[CQ-Contest] Great exemplary CW Can Be Fast! All CW is gud

[Bill Coleman]

On 11/10/00 18:25, James White at k4oj at tampabay.rr.com wrote:

>> Of course, if you never lower your operating speed for a CQ, you'll miss
>> all those QRS operators who hear your blinding CW and tune right past.
>
>why don't they ask me to QRS! I would happily oblidge!!!

Three reasons (assuming a big disparity on the senders and receivers' 
skill):
1) The sender is going so fast the receiver has no clue as to his 
callsign, even listening to it over and over. Receiver is afraid to call 
QRS, since it could be a duplicate contact anway.
2) The receiver is afraid that if he does ask to QRS, the sender won't. 
3) The receiver is afraid that if he does ask to QRS, the sender will, 
but not sufficiently slow enough to permit copy. (remember most contest 
software can't send below 20 wpm)

I do remember being a QRS CW operator (not that I'm QRQ now, but I'm 
better), trying to dig out callsigns from all the rapid-fire rat-tat-tat. 
It's very intimidating. It's hard for QRQ operators that "speak" CW 
fluently to remember this stage.

>> On those slow Sundays in SS, exactly how fast do you have to send CQ over
>> and over?
>
>Depends on whether there was a pileup last time I got an answer!

Given all the complaints about how slow Sunday was, I would hazard to 
guess that such Sunday pileups were exceedingly rate.

Good point though -- CW speed is an effective pileup control. But when 
the pileup disappears -- perhaps that's exactly the time to reduce speed.

>> Varying your code speed is also a good operating practice. Different
>> speeds will attract different operators.
>
>agreed...I know many contesters will also use several differently formatted
>CQs as well...a long one a short one, some guys even swear that you should
>occasionally send a manual one (oh my) for a good mix!

Another good tip.

>> We noticed this very strongly a NQ4I's #1 USA M/M finish in the WPX CW
>> 1998. Rick and I were operating 10m. Rick preferred his CW around 34 wpm,
>> I felt more comfortable at about 26 wpm. Each type we switched, we were
>> greeted with a flurry of calls.
>
>...that was just his arsenal of Aluminum :-)

Rick's arsenal, although impressive, can't compare to the superstations 
in the northeast.

No, the arsenal didn't change, it was just the operators (and hence the 
speed). It was quite interesting to press F1 a dozen times, switch 
operators, and suddenly be greeted with replies for the next couple of 
minutes.


Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
            -- Wilbur Wright, 1901


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