K3 and CQWW
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Dear members of the K3,
I just wanted to start a thread for those of you who used a K3 in CQWW, to ask of your experiences during the contest using the K3, the set-up you had and to see if we worked other K3 members. I had 3 antennas to play with, all on 160m, single band entry, I had a broadband dipole, an inverted 'L' at 40ft (total length 165' of wire) and a K9AY loop pointing East. I mainly worked on the vertical which was plugged into the main RX, the dipole was plugged into the SUB RX, the VFO-s were linked and I tracked the freq with "L" in my left ear and the dipole in my right. The loop was plugged into the RX port and was used from time to time with surprisingly good effect, a worth while loop to put into your tool box. The K3 performed flawlessly (well done Elecraft) and I personally don't think there is a better rig out there, certainly one which can do diversity & keep the QRM out with its filters. 73's Berni G0IDA -- _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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I spent about 6 hours on each of the two days. This time I decided to do a single band entry, 20m, as my antennas are not good on the lower bands.
This was the first time I operated using 100W instead of QRP. Interestingly the number of contacts I made was not that much greater than last year when I used QRP, though I managed to log a few more rare multipliers. I was using KComm as my logging program, with macros for all the contest exchanges. I operated the whole contest without touching the key once, apart from to load some messages into the K3 memories as a backup in case the computer crashed in the middle of a contact, as happened during the WPX when RF caused it to freeze. No such problems this time. I was impressed with how well the K3 CW decoder worked even on very high speed transmissions. I had Fldigi running to help decode some of the stations that send faster than I can easily copy but it was not much help in practise. However, on occasions when I tuned in what sounded like a burst of machine gun fire I looked over at the K3 and it had decoded the transmission when Fldigi hadn't. I didn't have CWT enabled and made no special effort to zero beat the signal, but if it was within the filter passband the K3 could usually decode it. I didn't trust the decoder completely but usually once I had an idea what the call was supposed to be I was able to confirm it in my head, so it was quite helpful. A couple of stations lost out on a point from me because they were sending so fast that neither the K3 nor I could copy them. Why do people do this? Surely the number of contacts lost because people like me who are not CW wizards just can't copy them must negate the benefit of any time saved? These stations were repeatedly calling CQ and if I could have read them we could have easily had a contact. There were a lot of key clicks in evidence and in a couple of cases the key clicks were so strong that they actually depressed the AGC so that I had to abandon trying to copy a couple of weaker stations. The widest bandwidth I used was 200Hz but sometimes it was down to 150Hz or 100Hz. However the narrowest roofing filter I have is 500Hz. If I had a narrower filter, such as 200Hz, would that have helped in this situation?
Julian, G4ILO. K2 #392 K3 #222 KX3 #110
* G4ILO's Shack - http://www.g4ilo.com * KComm - http://www.g4ilo.com/kcomm.html * KTune - http://www.g4ilo.com/ktune.html |
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In reply to this post by Berni G0IDA
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In reply to this post by Berni G0IDA
I also did my first contest with my new K3; the first since operating with
the team of K3s at VP6DX. I also used separate RX antennas and the diversity feature. Lots of fun. I also worked 160 SB. BUT Berni, I don't see your callsign in my log. I heard lots of stations and country/zone mults that I didn't work. I need more elements on the TX antenna. Hi, hi!!!!!!!!!! Still, a somewhat casual outing from the Southwest corner of New Mexico yielded 214 Qs, 57 DX and 21 Zones for a claimed score of 38,064. I'll be looking for all of you in the ARRL 160 this next weekend. Milt, N5IA, XZ0A, and VP6DX ----- Original Message ----- From: "Berni G0IDA" <[hidden email]> To: <[hidden email]> Sent: Monday, December 01, 2008 1:57 AM Subject: [Elecraft] K3 and CQWW > Dear members of the K3, > > I just wanted to start a thread for those of you who used a K3 in CQWW, > to ask of your experiences during the contest using the K3, the set-up > you had and to see if we worked other K3 members. _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by G3MLO
I operate in CQ WW casually AB mostly S&P. I enjoy a run, if possible, usually on 15 or 10m as 20m was too crowded and my 2-el quad too low.
