I think many of us confuse 5 & H & the other common similar letters / numbers once we are above our comfort zone. For me, I am most comfortable at around 18-20 WPM, but can work faster for short periods, ie chasing SOTA or in contests. I cannot work for long periods above 22-23WPM as my brain just gives up, so although I can’t ragchew at higher speeds, short exchanges as with SOTA or contesting I can cope with. I can always ask for a repeat if I miss something important.
Your comment about computer generated Morse is quite a good one, & I have listened to stations, obviously using a computer with absolutely standard spacing etc. that I had great difficulty copying. On the other hand a fast character speed, coupled with longer gaps, may not be “perfect Morse” but it certainly seems easier to read. I also find I don’t have to write as much down as I used to, which is very handy as I can’t write as fast as some exchanges are anyway. For example, as I was not entering the CQWW CW contest I just logged any QSO’s I made in my paper log. An exchange could be over in about 3 seconds, but it took me at least 10 seconds to write it in my log. Hi!
I’m certainly improving though.
I look forward to catching you on 2m SSB/CW again very soon.
In Reply to G4ISJ:
Hi again Pete,
Anyway this is the way you take traffic, Graham GM4BES on the key.
Wonderful days… http://youtu.be/XSdl7eIsD_o
I have been intending uploading this to Youtube for a while & have finally got around to it. This is about as near as I will get to working a coastal station. GB100MGY operating on 502 KHz back in April for 100th anniversary of the sinking of RMS Titanic. I do not have a 500KHz NOV so had to wait for them to work crossband between 502KHz & 3533KHz CW. I was fortunate enough to be their first crossband contact that day.
I also, as activator, prefer to be spotted. It’s without any doubt.
But probably it would be good if every spot can be delayed. For example 3 or 5 minutes delay could be enough. Current status is one minute refresh if I’m right.
Why bigger delay ?
Not only activators are QRP, also couple of chasers use QRP TRX and moreover they don’t use sotawatch.
And please try to imagine what will happen when the first chaser, who makes QSO, will place a spot. After few seconds there is huge pile up and QRP chaser doesn’t have any chance to make QSO during next 10 minutes. And when activator will have to send QRT after 10 QSOs in 8th minute …
Basically, I think that chasers, who listen on the band only, should have a chance to call as first during first few minutes.
If spots were delayed, i.e. you enter a spot but it doesn’t appear on the list for 5 minutes no matter how many times you refresh the page then all that will happen is someone will run an alternative spotting page without the delay. It’s the same as when there have been suggestions to turn off SOTAwatch spotting, people will set up their own system elsewhere.
The genie is out of the bottle and is not going to go back in. It boils down to better activation style. As a recent CW op I read about the kind of issues chasers have and try to ensure my activating covers the issues. Such as split operation, not working people who call out of turn, not working people who continuously call, recording who is pretending to have a QSO, ensuring I send my call and ref often enough for callers who are using the spot.
I do regularly ask EU stations to QRX whilst I try for US stations. Some US stations are very strong and can cut it with the EU pileup, but some are weaker and cannot be heard over the wall of EU chasers. One thing I’ve not done is specifically call for QRP stations during the activation and is something I will be rectifying. Although trying to remember so many things to help chasers when it’s well below zero and you have no feeling in your toes and that damn east-central European guy is just sending his call again and again and again over any QSO makes it all quite difficult.
