[UK-CONTEST] AFS and QRS.

[David Gould]

A lot of the comments about AFS and the QRS debate have been from 
people who are proficient, very experienced, and get a buzz from 
working at high speed.  I would like to put an alternative view.

I will fully admit that I find CW hard, but I would like to be more 
proficient and I do spend time with the excellent Koch trainer.  I 
try to put in a showing in some of the events to give people some 
points and to support efforts like GB5HQ to give them the extra 6 
band mode slots over and above the SSB slots which were easy for me.

Yesterday I had a go in AFS and came away very downhearted.  I spent 
some time in the QRS corrall (which I think is an excellent idea, but 
some people were still sending at 25-30wpm)  but ventured "south" a 
few times. I was only operating S & P.  I only ever called someone 
after they had put out at least one or usually two unanswered CQ 
calls.  Only one person slowed down to something approaching my speed 
(abt 15wpm), one other did slow down after I asked them to QRS, the 
rest just carried on regardless.  Because of when I called I don't 
think I spoilt anyones "rate" but did give a few people an extra QSO.

Does the "Good Practice" action of slowing down to the speed of the 
person calling not apply in contests?  Or are people like me not 
welcome in amongst those who are proficient in high speed CW?  I 
thought that one of the purposes of contests like AFS was to 
encourage newcomers and the less proficient!  I would have thought 
operating considerately would make the less proficient more 
comfortable operating anywhere in the band and therefore allow the 
QRS corrall to be made narrower, as has been suggested.

Is there a problem here of technology constraining good practice... 
My rig has a speed knob which I can change easily,  with a lot of the 
sending being automated by computer is it perhaps difficult to change 
the speed **EASILY**  within the major logging programs, or dare I 
say it,  have a normal key in parallel with the computer keying?

Any suggestions as to how to re-energise my motivation?

73,
Dave G3UEG