[UK-CONTEST] QRS and cw contesting

[g3wvg at btinternet.com]

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Quote:
"I was approached by one of the members at are Radio club the other night
who has just started to go into the Club Championship contests. He has never
been in Amateur Radio contests before so was not sure of the QSO format. He
also is learning Morse Code and was keen to try it out in the contest."
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If someone is learning Morse Code there really is only one way to increase
ones speed and that's practice.  On air QSOs are essential and I think that
having a dabble in a CW contest is one great way to improve. S and P is the
way to go. I would say, don't be tempted to call CQ until you can copy code
at a speed a least as fast as you can send, (otherwise, it will lead to
disappointment!)  

It's obvious I guess and I'm sure that most everyone else had a similar
approach, when I started out in contesting what I did was this: Before
calling a station who was making QSOs, I would identify his call with
certainty and then listen for the serial number.  When I was sure I could
predict what I was going to hear then I would call him.  Then as a safety
measure I would listen to his next QSO and check the number again.  Clearly
I didn't make a lot of QSOs this way but it was fun, and it got me hooked.

Not everyone enjoys these 80M CCs but I think they have many merits. The
club element means that there effectively many "contests within contests".
So you are not just competing with the table leaders but also among those in
your own group and indeed with yourself. 

73 Ian G3WVG