[UK-CONTEST] QRS and QRP

[Chris Tran GM3WOJ]

Hello Tom et al

The topic of CW speeds has been discussed quite often here on this 
reflector.

I am not a regular in the CC events so will stick to general comments about 
CW operating. I'm sorry but not surprised that your club member had a 
less-than-enjoyable experience in the recent event. There are probably 
several reasons for this.

The accepted definition of QRS (if there ever was such a thing) has maybe 
changed over the years - I believe most CW QSOs (in major contests) nowadays 
take place at about 30wpm - the default speed setting for the original CT 
logging software was 32wpm if I remember correctly, so for the last 20 years 
most contest CW QSOs are in the speed range 26 - 40 wpm. I guess in 2010 QRS 
does not mean 8-10wpm the way it did in the age of hand keying - more like 
20-25 wpm ?

Another problem might be your friend not sending slow enough - in a contest 
if you are working stations at 30wpm and someone calls at, say, 24wpm, you 
don't slow down - you assume that because they have called you they know 
your callsign, so they only have to concentrate on the serial number - often 
they have listened for a minute or two and know what serial number to 
expect. If someone calls at 10-12wpm that's a big step slower and almost 
every good op would at least think about slowing down.

Cut numbers - no need for your club member to bother with these - they are 
almost exclusively used by the 45wpm stations in CQ WPX CW and WAE CW and 
are to be avoided IMHO.

Hope your friend perseveres with his CW contesting !

73
Chris
GM3WOJ / ZL1CT