At home I still send CW with a keyer/paddle.
I have op'd Field Day and other contests
at other places with the local club I used
to be with and used the computer (NA in our case)
to send the exchange, call CQ, etc. The
difference is like night and day, especially
in removing sending mistakes, but also in speed
of handling the exchange.
Operating SS this last weekend with hand keying
was a bear, no doubt about it. And I'm resolved
to add computer keying to my arsenal.
I'm surprised that no one has suggested this
possibility to the "slow" ops - using the
computer to at least send the code for you.
With the other S&P technique of listening to
an exchange or two ahead of your calling to get
the exchange, and then letting the computer
send your call and exchange at the faster
speed of the other operator would solve many a
new operator's problems and anxiety.
I knew what I was getting into this last weekend.
I suspect the person we are all writing about
did not. I, too, would second the notion that
this operator should have started in state QSO
parties and the like first. I also support the
idea of local contesting clubs formed with a
major idea of elmering new contest operators.
That is what I had where I used to live - it
helped me alot.
Cheers/73 from Iowa,
Kevin Anderson, K9IUA
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Kevin Anderson, Dubuque IA USA, K9IUA
k9iua (at) yahoo (dot) com
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