[Elecraft] K3 QSK Timing

[K9ZTV]

Panadapters are helpful but not essential for CW traffic work. 

The procedure for the better part of a hundred years has been ...

(1)  The receiving station always goes to the frequency directed by the NCS or beyond if the directed frequency is busy.

(2)  Once the receiving station (not the sending station) has found a clear frequency, he repeatedly sends the sending station’s call sign until the sending station locates him.

(3)  Unless the above protocol is followed, neither station will find the other and will be two ships passing in the night.

(4)  While previous generations of traffic handlers did not have to contend with digital QRM, they did have to contend with CW QRM on bands many times more crowded than exist today, and with receivers many times less selective.  The above time-tested procedure shifts responsibility for finding a clear frequency away from the NCS (where it does not belong) to the the two stations most interested in finding one.

(5)  In a well-run CW traffic net, the NCS functions as a traffic director by making judicious use of Q-signals specific to traffic work (there aren’t that many) to insure net efficiency and accuracy.

(6)  National Traffic System nets are not social nets.  They clear their traffic and secure.

73,

Kent  K9ZTV
Missouri Section Net Manager


> On Jun 11, 2020, at 6:36 PM, Tom Doligalski via Elecraft <elecraft at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
> 
> The P3 is quite useful to an NTS NCS. I just called the Carolinas Net (CN) and was very pleased to see where I could send folks down 2 (while I had folks up 2).  Things have got much more difficult with the digital modes!
> 
> Tom W4KX
> 
> Sent from my iPad 
> 
>> On Jun 11, 2020, at 5:07 PM, Wayne Burdick <n6kr at elecraft.com> wrote:
>> 
>> I eavesdrop on the 80 m traffic nets occasionally. Impressive level of efficiency and skill among the ops. Who knew there were so many Q-codes :)
>> 
>> Wayne
>> N6KR
>> 
>> 
>>> On Jun 11, 2020, at 2:03 PM, Tom Doligalski <w4kx at mac.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Hi Wayne!
>>> 
>>> I had faith that the excellent qsk in the K3 would carry over to the K4. Thanks so much!
>>> 
>>> I can easily recognize other rigs in cw nets. 
>>> 
>>> 50 years of cw traffic!
>>> 
>>> Tom W4KX
>>> 
>>> Sent from my iPad 
>>> 
>>>>> On Jun 11, 2020, at 3:23 PM, Wayne Burdick <n6kr at elecraft.com> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Hi Tom,
>>>> 
>>>> On the K4, with full QSK selected, you can hear between dots at 40 WPM.
>>>> 
>>>> There's no need for a "QRQ" mode, as on the K3, because the K4 doesn't have to update a synth between TX and RX.
>>>> 
>>>> Wayne
>>>> N6KR
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>> On Jun 11, 2020, at 11:51 AM, Tom Doligalski via Elecraft <elecraft at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> I still do CW traffic handling, qsk is really important to me. That’s the reason I plunked down m money for the K4. 
>>>>> 
>>>>> Tom W4KX
>>>>> 
>>>>> Sent from my iPad 
>>>>> 
>>>>>>> On Jun 11, 2020, at 1:56 PM, Bob McGraw K4TAX <rmcgraw at blomand.net> wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Not being  a high speed CW op nor a contest CW op, I find that QSK is, well, just very nice.   I don't need to hear between the CW elements, nor even the letters, but more so in between the words.   Some ops have  a clean fist but run all the words together.  No spaces.  Drives me nuts. Itwouldbelikemewritingthismessageandnotputtinginanyspaces    Now that just doesn't work with my brain.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> As to break-in or full QSK, I see it much like a conversation occurs in a room.  There's thoughts shared back and forth between participants and does  the allude to swapping ops.  Yet, one can operate semi-QSK with the same style and results.   Seems that after all, once CW speed gets above certain points, hearing between CW elements and words b