[Elecraft] QRQ CW

[Alan Bloom]

On 05/01/2014 09:41 AM, Brian Alsop wrote:
> I wonder where Dave got this idea from. I'd like to suggest it is
> wishful thinking.

> On 5/1/2014 16:22, Jim Brown wrote:
>> On 5/1/2014 9:15 AM, dave wrote:
>>> But I suspect that the winners do not regularly run high speed.

I agree with Dave that it can be counterproductive to run high speed in 
a contest.  You lose too many contacts with stations who can't copy that 
fast.

I used to be able to copy 50 wpm pretty consistently in my head and I 
have a 40 wpm W1AW code proficiency certificate.  But it makes no sense 
to go that fast in a contest unless you are content to work only other 
QRQ stations.

I think around 30 wpm or so is reasonable.  Even operators who can't go 
quite that fast can probably get your callsign after listening for a 
minute.  Then when they call you at 18 or 20 wpm you can slow down to 
work them and then speed up again.

Years ago Chuck W1WPR, the chief op at W1AW, was listening to a QSO on 
40 meters where they were motoring along at 70 wpm or so (obviously 
using keyboards to send).  So Chuck recorded them on the reel-to-reel 
tape recorder and later played it back at half speed to see what they 
were saying.  He said that during the entire QSO neither one of them 
ever got the other station's call correct.  :=)

Alan N1AL