[VHFcontesting] CW ops, pse qrs when contesting

[Ed Kucharski]

Bill,
I am with ya on this!  I have had the same experience - usually it isn't a 
problem because I have moved the station to another band and I know the 
call and exchange and can pick it out even when it is being sent at 20+ 
wpm.  Random qso's are more difficult for me and my cw is more proficient 
at 15wpm or so.  One thing that good cw op's should remember is that there 
are a lot of VHF+ ops who only know cw at the 5-10 wpm rate and slowing 
down for them will probably result in a couple of more qso's.

One more thing about cw in vhf contests...   I have had many situations 
where I have moved stations from 6 or 2m to 222MHz and up and signals will 
be marginal on phone and I have asked the station I'm attempting to work to 
try cw only to find out that there is no key available, or the key is on 
the other radio etc.  On microwaves especially, cw is a much more reliable 
mode and many more qso' can be made by using cw when the path won't support 
ssb.  My suggestion is to have a key or keyer ready to go on your microwave 
gear and even if your cw skills are weak most of us will be patient and 
slow down enough to make that 2, 3 or 4 point qso!

See you on vhf+.
73,
Ed K3DNE



At 01:17 PM 7/31/2003 -0400, Bill Burgess wrote:
>Greetings all,
>
>I am willing to work both ssb and cw in contesting.  But if a cw operator 
>goes so fast I cannot identify the call it is hard to work him.  Likewise, 
>I have found a few who would not qrs when requested and thus a contact was 
>lost.  My code speed was much better from 1958 to 1968 than it is now and 
>I hope to improve it so I can keep up to you.  Meantime, please qrs if cw 
>is your preferred medium when you hear me calling you.
>
>Thanks muchly.
>
>Bill
>
>Email: braillist at sympatico.ca
>
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