I agree that voice keyers currently aren't being used very well. My second OP
during SS (who hadn't been contesting for a number of years) about lost it
the first time someone responded with a VK. Thought another station had come
on the freq. I believe they can have a benefit for ham radio if 1.) they
provide a natural voice quality (including smoothly flowing speech; not
stuck-together sound bites) and 2.) they are used sparingly and not excessively
as if the station were unattended by any intelligent life form. If I used one
I would only use it to call CQ. I would also intersperse it occasionally with
live CQ's. I think K1EA's DVK can work well here: When you give out a live
CQ, record it. Record several of these live CQ's. Then use those to play back
for a while, alternating amongst them. Do this every so often during the
contest. This will allow the "tone" of the contest, as it changes, to be
reflected in the "tone" of the recorded CQ.
BTW, can anyone think of other ham uses for a DVK, other than contests?
Kris, AA5UO '~ ~`
mraz@rockdal.aud.alcatel.com L
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