[CQ-Contest] The intricacies of CW contesting habits.

[Ernie Walls]

Now...I am not a contester; I play in them to pick up whatever band/mode/state/etc fills I can find, and generally have fun. And a VK3 point is mostly appreciated because there are not that many of us around.

I am also not a CW aficionado. I cannot read speed above about 8-10 WPM and have absolutely no interest in acquiring that skill. I also send code by machine, 'cause it's way easier, and much better, than doing it myself.

Yes folks, I am what is known as a CW cretin, barely tolerable on the bands beside those venerable skilled CW fogies of 80 years ago. And my wife often calls me worse than that!

But I play in/with the CW mode, because modern software allows me to do so. Which includes dabbling in contests. And, what I seem to be doing in every contest I do play in, which includes a cameo appearance in many smaller, regionalised contests is come upon someone who will insist in operating at 35+ WPM, and in doing so manages to send generally disgusting code (so my software tells me!) and cause much QRM asking for NR repeats and the like.

I love ( I mean, I really LOVE) going back at these types at about five WPM faster than they are operating at, then sit back and watch what happens! Very regularly they vacate the frequency and can be found, doing the very same thing, a few kHz away. But I win the day because I have taken them out of their self-regulated, controlling, CW comfort zone. About once every 500 contest QSOs, I meet one of these people. Almost invariably from what was known as eastern Europe - although not always!

Do I feel guilty - nope, it is part of the 'fun' I mentioned earlier.

As for 'cut' numbers - never realised they created in so many folks so much angst - I PROMISE I will never use them again. Promise. Except for the ubiquitous 5NN of course - then again, that's different, if I read the posts right!

Ernie Walls VK3FM
Vk3fm at wallsy.com.au<mailto:Vk3fm at wallsy.com.au>
Mobile 0418 301 483