[CQ-Contest] SS CW Secrets #8

[Tree]

First some mail from your readers:

Warren, NF1J writes:

> The one thing I was hoping you'd talk about, and haven't yet, given the
> target audience is accuracy. Especially since in Sweepstakes, (a), the
> exchange is the most complicated, (b), the top ten can be separated by a
> handful of QSOs, (c) you get a lot more people than normal who aren't very
> good at CW, and (d), the contesting community has gotten puritanical as far
> as checking every single submitted log (which, IMO, is a bit much).

Puritanical?  Well, perhaps.  Since I am somewhat involved in the log checking
process for the SS, I can certainly agree that we do check every single 
submitted log.  As far as that being too much - I guess I have a hard time
knowing were to draw the line - and in the end, I don't think there is any
reason not to check all of the logs.  I should point out in self defense 
that log checking is not used to deny anyone getting a clean sweep mug.  
You can get that mug even if you don't correctly copy the information 
correctly.

> And if you're a contester who's taken the summer off, and might be a bit
> rusty, it's probably too late now to get some practice in.

No, but being aware of the issue and taking some extra time to make sure
you have things right might be enough for some.

Here are more thoughts that Warren put together:

> Generally, CW copying errors fall under two categories. Counting errors, and
> transposition errors.

> Counting errors are when you drop or add a dit or a dah.

> For example, B vs D, J vs W, S vs H, R with F, U with V, M vs O, 2 vs 3 and
> 7 vs 8. Many people tend to add one that isn't there, or drop one that
> wasn't there.

> Transposition errors are even more insidious.

> There are a lot of people who'll confuse N with A; F with L, 3 with 7, 2
> with 8, and the like. You'd think it would be impossible, but it happens
> time after time after time.

> What to do?

> If you're rusty, practice. If you're not rusty, but you're going to be
> serious, practice anyway.

> SS is the one contest where you hear the call sign twice. Therefore, there
> is never any excuse to get a call sign wrong.

> If you're going to send at 38, you need to be able to copy 100% at 38. Don't
> work at a speed higher than what you can copy--it just makes trouble for all
> of us.

> In SS, you deal with a lot of what I call "unexpected numbers". You expect a
> certain number as part of the call sign; you know the check is going to be
> one of six letters; the sections are all predetermined; but there's no
> telling what someone's check is going to be, and they can change from year
> to year (trust me). So if you've not been listening to a lot of CW numbers
> lately, maybe this is a good week to tune in some W1AW CW high speed
> transmissions.

> Finally, probably the largest cause of copying errors is simply a failure to
> ask for a repeat. Don't be afraid to sound foolish by asking for a repeat of
> the exchange, or any part of the exchange. If you guess, you *will* guess
> wrong, nearly every time. If your mind isn't right, to paraphrase Cool Hand
> Luke, you'll fail to communicate.

Great stuff Warren.  About all I can add it remind everyone that their log 
will be checked regardless of how small or large it is.  If you sent in a log
last year, you can see your report card (Log Check Report) on the arrl web
page that shows the contest results (and if you are logged in as an ARRL
member).

Over 99 percent of your callsigns and received information will be checked.
Over 70 percent of your log will be cross checked.  If you are not sure of
the information you are putting in the log, then you should take the time
to get it right.  Otherwise, you will likely lose the contact, and possibly
a penalty to go with it.

Shelby, K4WW writes:

> Tree, I have been "reading through", and even kept them for reference, your
> SS CW Secrets. Being "CW challenged" above 24-26 WPM, I think your advice
> should/could read "when in S/P, call the CQing station at their speed", not
> necessarily a specific number, just don't make them uncomfortable and
> intimidated, or they may "just disappear"! Many lose a contact with me, not
> sure if that matters, just because they won't QRS for me to "get it right"!
> I find that if I wait until Sunday afternoon to get on, my chances are
> greatly increased, simply because I'm the "new meat"? I also plead guilty to
> "not being a novice, but calling high in the band", almost always in the
> "novice" area of the band! Usually enough will find me, to allow me to make
> the necessary 100 contacts, and the others just miss getting "the one that
> could make a difference"?

