[Fists] PLS QRS or UR ARROGANT

[Tom - ARCI Contest Mgr]

I just read with dismay this letter from a fellow FISTS member that clashes
with my beliefs!

Every one of us is different! Some cw ops are comfortable at 35+ wpm and
some cw ops will never attain 15 wpm (an immutable simple fact of life). If
someone calls CQ at 30wpm please don't be offended if they choose not to
respond to ur return at 8wpm asking for QRS. They are seeking another ham to
have an enjoyable chat with AT 30 WPM, the speed they are sending. 

Some people don't have the patience nor the desire to copy code at a slower
speed (another immutable fact of life). It is NOT arrogance; it is an
audible indication of years of practice, skill and knowledge.

If the higher speed op does QRS perhaps a pleasant and enjoyable qso will
result. But, in some instances where this happens, a qso results with the
slower speed op getting new numbers and the higher speed op getting
heartburn and leaving the qso unhappy. Ham radio is supposed to be fun. You
should walk away from EVERY qso going, "Wow, that was nice! I enjoyed that."
Why do some want to impose their speed limitation on the ops among us who
KN0WCW proficiently?

There is no justification in forcing a qso to occur. It is arrogance on the
part of the slow op to think EVERYONE wants to talk to me at 8 wpm!

An analogy would be to force a classical music lover to listen to 30 minutes
of Guns and Roses or Big Dada! Won't ever happen - another immutable fact of
life.  (Heartburn and headache GUARANTEED!)

We are each a unique individual and not every pairing of two cw ops will
result in an enjoyable qso. The simple solution is to turn the VFO and find
someone else calling CQ at ur speed or call CQ at 8 wpm yourself (exactly
what the high speed op was doing). The solution is NOT to force a QRS! 

Even the op that caused me to respond to his message states, "People have
different talents and desires.  Also, you have to operate where you are
comfortable.  So, what is the matter with slowing down for someone?". The
second sentence is the critical idea that he missed. YOU HAVE TO OPERATE
WHERE YOU ARE COMFORTABLE. Not everyone is comfortable at 8 wpm!

May your next qso be pleasant, at a comfortable speed and the numbers be
NEW!

Tom, WB5KHC
Texan with 31+ years CW ONLY 

Fists #7865, 
Century #1026, 
Platinum #194, 
Platinum-250 #81, 
Silver #192, 
Gold #200,
WAS-FISTS #123, 
1X QRP #69,  
2X QRP #7
D I A M O N D #118
FISTS USA Club Station Operator Award
FIST USA Club Station Achievement Award
Creator of the submission forms for all FISTS Awards

QCWA #30641, QRP ARCI 10645, Flying Pig QRP 253, 10-10 #11080
QRP ARCI Contest Manager 

If it isn't CW; it's CB

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I just read with dismay the two articles in Keynote about FISTS members that
did not want to QRS.  To the writers of the two letters, I apologize on
behalf of all hams that will and/or know how to QRS.  Don't let a few
arrogant types drive you away.  One of the best CW ops I know - solid at 65+
will slow down for you.  But, there are a few that won't.  Fortunately, they
do not represent all of us.

Slow does not equate to bad in the same way that fast does not equate to
good.  CW is just a form of speech.  Since when does fast speaking yield
anything but poor relations?  If a person is solid at 65 WPM - super.  If a
person is comfortable at 8 WPM, so be it.  People have different talents and
desires.  Also, you have to operate where you are comfortable.  So, what is
the matter with slowing down for someone?

A FISTS member ought to not only know better than for be an arrogant CW op,
a FISTS member should strive to set an example of what a good op is like.
Perhaps a change in bylaws is in order.  How about if a set number of bad
reports come in, dropping a member from FISTS?

Think about this:  IF A NOMINATION FOR FISTS WERE REQUIRED, WOULD ANYONE
NOMINATE YOU?

A person shouldn't even have to ask for someone to slow down!  A good
operator should do that automatically.  Arrogance (by refusing to slow down)
is not the sign of a good operator.

At least that is the view from Southeast Nebraska & 40+ years on CW


73,