[CQ-Contest] When is speed not speedy?

[Bill Parry]

This is an interesting thread. I have long noticed that different
conditions/ running vs S&P etc require me to vary the speed that I send.
When CQing I notice that if I stop getting replies, I start varying the
speed down and I start getting answers again. This is particularly
noticeable when running Jas. If I go too fast the JAs quit calling. If I
send to slow the EU guys don't like it. I experiment with varying the speed
a lot and find that it helps. 

-----Original Message-----
From: CQ-Contest [mailto:cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Tom
Haavisto
Sent: Friday, May 31, 2013 4:02 PM
To: KU7Y
Cc: cq-contest at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] When is speed not speedy?

This an interesting thread.

One of the interesting observations made at this years CTU was along the
lines of  "A lot of the serious folks will end up working a good percentage
of the serious folks".  No - don't expect a 100% sweep, or even close to it,
but chances are the big guns will work a good percentage of serious
entrants, conditions permitting.  Once you think about it, this makes
perfect sense.

What makes the real difference is how many casual folks one can work.

So - by slowing down and making an effort to work casual folks CAN lead to a
winning score!

The other thing I heard at the 2011 QRP forum was to suggest the QRP folks
work contesters!  We have the ears to hear them, and they WILL make QSO's
:-).  And yes, the QSO's ARE appreciated.  My heart skipped a beat when I
heard the presenter suggest this :-)


Just something to keep in the back of your mind during those slow times...
There are folks wanting to work us.  Just might need to dig a little deeper
to put them in the log.

Tom - VE3CX




On Fri, May 31, 2013 at 3:57 PM, KU7Y <ku7y.cw at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Show some gratitude and slow down, guys.
>
>
> I spend a good bit of time on a couple of QRP email lists.  There are 
> many folks there that are both new to ham radio and to contesting.  
> One of the things that seems to always come up is how contesting is 
> too hard to break into due to all the fast CW.
>
> Now I understand that speeds do need to be up there a bit to be able 
> to make a good score but.... when we think about things to do to get 
> more people interested in contesting we need to also think about those 
> new folks trying to "get up to speed" and just giving up because they 
> can't copy most stations.... even one letter/number at a time.
>
> I'm not sure just what the answer is but it's seems like a shame to 
> pass up this pool of "recruits".  Maybe if more people would move up 
> the band and cut their speed down to 15ish or so wpm during some of 
> the low rate times, would this help "welcome" the new folks??
>
> After all, these new folks are a good portion of tomorrow's scores if 
> we can get/keep them interested while they get their CW skills up.
>
> OK, back in my hole,
>
> Ron, KU7Y
> SOWP 5545M
> Arizona Outlaws Contest Club
> Silver Springs, NV
> ku7y at qsl.net
> http://www.hatpinsandmore.com
> KX3 #0062
> DM09ji
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> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
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