Last Sunday my Mark V Field was replaced by K3 built on Saturday. Interfacing by USB/serial converter with N1MM took no time. In the morning I found a clear frequency around 14004.5, next to K3LR. The EU started calling and in 1 hr I made some 150 QSOs. More would have been possible if I was proficient with K3 controls. There were some attempts on my frequency but small BW adjustments took care of them. K3 takes contesting to a new level. Clear instead of muddy signals, sharp (but not too sharp) variable filters, excellent AGC and smooth rx/tx switching (no pops). A joy to operate. Ignacy, NO9E |
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In reply to this post by Berni G0IDA
> From: WILLIS COOKE <[hidden email]> > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 and CQWW > To: [hidden email] > Date: Monday, December 1, 2008, 8:10 AM > This was not a stellar year for me in the CQWW-CW, but since > it is my favorite contest and I couldn't resist some > participation, I made 75 QSOs with my K3. The eye of > Hurricane Ike passed over my QTH, only 15 miles from > Galveston and severely damaged my antenna farm, so the only > antenna that I had was a "Chicken Wire Special" > for 80 and 160. It is essentially a 160 meter inverted L > with a trap to make it also an 80 vertical. It works fair > on all bands, but it is certainly not up to the standard set > by my 3 element SteppIR with 30/40. > > With 100 watts and a non-directional wire antenna, I used > the hunt and pounce method and usually had to call several > times to work a station. Since I was using my 1921 > Vibroplex Original Bug for a key some of you may not be used > to "Bug Music" and may have caused some of the > difficulty. > > I was impressed with the K3 receiver. I had very little > interference from overload or the strong stations on the > band. When I thought I had a de-sense or key click problem > and had time to look for the offender I always found him > within about 500 Hz of my frequency. When I applied > countermeasures I could get rid of most of the problem, > usually by narrowing the pass-band until the 200 Hz roofing > filter kicked in. As yet, I have not found the NB to be as > effective as the one on my TS-850 and don't find the NR > very useful. But then, I am mostly a CW man and Wayne has > stated that the NR is mostly useful on SSB. I find the QSK > feature wonderful. I never operated QSK with the TS-850 > because the relay sounds like it will self destruct, but > loved QSK from the first time that I tried it on the K3. > Also the VOX is wonderful for SSB contesting. > > I am looking forward to a contest with all my antennas back > up and the amplifier on line. But, so far, I am convinced > that the K3 is a keeper. That is "as advertised" > so no surprise to me or anyone. > > > Willis 'Cookie' Cooke > K5EWJ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Julian, G4ILO
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In reply to this post by Julian, G4ILO
Julian, G4ILO wrote:
> There were a lot of key clicks in evidence and in a couple of cases the key > clicks were so strong that they actually depressed the AGC so that I had to > abandon trying to copy a couple of weaker stations. The widest bandwidth I > used was 200Hz but sometimes it was down to 150Hz or 100Hz. However the > narrowest roofing filter I have is 500Hz. If I had a narrower filter, such > as 200Hz, would that have helped in this situation? I noticed this too. And I also noticed a number of very loud signals with absolutely no clicks. Possibly the no-clickers were K2's and K3's! Most likely a narrower filter would not have helped because the clicks were within the filter bandpass. An unmodified FT1000 has strong clicks 1 kHz away from the signal and if the signal is loud, those clicks will be loud too. The only time a 200 Hz filter would be better than a 500 Hz would be when there is a signal which is at least S9+20, and it is more than 100 and less than 250 Hz away (I am making some obvious simplifying assumptions here, but you get the idea). When signals are that close, often you have trouble with clicks and phase noise which end up in your passband anyway. -- 73, Vic, K2VCO Fresno CA http://www.qsl.net/k2vco _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by AC7AC
If you were answered 4L0A at 15-18 WPM, he would have completed 2 QSOs by the time you finished signing your call twice! And you would have been QRMing everyone else in the process. He was sending at 32-34 WPM and his canned exchange sped up to ~50 WPM (i.e. "ENN AU" for 599 21). And this was on 160 meters no less! I always slow down to the speed of guys that call me but a very slow caller answering a speedy op in a big pileup is simply a QRM generator who shouldn't be there. 73, Bill W4ZV |
