[CQ-Contest] NCJ Article: Sweepstakes Change Suggestions - slow CW

[John Geiger]

 "A slow QSO is better than no QSO."   ("The Art of War", Sun Tzu, ca.
544-496 BCE)


Wow, I didn't know that had amateur radio and QSOs back in the 500s BC,
guess I learned my new fact for the day!

73 John AF5CC

On Thu, Mar 22, 2018 at 4:30 PM, ktfrog007--- via CQ-Contest <
cq-contest at contesting.com> wrote:

>
>
>
>
> Hello,
>
>
> I don't think slow CW sub-bands in the SS will be the salvation of either
> it or CW itself.  It won't hurt, though, to try it and newcomers to CW
> should be advised to ride high in the SS-active parts of a band and the
> faster ops should be encouraged to dial it back for slower ops everywhere.
> It should mean more contacts overall.  Folks complain about not enough
> activity, but as it is said:
>
>
> "A slow QSO is better than no QSO."   ("The Art of War", Sun Tzu, ca.
> 544-496 BCE)
>
>
> CWops runs three, one hour mini-contests every Wednesday.  I think a
> better way to encourage new CW ops is for the CWops group to establish
> permanent slow CW sub-bands at the high end of their normal operating
> frequencies, maybe 5 kHz at about 45 kHz  (e.g., 7045- 7050).  Every
> session, every week.  Newer, slower ops should start out there and faster
> ops can visit, both running and S&P, and everyone should always match their
> speed to the slower side of a QSO.
>
>
> To some extent people do this now informally, but it could become a CWops
> standard.
>
>
> Right now CWops has occasional slow CW days but they are difficult to keep
> track of, not everyone slows down, and fast and slow are intermixed.
>
>
> The exchange, while shorter than the SS, is still challenging enough for
> good training: Call, name and #/S/P/C (member number/state/province/country
> prefix).  Newcomers should be encouraged not to use a call history file.
> True, there are enough regular repeats that you start remembering things in
> your head after a while.  I'm pretty good with calls, not so much with
> names, and as for numbers, forget it.  (If you are too good at remembering,
> refer to the movie "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" for
> unassistance.)
>
>
> Scores are reported to the 3830 site.
>
>
>
> Rate obsessed CWops regulars might resist going to the sub-bands, but they
> should go because:
>
>
> 1. CWops is dedicated to advancing the art and use of CW and this is right
> in their charter:
>
>
> "CWops encourages the use of CW in Amateur communications, and it supports
> CW activity through planned events.  CWops promotes goodwill among Amateurs
> throughout the world, and it fosters the education of young people and
> others in matters related to Amateur Radio."
>
>
>
> 2. The top ops have already established their reputations and now do
> almost the exact same things, session after session, week after week,
> sometimes on almost their exact same frequencies.  Each op could devote
> part of the hour of at least one session per week to promote their
> organization by helping new CW operators.  Mix it up.  Mentoring is good.
>
>
> The CWops weekly contests are very popular and well known, but extra
> promotion would be necessary to establish this extended program.  CWops is
> a capable and effective organization and I believe they could do this.
>
>
>
> 73,
> Ken, AB1J
>
>
>
>
>
>
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