[UK-CONTEST] Re 1 CW Sending speed

[Chris Tran GM3WOJ]

Hello Chris et al

Please don't give up on 160m and please don't give up on calling 
higher-speed CW stations !  My original question is just really asking if 
sending more slowly is actually beneficial on 160/80 or whether contesters 
have got into a habit ?

My personal opinion is that if a slower-speed station calls a higher-speed 
station, this implies that the slower-speed station is happy to at least 
attempt to make the QSO at the higher speed. When my CW copying ability was 
slower, I used to listen for a minute or two to make sure that I had the 
callsign and/or expected next serial number correct - if I had this 
information then I didn't really expect the faster station to slow down for 
me. If the high speed station thinks that their callsign or exchange has not 
been copied correctly for some reason, they will slow down and make repeats 
of course.  Most stations can copy their own callsign when sent much faster 
than they usually copy. Contesters and DX stations often speed up 
deliberately to thin out pile-ups temporarily (or maybe this doesn't work so 
well nowadays?)

One point worth making is that CC events are intended as 'starter contests' 
where newcomers are exposed to some of the techniques (good and bad!) which 
are used in the major contests. The CQ WW CW contest this coming weekend is 
a great opportunity for everyone to work CW at whatever speed they are 
comfortable with - just don't expect the other stations to slow down 
significantly. (BTW the fastest operating I've heard recently was 3V9A in 
WPX CW earlier this year - he was sending at about 50wpm and even then there 
were dozens of stations calling him)

73
Chris   GM3WOJ / ZL1CT

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