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Bill W4ZV wrote:
> If you were answered 4L0A at 15-18 WPM, he would have completed 2 QSOs by > the time you finished signing your call twice! And you would have been > QRMing everyone else in the process. He was sending at 32-34 WPM and his > canned exchange sped up to ~50 WPM (i.e. "ENN AU" for 599 21). And this was > on 160 meters no less! > > I always slow down to the speed of guys that call me but a very slow caller > answering a speedy op in a big pileup is simply a QRM generator who > shouldn't be there. That sounds a bit harsh, Bill! The best thing to do is just to listen to the guy for a while. He is repeating the same thing over and over -- especially in this contest -- and ultimately you will get it. This is good practice; after a while you get used to it and will be able to get the calls and zone the first or second time. It's a lot harder to copy traffic at high speed than to pick out a call that is being sent over and over. -- 73, Vic, K2VCO Fresno CA http://www.qsl.net/k2vco _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Julian, G4ILO
On Mon, 1 Dec 2008 03:19:52 -0800 (PST), Julian, G4ILO wrote:
>A couple of stations lost out on a point from me because they were sending >so fast that neither the K3 nor I could copy them. Why do people do this? >Surely the number of contacts lost because people like me who are not CW >wizards just can't copy them must negate the benefit of any time saved? Some of the worst offenders are those with big stations who fail to realize that many of those stations they would like to work are hearing them in the noise, or with propagation flutter, and that QRQ is defeating them. The guy who had D4B was an example (not D4C). A guy with all dits in his call, or an unusual prefix should be sending slower, not faster. I consider them LIDS! BTW -- I had my K3/KRX3 on for 29 hours of CQWW, and it sure is sweet. 400 Hz filters in both RX. Interesting propagation from several locations on 20M caused very strong echoes that ran characters together to the point that I couldn't copy them at all. One example was about 1800Z Sunday for signals from anywhere NE USA and eastern Canada (that is, W1, W2, W3, VE1, VE2, VE3). Around 2200Z I was hearing it on a few JA stations. I'm about 70 miles S of San Francisco and use wire dipoles, so I don't have directivity to protect me from secondary arrivals. I also used to hear this in Chicago on EU stations around 1500Z, also with wire dipoles. I suspect that the mechanism for this might be a fairly strong long path signal favored by their beam and a direct path to me off the back of their beam. 73, Jim K9YC _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Vic K2VCO
It was meant to be because I heard way too much of this the past 48 hours. Guys calling far too long (or slowly) thinking that the name of the game is "who can call the longest". Meanwhile the DX station works stations that can hear him through the continuous callers. 73, Bill |
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On Mon, 1 Dec 2008 10:16:20 -0800 (PST), Bill W4ZV wrote:
>It was meant to be because I heard way too much of this the past 48 hours. >Guys calling far too long (or slowly) thinking that the name of the game is >"who can call the longest". YES! The worst offenders were calling while the DX was obviously working someone else. I was hearing a bunch of EU and Caribbean DX stations loud on 160, but couldn't get through the continuous wall of east coast and midwest stations calling them (I'm talking HOURS). This isn't limited to contests either. I'm sorry, but this stuff about 160M being "the gentlemen's band" is a bunch of hooey. 73, Jim K9YC _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Bill W4ZV
Simple solution: if calling at high speed gets reduced contacts, slow down,
