[Elecraft] QRQ CW

[WILLIS COOKE via Elecraft]

A lot of contesters can manage a 30 WPM Contest QSO or even 50 WPM, but would be hard pressed to get solid copy of a 25 WPM Rag Chew or even slower with W1AW sending QST Text.  I can get a DX call sign at 50 if I get to hear it several times and there is good signal strength and not too much QRM, but I don't claim to copy 50 WPM.  I can get by with a few mistakes using paddles at 22 or 23 and a straight key at 25 or 26 but to QSO with DX or Contest at 30 to 50 I need my puter and the F keys programmed.  So for copy speed I will claim no more than 25.  As a contester, I have much better results if I keep my speed at 28 or below because the speed merchants who can call CQ at 30 to 50 often cannot copy your call at that speed.  I think we would all have more fun and probably make more QSOs if we would slow down to about 1.2 times our Rag Chew speed, but I have a lot of fun the way things are, so I am not complaining.
 
Willis 'Cookie' Cooke, TDXS DX Chairman
K5EWJ & Trustee N5BPS, USS Cavalla, USS Stewart


________________________________
 From: "mcduffie at ag0n.net" <mcduffie at ag0n.net>
To: alsopb at nc.rr.com; elecraft <elecraft at mailman.qth.net> 
Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2014 7:51 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] QRQ CW
 


> Not at all. There were a number of posters here who simply could not 
> believe anybody could copy 30 WPM.

Really?  :o(

> I thought it would be interesting to point out that several 1000 
> contesters consider 30 WPM to a routine speed.

Agree.

> Of course to a no-coder, many Generals and Extras these days, 30 WPM 
> might as well be 1000 WPM.  In their eyes it is QRQ.

We used to consider speeds over about 45 to be QRQ.  I still do.  I certainly
don't consider myself a QRQ operator, and I regularly run at 30-35.  My aging,
retired brain no longer does well at upper speeds.  Because I had been off of HF
for over ten years when I retired, it took a long time to get back to being
comfy at 30.  The brain just wouldn't keep up with the key when sending.  Doing
better now, but I'm no QRQ op.

Gary
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