[CQ-Contest] ROTTEN OPERATING

[Frank W8HO]

Wonderful response!  It forms the basis for a wonderful debate Gerry.  You 
are definitely correct that each of us is marketing our station if we are 
using a run radio.  The part that makes a contest interesting is that each 
of us has a different "marketing plan".  It wud be dull indeed if we tuned 
the band only to hear a chain of run radios churning out all computer 
generated CW at 37 wpm.  I have no idea who first stated that "variety is 
the spice of life", but it is also the lure of a contest.

Enough from here.........Happy New Year to all for the last time (I think 
it's illegal to say it after January 2nd)

73 de Frank W8HO  ex  WB8ZEV


At 09:42 AM 1/2/2002 -0500, you wrote:

>The recent thread on CW speed is an interesting one.
>
>When you are running in a contest, you are marketing your station.
>"Hey, please come work me.  In and out, fast and efficient.
>I am a competent operator and we will be done as quickly as possible."
>
>How do you get that message across?  Here's some of the techniques
>I use. Probably old news for 90% on this reflector, YMMV, IMHO, etc...
>
>- Call CQ in short bursts.
>   If your doing S&P, you should be tuning quickly for stations.  If you
>   hear "CQ TEST CQ TEST CQ TE..." hopefully you've tuned by that station!
>
>- Find the "sweet spot" of CW speed for the contest you are in. Somewhat
>   contrary to the opinions here, I tend to keep my speed fairly
>   high, typically 35-37 WPM.  Too slow (say below 27 wpm) and you'll run
>   into the same "long CQ" problem.  Too fast, and you'll limit the
>   audience.  However, I believe the top end of speed is somewhat open.
>   If you're a DXPedtion or rare QTH, you can use speed to modulate the
>   depth of a pileup.   Faster is very good in you're managing a
>   packet-spot pileup.
>
>   Rarely do I slow down if a station is QRS.  If they ASK for QRS, sure.
>   Otherwise, I assume they can copy me.  Typical contest exchanges are
>   pretty simple, other than SS.  Even that is not bad -- they can listen
>   to prior QSOs to get static information.  It is a rite of passage for
>   a new contester to sit and listen to a station and figure out the call
>   which is above their current copying speed.  Also, I get stations
>   responding to my 37WPM CQ with a straight key... copying me perfectly,
>   and replying with the technology they have.
>
>   Years ago, as a newbie, I remember listening for 15 minutes in an SSB
>   contest before I could get the callsign "KP4AST".  A rite of passage,
>   the cost to get a new multipler.
>
>- Send exchanges using your computer, if you have it.  Nothing turns off
>   S&P stations in a hurry like mistakes.  Even if you're a perfect
>   sender, use the key for fills only.  Use the CQ time for other
>   tasks. We are all human, that's why we use computers!
>
>Always remember you are marketing yourself. Have you ever noticed that
>many of the perennial top 10 finishers in contesting work in marketing
>in their professional lives?  (Oh Oh, I'm an engineer :-( )
>
>73 & HNY,
>
>Gerry, W1VE/VE1RM
>
>
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