if not, carry on. I've been on both ends of this debate. David G3UNA > > > > Vic K2VCO wrote: >> >> Bill W4ZV wrote: >> >>> If you were answered 4L0A at 15-18 WPM, he would have completed 2 QSOs >>> by >>> the time you finished signing your call twice! And you would have been >>> QRMing everyone else in the process. He was sending at 32-34 WPM and >>> his >>> canned exchange sped up to ~50 WPM (i.e. "ENN AU" for 599 21). And this >>> was >>> on 160 meters no less! >>> >>> I always slow down to the speed of guys that call me but a very slow >>> caller >>> answering a speedy op in a big pileup is simply a QRM generator who >>> shouldn't be there. >> >> That sounds a bit harsh, Bill! >> > > It was meant to be because I heard way too much of this the past 48 hours. > Guys calling far too long (or slowly) thinking that the name of the game > is > "who can call the longest". Meanwhile the DX station works stations that > can hear him through the continuous callers. > > 73, Bill > > Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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So have I. I often reduce my speed on the second day of a contest and I ALWAYS reduce my speed to that of any station calling me. However, if you're a rare station like 4L0A, you're always going to have a multitude of stations calling. Are you going to answer one calling you at 15 WPM or will you answer the guy who makes one crisp call at 35 WPM? The answer is obvious. Wash and repeat the cycle...because the DX station wants to make as many QSOs as possible rather than slowing down for pedestrians. BTW, someone mentioned D4B (home call 4L5A). Whoever was operating 4L0A sounded exactly like his style. 73, Bill W4ZV |
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In reply to this post by Jim Brown-10
FYI, I worked CQ WW 2008 (as a pedestrian) with K3 #1278 from Maryland. Never appreciated how good the K3"s QSK is until I had to turn it off to use an outboard amplifier. Great receiver, now I just need an antenna higher than 17 ft off the ground :) 73 Tim N5IIT
On Mon, 1 Dec 2008 03:19:52 -0800 (PST), Julian, G4ILO wrote: >A couple of stations lost out on a point from me because they were sending >so fast that neither the K3 nor I could copy them. Why do people do this? >Surely the number of contacts lost because people like me who are not CW >wizards just can't copy them must negate the benefit of any time saved? Some of the worst offenders are those with big stations who fail to realize that many of those stations they would like to work are hearing them in the noise, or with propagation flutter, and that QRQ is defeating them. The guy who had D4B was an example (not D4C). A guy with all dits in his call, or an unusual prefix should be sending slower, not faster. I consider them LIDS! BTW -- I had my K3/KRX3 on for 29 hours of CQWW, and it sure is sweet. 400 Hz filters in both RX. Interesting propagation from several locations on 20M caused very strong echoes that ran characters together to the point that I couldn't copy them at all. One example was about 1800Z Sunday for signals from anywhere NE USA and eastern Canada (that is, W1, W2, W3, VE1, VE2, VE3). Around 2200Z I was hearing it on a few JA stations. I'm about 70 miles S of San Francisco and use wire dipoles, so I don't have directivity to protect me from secondary arrivals. I also used to hear this in Chicago on EU stations around 1500Z, also with wire dipoles. I suspect that the mechanism for this might be a fairly strong long path signal favored by their beam and a direct path to me off the back of their beam. 73, Jim K9YC _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com Any U.S. tax advice contained in the body of this e-mail was not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by the recipient for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code or applicable state or local tax law provisions. ________________________________________________________________________ The information contained in this message may be privileged and confidential and protected from disclosure. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or an employee or agent responsible for delivering this message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by replying to the message and deleting it from your computer. Notice required by law: This e-mail may constitute an advertisement or solicitation under U.S. law, if its primary purpose is to advertise or promote a commercial product or service. You may choose not to receive advertising and promotional messages from Ernst & Young LLP (except for Ernst & Young Online and the ey.com website, which track e-mail preferences through a separate process) at this e-mail address by forwarding this message to [hidden email]. If you do so, the sender of this message will be notified promptly. Our principal postal address is 5 Times Square, New York, NY 10036. Thank you. Ernst & Young LLP _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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I worked 18 hours of the contest, 435 Qs, 178 mults, final score of 194,910.