Great points and thanks for sharing.  Yes, when answering someone calling CQ
at a slower speed, or if someone answers your 38 WPM CQ at 27 WPM, it is
only common sense that you should slow down.  Certainly getting on during 
Sunday will find more stations sending below 30 WPM.  

KL9A writes:

> Off times?  Best to sleep at night from 12-6 or...?

Ah yes - another thing I was going to cover and forgot.

Let me back up a little first.  The SS is really two different contests.  
One is called Saturday and the other Sunday.  You will find your average
rate on Saturday is about twice what it will be on Sunday, or even a bit
more.  Therefore, it is important to maximize your operating time on 
Saturday and save your off time for the slower periods of the contest.

As a general rule, I always try to operate the first 12 hours of the contest
without any breaks (or one at the most).  After that 12th hour, it seems
that most of the stations who are active are sleeping.  Depending on my
circumstances, I will get back on the air with 3 or 4 break times to use
during Sunday.  

There are other stations who will never stay off the air for longer than
30 minutes and they basically don't sleep.  They will end up way ahead of
you on Sunday morning when you wake up, but it isn't clear that they will
be ahead of you at the end of the contest.  Personally, I find I function
much better on Sunday if I have had some sleep.

If you find you need to take a break for some kind of equipment problem 
early in the contest - try not to let it upset you too much.  One year at
W5WMU, I had to take 30 minutes off in the first hour, but was still able
to win the contest.

I am not sure any break strategy that has you on the air for 11 1/2 of 
the first 12 hours can be very broken.

So - what kind of rates should you expect?  Depends on your power level
on the first day, but on Sunday, I think most everyone's rate is the same.
If you are QRP, you have more stations that you haven't worked, and that
helps your rate on Sunday.  

For high power stations, your rate on Sunday will be about half of what
you had on Saturday.  In some cases, they will be even less than that.

Here is some data I just pulled out of the 2002 SS CW logs.  It shows
the distribution by hour and by band for all of the QSOs showing up in
the electronic logs that were received.  Since I have logs from both 
sides of many QSOs, these numbers are higher than the "actual" QSO numbers,
but you can use this as a relative indication of where the activity is
and when.

Total logs processed = 1158

HOUR         160      80       40       20       15       10    TOTAL
2100          0       66     2296     5240     7923    15367    30892
2200          0        1     2198     5333    11198    12770    31500
2300          0        2     2960     7748    13145     5727    29582
0000          0       79     5652    10082    10942     1765    28520
0100          0      863     8542    12488     5693       40    27626
0200          0     3244    11287    11552      772       11    26866
0300          0     5765    14532     5903        8       10    26218
0400          0     7101    15450     3414        0        0    25965
0500          0     7743    14495     1433        0        1    23672
0600          0     7369    11517      280        0        0    19166
0700          1     5747     7664       22        0        1    13435
0800          0     2618     3850        1        0        5     6474
0900          0      697      893        0       70       73     1733
1000          0      142      697       50       33       11      933
1100          0      916     1931       55        0       17     2919
1200          0     2640     6188      458       20        4     9310
1300          0      453     9461     4050      269       72    14305
1400          0        4     5277     8427     3276       70    17054
1500          0        1     3094     8886     7104     1334    20419
1600          0        0      965     7552     7602     5087    21206
1700          0        0      581     5294     6557     7255    19687
1800          0        0      170     4401     6403     7288    18262
1900          0        0      487     4672     6707     6832    18698
2000          0       26      746     5201     6339     6126    18438
2100          0        0     1834     5186     6404     5106    18530
2200          0       17     2796     5400     7760     2679    18652
2300          0      401     4163     6356     6367      443    17730
0000          0     1544     5310     6617     3120       31    16622
0100          0     2613     6952     6291      474        0    16330
0200          0     4164     6502     4115        0        0    14781

As you can see, the hours 0900, 1000 and 1100 are great ones to get 
some shuteye.  Some club must have had an activity hour at 2000 on 
80 meters!

This year, things might be shifted down some if 10 meters isn't open.
Although with the crazy stuff going on with the sun this week, who
knows how conditions will be.

Well, I am going to send this off.  I might not make another post
until after the contest as things are rather hectic.

Good luck in the contest and hope to work you in the SS!

73 Tree N6TR
tree at kkn.net