Several years ago in a WPX contest I could easily copy most European stations at nearly any speed. However some loud stations, I believe from Finland and Arctic Russia, sounded like a nearly solid tone if they sent much above approximately 18 WPM. I have noticed this on other occasions when signals passed nearly over the north pole. I have also noticed this when I have operated from north of the arctic circle in Europe. Repeatedly calling CQ at > 35 WPM is fine when they get answers nearly every time, but often they did not get any answers for long periods of time. If the DX would have slowed down (say to 16 or 18 WPM) for a CQ occasionally they would have probably picked up some of us who are propagationally and/or speed challenged and got a valuable multiplier like my Alaska section.
I have operated as a maritime shipboard and also as a shore station CW op many decades ago. If we had long or complicated traffic to pass we would often slow down to <20 WPM even if both of us could copy faster. I did not have my K3S during that WPX contest, but doubt that even its good decoder could have done much with some of these 35+ WPM polar signals.
Rick KL7CW Palmer, Alaska
Sent from Mail for Windows 10
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