[CQ-Contest] you gotta have rhythm

[Jim White]

yes, E I S H all bite on CW as far as potential for copying errors - just got done looking at my SS log analysis on the ARRL web site, had made some of tham errors myself - hats off to the ARRL for following through on this stuff - it is very good - yes, there are still accuracy issues but details is enhanced!

Overcoming this is the secret....it was easier in the time of the bug when there was more fist in signing ones call....with K1EA, K8CC or N6TR signing a lot of our calls they all kinda sound the same!  There are some slight alterations of sending methodology allowed in the computer software programs out there...including pauses and or speed changes...purists say this is heracy - good code is good code and should not be bastardized by speed ups or slow downs, etc....I wholeheartedly disagree!  Guys who had unique fists before computers were recognized - of course some of it was negative like K3JH who got tired of having his call copied wrong and sent K3J5.

Go back not long ago - my favorite CW calls included N4AR's old call of K4GSU....he would send it with a pause after the four and then run the rest together

K4  GSU
 
I never had a problem copying that....he timed the length of that pause just right to allow the brain to reset for copy of the balance...

Guys with longer calls also have traditionally been able to send them faster because it seems our minds process them ok without question...as in G3FXB, F X B all being 4 part letters.

At high speeds since the mind tends to lag - unless you're a mutrant like K1TO, et al....dots are easier to screw up - face it we get confused.  

When it came time to upgrade our club call - I selected K4NNN rather than a 1X2 because the available one by twos coming up were ALL E I S H ridden...the only copying problems with that callsign tend to be sometimes guys think it is K4NN since some is clicking along QRQ and I guess they think they must be a one by two!

Note also that a call can be TOO short - leaving the listener waiting for the rest....like E or EE suffixes...you are thinking - there has to be more to that call!

We have hashed over the pros and cons of dots dashses and how to pick a vanity call many times on this reflector...I recommend anyone actually program their computer with a given call before opting to select it - kind of like trial and error....it may seem wierd visually but what counts is how it sounds....and anymore that means as sent by your software!  Run it in a simulator program...try it - HOW DOES IT SOUND!

Sorry for the long post - will be missing Dayton this year and have to unload some hammy talk without the usual fix!

OJ


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