[CW] Etiquette(SP!) question...

[Karl J. Zuk]

A different point of view from a dedicated QRPer: I am a relatively new ham 
and CW only. I teach code at a local ham club and as a Fists code buddy. The 
only transmitter I have for use on 20 meters is a Heath HW7 to a homebrew 
dipole up in the trees. This is a challenge in itself. When a big QRO 
station pulls me out of the noise with their 5 element single band Yagi at 
250 feet, we are both thrilled. Is it more fun to shoot ducks in a barrel or 
work French Polynesia on 2 watts? It's your preference, but I like the hard 
challenge. It requires more skill on each end and brings greater rewards. To 
answer the question, do all you can to pull out the weak station's calls and 
their name to complete a basic QSO. If you just can't make it, certainly 
send SRI. When you don't answer at all, its frustrating at the receiving 
end. It's easy to bag a bear. It's a lot harder to capture someone on flea 
power. In any case, get on the air! We need your QSL and friendship! Enjoy 
the hobby as much as you can! 73 de N2KZ Karl Zuk near NYC


>From: "David J. Ring Jr - N1EA" <n1ea@arrl.net>
>To: "Gene Buckle" <geneb@deltasoft.com>, <cw@mailman.qth.net>
>Subject: Re: [CW] Etiquette(SP!) question...
>Date: Wed, 21 May 2003 01:04:47 -0400
>
>I often get calls from stations with VERY poor signals.  This often happens
>if you have a very big signal.  (At the time I was running 4 element yagi
>and 500 watts at a great QTH...)  The signals I was hearing were barely in
>the noise, and then when I replied I got the "RIG HR 20 WATTS AND W3DZZ
>ANTENNA UP 10 METERS BT TKS FOR QSO OM NICE TO ..."
>
>So often after straining I get that it is a QRPer.  Running 2 watts to a
>indoor antenna.  Sometimes it seems not worth the blasting of the QRN into
>my ears.
>
>But I hope that eventually those guys will "wise up" and get a good antenna
>at least, or call at high power, and then do a "QRP" test by lowering 
>power.
>
>On 10 meters, I have gone from 1000 watts output to 100 watts output and my
>signal due to conditions has gone from S-9 to S-2 and once when I told a 20
>watt station how difficult he was, I went to 20 watts output.  He couldn't
>copy me at all.
>
>Sometimes it is good policy to do this to QRPers so they can understand 
>what
>you're doing.  Often the QRPers tell me "I couldn't copy you if you were 
>the
>same power as me."
>
>So I guess being in a QRP contact honors the receiving guy.
>
>73
>
>David
>N1EA
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Gene Buckle" <geneb@deltasoft.com>
>To: <cw@mailman.qth.net>
>Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2003 12:03 AM
>Subject: [CW] Etiquette(SP!) question...
>
>
> > I was calling CQ on 14.040 tonight and I heard a reply so faint, the 
>only
> > reason I knew the person was calling me was the pattern of AFE in my 
>call.
> > Even straining with the volume all the way up, I could hear him so 
>poorly,
> > I could only make out bits and peices of letter elements.
> >
> > I feel bad that I didn't try to return to him, but I didn't feel that I
> > could copy enough of his faint transmission to make a solid contact.
> >
> > Should I have let him know by sending SRI QRN CNT CPY or something
> > similar or was I correct in just not responding?
> >
> > tnx.
> >
> > g.
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > CW@mailman.qth.net
> > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/cw
> >
>
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