the spirit of total truthfulness I can
>report that both K5ZD and K4OJ passed the test.  They did QRS, just like
>they said they would on this reflector, but I think they might have been
>the only two who did.  

Well, that depends.  Sweepstakes is a case where enlightened self-interest
and good manners converge.  I QRS because it encourages other slow ops to
call me, and on Sunday during SS that can be the difference between a
personal best and just another year.  I also do it because SS has more
'unpredictable' elements in the exchange than any other contest, and
staying QRQ simply means fills.  I'd rather you didn't waste time sending
'QRS," just call me slowly and see what happens.

Now ... in CQWW, where copying the call-sign is all that matters, I see
little reason to slow down, on the assumption that even slow callers will
have copied my call before they call.  If they don't, it's on them, not me.
 Once in a while I will slow down my CQ or my sending of my call-sign,
though, simply to troll for the QRS op who really can't copy my call at 30
wpm.

73, Pete Smith N4ZR
n4zr at contesting.com 

Loud is good.


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