[CQ-Contest] How do you get better?

[Pete Smith]

In particular, try MorseRunner by VE3NEA - it is freeware and does a very 
nice job of simulating real contest conditions, emulating N1MM Logger and 
other contest software.  For pure callsign recognition, RUFZXp is also 
excellent.

73, Pete N4ZR

At 08:37 AM 10/31/2008, Ernesto Martin Grueneberg wrote:
>I´d add: use a CW simulator software. It´s not the same, but it helps
>
>
>
>Ernesto LU5CW/DL
>
>2008/10/31 Randy Thompson K5ZD <k5zd at charter.net>
>
> > "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?" the guy asked his cab driver.  The
> > reply,
> > "Practice. Practice. Practice."
> >
> > I think we all can acknowledge that practice is an important part of
> > learning and improving any skill.  Sports players practice, sometimes for
> > years.  Kids learning musical instruments practice.  Very few people are a
> > "natural" who can just pick something up and be instantly good at it.
> >
> > Why does no one ever talk about practice with regard to radio contests?
> >
> > I find the SS CW contest is the best single thing I can do to be ready for
> > WW CW.  Why?  Because it lets me practice my SO2R techniques.  After doing
> > SS CW, I find I can sit down in WW CW and immediately go into SO2R mode
> > without much thought or effort.
> >
> > Other ways to practice in radio contests:
> >
> > - Start at the bottom of the band and see how fast you can search and
> > pounce
> > your way to the top.  Then go back to the bottom and do it again.  The
> > first
> > time is about knowing how to acquire the next signal and dump in your call
> > (or decide to keep tuning).  The second pass is the valuable one.  It helps
> > you practice call sign recognition, duping skills, and how to dig between
> > the fast loud guys.
> >
> > - Work a QSO party or smaller DX contest that is focused on one area.  See
> > if you can work every station you hear from that area. Again, this helps
> > you
> > practice recognizing signals from a target area and duping skills.
> >
> > - Work Field Day running high power.  No better simulation for practicing
> > running skills.  :)
> >
> > - Work RTTY contests to learn SO2R skills.  In RTTY, the computer is doing
> > the brain work and the QSOs have a fairly consistent timing and pattern.
> > This frees you to practice the keyboarding skills of jumping between the
> > two
> > logging windows.  For even higher level of practice, try running on two
> > bands at the same time (while never transmitting on two bands at once).
> >  The
> > goal is to do it so smoothly that no one listening can tell what you are
> > doing!
> >
> > - Search and pounce in a contest using low power.  Almost everything I
> > learned about busting pileups came from my early years in ham radio with
> > 100
> > watts and wires in trees.  You take a different approach when you are not
> > the loudest guy in the pileup.  Learn that different approach and then be
> > amazed when you apply it while running a KW!
> >
> > - W4AN used to do work in his shack with two radios turned on listening to
> > two different stations.  He would practice copying both.  You probably
> > won't
> > be able to copy solid on both, but you will learn how to quickly shift
> > focus
> > back and forth.  The goal is to get this skill happening without thinking.
> >
> > - Get on the air between contests and make some QSOs.  Nothing helps your
> > CW
> > sending more than having to think and send at the same time.  :)
> >
> > Most of all, have fun!
> >
> > Randy, K5ZD
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > CQ-Contest at contesting.com
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> >
>
>
>
>--
>Ernesto Grueneberg
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