The K3 performed flawlessly using it in conjunction with an Icom IC-2KL and AT-500. My biggest gripe is the number of long tuner-uppers on DX calling frequencies - there's no excuse for it. If you can afford a station, you can afford a dummy load - plain and simple. Even with the narrow filtering on my K3, I was unable at times to filter QRM from the passband - some stations like to tuck right in underneath you if you're calling CQ, often within a few hundred hertz of where you are - annoying to say the least, not to mention the difficulty in filtering them out even with the narrowest of filters. I won't mention names or point fingers but I heard a couple of well known contesting "superstations" employing these tactics. |
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In reply to this post by Berni G0IDA
Julian, G4ILO wrote: A couple of
stations lost out on a point from me because they were sending so fast that
neither the K3 nor I could copy them. Why do people do this? Surely the number
of contacts lost because people like me who are not CW wizards just can't copy
them must negate the benefit of any time saved? These stations were repeatedly
calling CQ and if I could have read them we could have easily had a contact. Julian: I tend to send more
quickly when I perceive a number of callers (who might be impatient and move on
if I’m not working the pileup quickly) and slow down when there are
few(er) callers. If no one is answering, I send CQ at 24-28 WPM, and if
someone calls me much more slowly than that I’ll wind it right down to
their speed. However if there’s a crowd, I’m more likely to
keep my CW speed up, it keeps things moving. The contest station’s
objective is to maximize rate/score, not to be “fair”. If
there are plenty of callers, then the speed should be run up to work as many
people as possible during the sometimes too brief opening to any particular
area. I had very few common daylight minutes between W7 and Europe
(single band 20). During that time I had to find as many mults as possible and
also run as many European QSOs as I could. I called quickly. I can copy
callsigns much more quickly than I can receive CW in a conversation. I’ve
practiced this a lot. MorseRunner is a good training tool for this. I did
have to listen to 5K0T a while to figure out whether it was HK0T or 5K0T.
I still remember encountering 5H3TW in a CQWW contest when I lived in England
and I had to listen to him for many minutes before I felt that I had the
call. At some points in
the contest I’m happy to work anyone, at any speed, and will slow down to
the caller’s speed. If I have a group calling, I return the call of
the station whose complete callsign I get first. Usually that’s
someone loud and quick with good timing. The slower stations will
wait until I’ve run out of the quick ones. Sometimes they
move on. A real problem
with working slow stations (particularly if conditions are poor) is that one
can lose one’s run frequency while going after fills. In some contests
like Sweepstakes with an involved exchange, you sometimes have to just ignore a
caller who is weak enough that you just know that you won’t get the exchange
reliably, and you don’t want to risk losing the run frequency to try. I agree with you
that if a station is CQing with no callers and doesn’t slow down he’s
probably behaving in a manner that doesn’t maximize his score. However
when a crowd is there, the best strategy for maximizing score is to work people
as quickly as you can. I can work people
at much higher speed than I can copy normal CW. They send their call
repeatedly, and it’s short. When I’m running, I don’t
send faster than I can receive. When I’m S&Ping, I send at the speed
of the station I’m working, even if I really can’t copy that
quickly normally. Dick, K6KR (W7RN
in CQWW CW) _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Berni G0IDA
