[CW] Morse Code for us slow pokes

[David J. Ring, Jr.]

Now in the "old days" we also knew that some guys didn't have a speed key.
On the ham bands, I will wait until a very fast sender calls CQ two times,
or just wait 15 seconds and see if he gets an answer, then I will call him
on my hand key.

I won't call someone who is over my speed unless he is calling CQ by the
hour, and there is no one else on the band.  Then I will call him and say
"IF YOU WANT A QSO PLS QRS 55 WPM" which for me is an easier speed to copy
than the 80 or 85 wpm I sometimes here on 40 meters during the day.

Another example of when you WOULD call a fellow who is sending faster than
you are would be when you only have a keyer (or bug, or cootie) - and he is
on a keyboard or is a master at one of the other keys.

One thing I've noticed is that if I send WELL on whatever key I'm using,
even the very very high speed guys will respect me, and have a QSO.  i think
it has to do with how well you send and not the speed.

Answering a fellow who is calling CQ at 18 wpm on a hand key with a keyboard
at 50 is rude - except if you know the fellow can copy.  I have people
answering me all the time with keyboards when I call CQ, but they usually
know that I've been kicking morse around for 40 years or so.

Sending on a hand key and watching the other guys reaction is quite
interesting.  I've noticed that the "really expert" operators will talk to
you even if you're on a key.

I've had quite a many QSOs with people using a hand key who during the QSO
tell me that during their Navy time, they could copy 45 wpm and were on a
high speed circuit.

So I go to the speed key and start sending fast - and they also grab their
speed key.

I've learned that many times sending with a hand key or on a Vibroplex often
gets the excellent operators' attention and interest.

73

DR
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marshall Emm" <mgemm at mtechnologies.com>
To: "CW Reflector" <cw at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2004 8:08 PM
Subject: Re: [CW] Morse Code for us slow pokes

Answering a  CQ that is substantially faster or slower than you want to (or
can) operate is
just bad manners.  As is asking a guy to QRS if he has responded at the
speed
you are using!  In fact, you should never have to ask a guy to slow down
unless
a) he has sped up for some reason, or b) his sending has deteriorated, or c)
conditions have deriorated from QRM/N.  But I digress.