[CQ-Contest] Readability of signals

[Tim Gennett]

K4BAI wrote:

> The worst problem I have with cw readability in contests is the very
> large number of stations who have dots that are so light that I can't
> read them easily.  

I am most challenged by the opposite: dashes that are so light that 
my ability to distinguish between dots and dashes disappears. If 
traditional weighting calls for a 1 to 3 ratio of dots to dashes, those 
ops who run much lower than that (1 to 2 or, perhaps, even 1 to 
1.5) really leave me guessing.  When I hear a station with that kind 
of fist, I usually tune right on by.  And, they miss the opportunity to 
snare that rare, Indiana multiplier!

Then, there is the issue of non-standard phonetics on phone by 
ops whose English accent is very different from any of the various 
North American English variants.  Oh, don't get me started.....

Regards de K9WX, Tim


--
CQ-Contest on WWW:        http://www.contesting.com/_cq-contest/
Administrative requests:  cq-contest-REQUEST at contesting.com