Hi All, I was active as MM3T at the weekend with K3 #1293 and K2 #4688, Acom 1000, Doublet 160/80, 1/4 GP 40 and Cobweb 20,15 and 10m. The last 3 CQWW CW I've been using an FT1000MP MkV with inrad 4K roof filter (fully loaded) so was keen to give the K3 the try for the first time. My K3 has 400/1k roofing filters installed. It needed the 400 engaged on all but 15 and 10m which were quiet here in GM and so the 1k came in to good use. I had intended to use Dual PB but forgot all about it. I had one problem with the K3 on top band when the rx went quiet and tx power disappeared in a kind of intermittent way just after transmitting. It took me a while to realise it wasn't the tuner/coax/LPF/Linear connections and seemed to be located in the back panel audio connections area. Putting my hand down the back of the transceiver and giving the connections a wiggle seemed to bring the radio back to life. At one stage I power cycled the K3 and got an ERR PLL message or something on the display. This only happened when I was on top band. I used fast AGC with AGC threshold 5 and AGC slope 10 for high bands and 8/8 for low bands respectively. I changed these settings a number of times during the contest and ended up with several favourites dependant on band/noise. I was raising the threshold in line with rising noise levels and adjusting the slope downward when dealing with pile ups which helped my brain separate the callers by adding sound level difference. Using the PF1 and PF2 keys for threshold and slope worked a treat. I had been using a K1EL keyer with the MkV in the past and decided to simplify things this year with the K3 by using DTR-RTS for key-ptt. This coupled with WinTest contest software worked flawlessly (even with open wire feeder in the shack). I allowed condx to determine my sending speed, if things got hectic whilst running, my speed went up and when trying to bag a weak one on a noisy band my speed went down. I did miss the winkey variable pot when working slow stations, but just had to hope they had been listening to me enough to get the call right before calling. I get more angry with inefficient exchange (mindlessly repeating things like my call) rather than slow speed callers. The worst combo when working a pile up is a slow caller who thinks data type exchanges are the norm, as 9/10 times this one station will cause someone else to steal your frequency whilst you are waiting for his exchange to finish. The EU really is a zoo during CQWW CW and I've tried using lesser radios in the past and given in. I did 24hrs with the K3 and still love it despite the top band band failure. A fully loaded MkV is a hard act to follow, but I did spend $6000 (ROB) on it and then had to install an inrad roof and do key click mods to get it to work properly. Thanks to all who worked me! Doug GM0ELP (MM3T) |
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In reply to this post by Vic K2VCO
Thank you, Vic. This elitist attitude that just because someone can send code faster than someone else or has a bigger and more powerful station than someone else gives them more right to use the airwaves than anyone else makes my blood boil. This is a hobby and it is supposed to be fun. There is no other way to enjoy a contest when you have only 100W to an attic antenna farm. If only the serious big guns came on for a contest they'd all work each other in the first 6 hours and then what would they do? Well I won't waste my time giving W4ZV a point if I hear him on, that's for sure. Next I suppose we'll be hearing that QRP stations shouldn't bother coming on for a contest because they waste too much of people's time trying to copy them. Perhaps I'll just put my K3 on eBay since I'm obviously unworthy of owning it. Just for the record: 1. I was sending at a steady 24wpm right through the contest, and I only sent anything once, unless the other station didn't copy the first time. So I'm sure I didn't waste that much of anyone's time. In prevoius contests I tried matching the keyer's speed to the other station's speed, but I found that at 24wpm people copied my call first time nearly every time, whereas I'd get more mistakes or ask for repeats when I sent it faster. 2. I was thinking of a couple of stations that were sending (presumably) CQ over and over. Nobody was coming back to them. If they had slowed down so I could get their call then I would have given them a point, and who knows how many others might too? 3. These guys were sending so fast I could not work out their calls no matter how long i listened. It sounded just like a burst of noise to me. If they were working a string of people who could understand them then I could see the sense in it but what is the point calling CQ that fast if you are getting no replies? Yes I suppose I could ask them to QRS but why bother when I can just go and find someone else?
Julian, G4ILO. K2 #392 K3 #222 KX3 #110
* G4ILO's Shack - http://www.g4ilo.com * KComm - http://www.g4ilo.com/kcomm.html * KTune - http://www.g4ilo.com/ktune.html |
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