[Elecraft] Elecraft CW Net Report for August 10th & 12th, 2008

[Fred Jensen]

Kevin wrote:
>>    Now a question to you all, check ins and prospective check ins alike: how fast should we run the net?  A few years ago Tom and I agreed to have me limit my speed to 20 wpm while he varied his speed both up and down.  Lately Tom has been recuperating while I run the nets by myself.  I have been maintaining a steady 20 wpm character rate since about two years ago.  When necessary I add space between each character to slow down.  Since I enjoy meeting new operators all the time I do not wish to scare anyone off by running too fast.  However, when we use 'hail signs' it is difficult to determine a preferred sending speed of the check in operator.  Please feel free to break me and send QRS if you're not copying me very well.  I will add spaces as necessary.  However I can't slow down too much without making a ton of errors.  My fingers get all tangled up and I just plain lose it :(  It appears some discussion is in order.  A little discussion may be on topic for the Elecraf
t Reflector but if it gets to be too much just send me the comments and I will endure the flames :)  Eric has been known to let a lively discussion last a few days before he asks it to end.  A few days worth may be enough to decide what we are to do for the future.  Thank you for any input you wish to send.  Any errors in the above lists are attributable to me.  Please send me the corrections and I will fix the mess I've made.   Now to get to my other computer and work on it until Sunday evening is done.  Thank you very much for the interest and for your input.  
>>    Until next week stay well,

I'm a bit amazed at ECN.  There isn't any "real" traffic as in an NTS 
net [don't know if they're even around anymore], just a bunch of 
stations checking in, often with a wx report.  Yet I find myself 
reserving 2300Z on Sundays to check in and listen through the net as 
often as I can.

During the day, I'll work a few QRS [and often QRP] stations around 
14040.  A number of them are running Elecraft rigs, the K1 probably 
being the most common followed by K2's.  These would all be candidate 
QNI's to ECN, but the current code speed is probably out of their 
league, at least until they have the chance to practice more.

FWIW, I'd take a clue from ARRL.  They run bulletins at 18 WPM.  Run ECN 
at 18 WPM character speed, and maybe 12-15 WPM net sending speed so QRS 
ops can at least pick enough out to know what is going on.  QRS to or 
close to the speed of the caller, much like Tom does.  Making ECN more 
inviting for slower new folks seems like a win-win to me.  More 
participation, good practice for those working on their code speed.  My 
code speed is well above 15 WPM, but I would have no problem at all at 
12 - 15 WPM if it would encourage more Elecrafters to QNI ECN.

Maybe one-character "hail signs" aren't such a good idea.  I'm guilty of 
that.  Makes it hard for Kevin to really gauge the caller's speed. 
Maybe at least two characters, or your suffix?

Now, let's see how I did in the verbification/nounification department:

QRS: Adjective
QRP: Adjective
QNI's: Noun
QRS: Adjective
QRS: Verb
QNI: Verb

3 parts of speech, one Q signal!  Not too shabby I think!

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2008 Cal QSO Party  4-5 Oct 08
- www.cqp.org