[CW] CW trends on the ham bands -- as I experience it

[Werner 'Joe' Jochem DK7VW]

Henry Mei'l's wrote:

> Sometimes I experience a swarm of stations calling me after I finish
> a QSO and I don't get this when calling CQ. I usually work one or two
> out of the swarm and then QRT.

One reason might be the lack of a CW exam. More and more CW "operators" 
never learned the code but they are decoding it with their computers.

Whenever an operator sends a clean and exact code - like OZ1UF - he is 
an interesting victim for these MixW-Operators because their computers 
can easily decode his transmissions. Maybe you should switch to a 
mechanical bug? ;-)

In most cases you can identify these computer guys by their operating 
manners. They often send plain text instead of CW abbreviations and are 
not familiar with the common CW operating practice.

> The down side is that there's almost no one left on the band with
> whom you can run a relaxed QSO. -- and why are there so few that will
> actually hold a QSO running more than 1 to 3 minutes? Is it a
> language problem -- nothing to say ?-- or are most caught up in some
> QSO quantity frenzy where you just zap along and never get into any
> depth.

This is not a new problem (I'm looking back at 33 years of CW activity) 
but you are right: the number of the 'rubber stampers' is increasing.

Another sign of bad CW education is - how I like to call them - the call 
sign plunkers. You finish a CW QSO (not in a contest of course) and then 
you will get a 'UA9***' on your frequency. No 'DK7VW DE UA9***'. How the 
hell shall I know whom this guy is actually calling?

Poor operationg manners in CW is a problem that can be solved only by 
ourselves: by giving more education to the newcomers (maybe in your 
local amateur radio club), by giving an example of good operating 
practice on the bands.

73 Joe DK7VW