[Elecraft] About the K3 cw speed

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

First, I believe this is "on topic" because it relates to good Amateur
practice on the air. 

You are quite right, Doug. I was talking about the guys who report they ran
a 50+ wpm day after day, sometimes faster. I understand that is true in a
select number of circuits, but definitely was not common or typical,
especially in the maritime industry and in military communications, just as
it is not true on the Ham bands. 

I wouldn't want any CW operator today to think that speeds of 40+ wpm were
common in "real" CW communications because both commercial and military
services knew that faster speeds equals slower messages, overall, especially
when dealing with a variety of operators with a variety of skills. That is
the same in Amateur communications using CW.  

The good operators I knew in the shore stations did their best to
accommodate whatever the shipboard operator wanted to do. After all, as I
said, the ship was the "customer" and the customer is always right.

Like the rest of us, I'm no longer active commercially with CW but I still
hold that practice. As long as I can copy well and handle their speed, I'll
do my best to accommodate the other stations sending at whatever speed is
best for them and copying likewise. Sometimes it's up around 30-35 wpm - my
comfortable top - and sometimes it's with a learning operator at 5 or 10
wpm. 

Ron AC7AC  

-----Original Message-----
Doug W7KF wrote:

We handled all traffic at speeds between 25 and 30 WPM and it was rare for a

fill either direction.  And since we both had full QSK and knew how to use
it, 
fills were nearly instantaneous.  I don't know but I suspect the WLO guys
were 
using electronic keyers -- I know I was.