[Fists] "How fast are you?"

[Dan Romanchik KB6NU]

I agree wholeheartedly with both Tim and Paul. Making contacts on the air is the best practice, and I'm always happy to work someone no matter how fast or slow they want to go. Like Tim, it's a special treat for me when someone tells me that this is his or her first CW contact.

If you ever hear me on the air, please give me a call.

73!

Dan KB6NU
----------------------------------------------------------
CW Geek, Ham Radio Instructor
Author, The CW Geek's Guide to Having FUN with Morse Code
Read my ham radio blog at http://www.kb6nu.com


On Sep 10, 2015, at Sep 10,8:34 PM, "Paul Goemans" <pgoemans at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> Yes,
> Well put, Tim! Please get on the air at your speed and call CQ. Or answer a CQ at your speed. I am thrilled when I contact a ham who says "You are my first contact", and I send them a special personalized certificate afterwards!
> 
> Paul Goemans WA9PWP
> Stoughton, WI
> 1965 - 50 years of ham radio - 2015
> FISTS 2153
> 
> 
> -----Original Message----- From: Tim O
> Sent: Thursday, September 10, 2015 4:54 PM
> To: fists
> Subject: [Fists] "How fast are you?"
> 
> 
> 
> "So how fast are you?"..... AAAAUGH!!
> 
> Speed is the most overworked concept in the world of Morse Code.
> 
> I'm fast enough that I can get on and call CQ and get an answer, that's how
> fast. Sometimes that's really slow and sometimes it's somewhat above
> average.
> 
> We think WAY too much about the dreaded speed issue and way too little
> about actually being on air. If you have all the characters, prosigns etc.,
> and can copy solid at 5 wpm, you are fast enough to get on air and call CQ
> and and myself and many other ops are just sitting here waiting to answer
> you AT YOUR SPEED.
> 
> You might get faster playing all the little computer training games but you
> will NEVER be a GOOD code op unless you get on the air.
> 
> Here we are, fast, slow and in between. Instead of asking how fast other
> ops are, thinking you need to get to their speed to not be embarrassed, and
> NEVER getting there, how about just joining us on air, sweating it out like
> we did and being one of us.
> 
> You have to crawl, then walk, then run. We all did and we are all here
> waiting to work you.
> 
> I think I speak for all who have been asked how fast they are so many
> times, and wonder why we don’t work more slow newbies. Come on in, the
> water is fine :)
> 
> Accuracy transcends speed. It doesn't replace it but it transcends it.
> Speed will come by itself for all who just spend regular time on air.
> 
> "So how fast are you?"  AAAAUGH!!
> 
> 73
> Tim, AC5SH