[UK-CONTEST] AFS/QRS

[Ian G3WVG]

Hiya Guys 

First of all , the AFS report.

I agree with many of the other posts saying it felt less busy this year,
which is quite odd since actually my score has improved to 265 QSOs claimed.
Everything went smoothly, no deliberate jammers just a few tuners. There
were a few last minute panics before the contest including a dodgy 12 Volt
PSU which I discovered just before the off, and an antenna that needed to be
fixed on the Saturday.  But the 4 Hours passed (relatively slowly) without
incident.

Now about CW.  I'll try not to refer too much to "the old days" .(.oops
there I go.!)   

Fact. If you enter a CW contest without being a regular CW operator it means
that you don't stand much of a chance. It's for this reason I guess that I
do abysmally in RTTY contests. But it doesn't matter, just have a go!.

 S+ P means you get a lot of goes at getting the callsign right and you can
deduce the number easily. It's only by working well outside your comfort
zone that you will improve. When I first started CW operating I used to
dread being asked a question because most of the time I could barely
understand the other station, but again it doesn't matter it's just a bit of
fun.  Practice really does work.
   
So outside contests  where do you get the practice?  The problem is that
there is very little CW activity outside contests except for the hopeless
addicts/ members of the various CW clubs.  This is because   nowadays CW
holds very little general appeal except for DX/QRP and contesting.  If the
addicts don't believe me, just listen on 80 on Sunday mornings and evenings,
you'll only find a tiny number of stations active, when at one time the band
was full.
Having said that, some signals are there, and there is no substitute for
listening practice.


QRS corner, if there is a demand keep it , otherwise ditch it. I don't mind
slowing down speeding up or whatever, I'm just pleased to be called.

73 Ian G3WVG