[Elecraft] Is CW a Language? OT

[Bill Coleman]

On Jan 13, 2006, at 9:44 PM, Sandy W5TVW wrote:

> Biggest violation of all is when someone calls CQ, another station  
> just
> answers "W1ABC W1ABC K".  Who is he calling?  I usually respond by  
> sending: "QRZ?  QRZ? DE W5TVW K".
> Often the other station will simply send
> "W1ABC W1ABC K"  If the band is crowded, which it often is, this  
> had NOT
> told me he is calling me!  We have not yet established  
> communication so
> the "DE W1ABC" or "W1ABC" IS NOT proper or polite procedure.

Back in the day when most hams used crystal controlled transmitters,  
and would tune 10-25 kHz either side of their CQ looking for answers,  
the practice of answering a CQ with W5TVW W5TVW W5TVW DE AA4LR AA4LR  
AA4LR AR made sense.

However, these days, operating zero-beat on a single frequency, the  
long call is just a waste of time. You call CQ DE W5TVW K. I'll  
answer AA4LR on the same frequency. Where's the confusion?

In contest operation, we'll dispense with the DE and K altogether.  
Millions of contest CW contacts are made this way each year, without  
sending both calls.

> Add to this the "Novice accent" heard STILL today "NNQ NNQ NNQ NNQ NNQ
> DE W1ABC W1ABC.." repeated several times.  Then a 5 second
> pause for an answer, followed by the same long CQ call again!

The old "Novice Accent" advice was to do 3x3x3 - CQ CQ CQ DE W1ABC  
W1ABC W1ABC repeated three times. Again, that was with a lot of guys  
still rock-bound. These days, a single 3x3 with a few seconds of  
listening seems more appropriate.

>   One chap on 40
> a few nights ago repeated this for maybe 5-6 times.  I couldn't  
> stand it any longer
> and fired up the 1/2 Kw and called him.  He acted as if I was never  
> there.
> Either deaf or has his receiver somewhere besides his frequency.

I remember a moment from 30 years ago -- hearing a guy at 5 wpm send  
57 CQs in a row before I got tired and moved on. Never knew if he  
ever signed....
> Are ham license classes teaching proper procedures anymore?

What we need is something like the "Novice Accent" brochure, but  
updated for modern procedures.
>

Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
             -- Wilbur Wright, 1901