[UK-CONTEST] CW Sending speed

[David Gould]

An interesting thread.

I think CW is an excellent and efficient mode, I would like to use it 
more than I do, the trouble is I find it difficult, so I don't use it 
very often and am one of the "upper teens" brigade.  I have taken 
part in AFS and had a go at getting all 12 band-slots for GB5HQ a few 
years ago. I will be steering clear of CQWW this weekend.

I completely understand the situation of the high-speed, highly 
competitive group who need to maintain their rate, and of this group, 
those that have contributed here are generally those at the top of 
the operating skill spectrum and will slow down when 
appropriate.  Unfortunately there are a lot who are not as 
skillful/thoughtful/considerate.    My approach is to only call a 
faster station after they have made several unanswered CQ calls, so 
there is very little risk of my action jeopardising their rate.   I 
have also called CQ in the AFS QRS corral and still been called at 
very high speed.

This next bit is relating only to the lower-speed group - say the 
teens and low-twenties.  (I am sure that there are many operators who 
send, say, in the thirties, but can receive faster).   For this 
lower-speed group my assumption is that CW reception capability is 
generally the limiting factor.  Also it is likely that some of the 
sending is automated anyway.   Somebody made a comment that they 
would slow down (if not running a high rate) only if they got a 
"QRS"    So an important question is this:-  are many people (again 
in the lower-speed group) likely to send slower than they can 
receive?    The reason I ask this is that I have always thought that 
replying to a faster station at a slower speed was an **implicit** 
request to QRS rather than having to waste time asking 
specifically.  Obviously this assumption falls down if there are 
indeed people (again stressing the lower-speed group) who can receive 
faster than they send.    I myself would always be keen to send as 
fast as I could reasonably receive.

So, for the people who send in the teens and low-twenties area,  does 
anyone consciously send slower than they can receive?  And if so why?

73,
Dave, G3UEG