CW Speed (RE: [Elecraft] QSK Redux)

[Bill Coleman]

On May 9, 2006, at 2:01 PM, Sandy W5TVW wrote:

> I'd say a majority of the people working REAL high speed are
> doing it with keyboards and "readers".  (What's the point in that
> when there is PSK31 to do the same job?)

Keyboards - definitely! It's the only way to consistently generate  
high-speed CW.

Readers - definitely NOT. Most QRQ ops copy in their heads. They  
wouldn't lower themselves to use a "reader".

Back in the late 70's, when I was a Novice, and later a General, I  
was involved in the WV Novice Net. A couple of the net control guys  
were blind hams. They would call the net at 5 wpm, go through the  
traffic, close it, and then call each other on the 'net frequency --  
at 40+ wpm! They both had CW keyboards (which were pretty new back  
then), and would converse quite a bit back and forth at these speeds.

> A few hams out there can skip along at 30-40 WPM but they are in the
> minority by far.  "Contesters" don't count as they are locked into  
> a set
> format and not much information is actually exchanged except for
> the required data.

Most of the really, really good contesters I know can also copy  
conversationally QRQ CW.

Me? I can do almost 30 wpm in a contest, but I'm back down below 24  
for conversational CW.

> Really good high speed telegraphers are rather
> scarce.  (I'm speaking of those using straight keys or "bugs, or
> sideswiper keys).

That's pretty much a dead art.


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