[CW] Speed Question

[Marty Szumera]

I have always been a casual CW operator, since 1969, but like many others, I like to jump into a contest for a few hours, just for the challenge. Twenty words per minute is a comfortable Rag Chew speed for me, and I probably can get by with 30wpm quick contest bursts, of course copying by ear and no "machines".  However, I often find myself moving over to 30 or 17 meters on a contest weekend, just to get away from "machine" generated QSO's.  I wonder how many of you guys experience this?

Marty Szumera
WN2DX

________________________________
From: cw-bounces at mailman.qth.net <cw-bounces at mailman.qth.net> on behalf of n7dc at comcast.net <n7dc at comcast.net>
Sent: Saturday, November 23, 2019 6:12 PM
To: Dr Jim Kennedy <phdad_ccm at yahoo.com>; CW Reflector <cw at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [CW] Speed Question

" So when operating Field Day CW perhaps there should be points incentives for hand copy and straight key operation. Just a thought. Cause when the chips are really down CW might just be sent by touching two pieces of bare wire together to key the transmitter."




Indeed.  And be sure you are prepared hardware wise as well.

Years ago, I was on temporary duty at an embassy, which had direct wire connectivity with an in-country base station for telecommunications, when, just at closing time, I lost both my tty printers.  One froze up completely, and the other ran open (just spaces).  II attempted to call the base by telephone, and got only a busy signal.  The regional vhf net between us, also appeared to be down. l then tuned up the base CW watch frequencies, and heard nothing on the air on several standard bands.  Just appeared dead in the water.  But I did hear a dozens or more other embassy com-centers calling them as well.  After an hour or so, I received a call on the vhf net, and was advised the whole base systems were down due to a lightning strike.  I asked if they wanted me to bring up the hf rig at the embassy, and advise all the other net stations to go to a secondary base and communicate there, until further advised.  They agreed and we signed off.       I brought up the embassy hf equipment, And prepared to communicate via CW.  TROUBLE!!   I could find no CW key in the whole office.  The usual communicators there had NO CW training, and there was no requirement the embassy  ever operate in that mode.   I wound up finding an old audio 1/4 inch plug, and some wire.  Made a connection, and actually sent via touching the wires together to send code, for the next hour or so, until net operations were transferred to the other bases.    Hams, be aware you might have to actually have to transmit in something other than voice, or a computer mode, and save someones life by the FIRST mode we ever used (CW).





N7DC at ARRL.NET
Ex WN5QMX,WA5UKR,ET2US,ET3USA,SV0WPP,VS6DD,N7DC/YV5/G5CTB
QSL Bureau, DIRECT, LOTW Preferred, eQSL used but upload at a courtesy only, as do not u
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