[CQ-Contest] Rampant Key Clicks in ARRL DX CW 2016

[Jim Brown]

I encountered relatively few dirty signals this weekend, perhaps due to 
my location in W6. A couple of JAs were nasty on 15M, even though they 
were barefoot. I'm guessing something Yaesu. My buddy WB9Z brought home 
a K3S from K5P and used it to drive an Alpha 2000. Something was wrong 
-- I spotted him about clicks hoping he would see it, and K9PG, another 
SMC stalwart, also pulled his coat. We exchanged emails this morning, 
and he's working on it. I suspect the amp.  N6VR has a very clicky 
FT1000MP that I told him about more than two years ago. He was still 
clicky in this month's CW Sprint.

There was another signal from SA that was weak but broad -- perhaps the 
same station Dennis heard. I spotted him with a comment about dirty 
signal, rig broke.

I'm a strong believer in making contact with the offenders, and if 
they're not responsive, going public.

73, Jim K9YC

On Mon,2/22/2016 4:55 AM, Barry N1EU wrote:
> Instead of the situation improving over the past 15 years with more
> awareness, key clicks on the bands during contests have gotten much worse.
> I've copied excerpts from score postings from W1UE and N1EU below.