[UK-CONTEST] CW Speed

[Tom Boucher]

Continuing Chris's interesting thread on top-band CW speed - basic communication theory states that noise varies directly with bandwidth, so reducing B/W reduces broadband noise and improves signal to noise ratio. However, this also means that the data rate has to be proportionately slower, to fit in to the narrower channel if you like. I reckon that this is the reason we all used to send at 5wpm when trying to work W1BB, so that we could all use our narrowest IF filter! Hence also the very narrow sub-cycle bandwidths effectively used by the QRSS devotees on 136 KHz.

Having said that, I suspect that most operators, like me, don't like running with a narrow bandwidth, unless adjacent QRM makes it necessary, and prefer to let our brains do the DSP filtering! That's one of the features I love on the K3, it's fully adjustable bandwidth and IF shift capability (along with it's true diversity reception which is just magic!)

None of this has anything to do with the common courtesy of responding to a station at the same, slower, speed at which he calls you.

73
Tom G3OLB