[CQ-Contest] CW Speeds in a contest

[Bruce B. Sawyer]

Frank, W8HO, wrote:
>My questions are: What do u consider appropriate rates for CW sending?  Are
>there different standards for rag chewing and contesting?  Are you sure
>that ur contesting rate is appropriate to get the most bang for ur run-time
>frequency?  Do u listen to those who ask for u to QRS, or simply ignore
>them and continue at ur usual run rate if their request is not sent at very
>close to ur usual send rate, waiting for the faster QSO?

This is a VERY interesting question, and I wish I knew the answer.  It's one
that perplexes me constantly.

I once posed this question to one of the better-known Voodudes, and his
answer was that they had found they got the most throughput at 33 wpm.  That
kind of surprised me, but the more I watch the more I think he is right
about this.  I have noticed that the pile-up starts getting a little frantic
when I'm going at 36 wpm, and at 37 wpm I get people just blasting calls out
of sequence irrespective of what I'm saying.  So I've learned to keep it to
a max of 35 except for the first couple of hours when I'm on a new band.
Then I'll go at 36 or 37, because I know what I'm doing is getting the real
contesters out of the way.  After they're in the log, then I have to start
pulling out the DXers and casuals, so I slow down.  I've been trying to push
myself down toward 33 or 32 once the rate slows down, but it's painful.  I'd
almost rather not contest than have to go that slowly.

There very definitely is a different speed for rag-chewing than for
contesting.  I'm always set much higher for rag-chewing than when
contesting.  After all, in a contest you need the points and so have to beg
EVERYBODY.  That means you've got to slow down.  When you're just
rag-chewing, you get to pick and choose whom you answer.  Also, I think it's
easier to copy at higher speeds in conversational mode than when you're
trying to pull calls out of a pile-up.  You're already tuned in on the guy
at the other end...you usually don't have a lot of QRM...and if you miss
even a whole word you often figure it out in a few seconds just from
context.  When you're trying to copy call signs, you have to copy every
character correctly.

And as far as this point of people coming along and asking to QRS...I still
feel that the person CQing sets the speed.  If I'm really serious about a
particular contest and out for a score, I'll do anything [legal] to get
points in the log.  So yes, if I'm serious about the contest (happens only a
few times a year), if the rate is slow, and somebody asks me to slow down,
I'll do it.  Otherwise, though, I just ignore the request.  My honest
feeling is that he shouldn't be calling me if he doesn't like my speed.  But
there are some people who will sit there and send "QRS" over and over, even
while I'm working other stations.  Perverts!

As a parenthetical comment, I would say the practice that gripes me the most
on this issue of speed is this business of people changing speeds in the
middle of an exchange.  For some reason, the Europeans seem to love to do
this.  I'll get a 5NN blasted at me at 45 wpm, then the meaningful info at
half that speed.  As soon as I hear the high speed stuff, my brain kicks
into a different gear and I get ready for high speed code.  Then when they
slow down, it's another shock of mental readjustment.  I don't need that.
Often, I'll go back to people who do this and ask for the report again,
saying I can't copy at that speed.  Drives 'em nuts... the guys who do this
usually can't send anything by hand.

Bruce, ZF2NT


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