20 meter cw use on a Saturday @ 2 pm

[ai4ep]

This afternoon around 2 pm cst, I tuned through the lower portion of 20 meters for C W use...and I found quite a bit.

From 14.000 ~ 14.050 there were no less than 30 seperate C W messages ( not including rtty further up the band ), this was on a Saturday, in the middle of the afternoon. Some of it may have been contest people, but I doubt if even HALF were.....just ordinary folks using C W for their prime choice of communication.

THAT ( all by itself ) is GREAT news for morse code enthusiasts, and shows that the USE of morse code is NOT dying, but possibly growing as the first choice of communication of the amateur radio operator of May 2007.

[KC0W]

I was on 20 CW this afternoon for quite some time.

There were no less than 4 different contests going on this afternoon:

1. 7th Call Area Contest (worked quite a few guys)

2. New England QSO Party

3. Indiana QSO Party

4. ARI International DX Contest (worked a bunch of Italians)

A LOT more than half of the stations you heard were in one contest or another.......Build up your speed & join in.


# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # Tom kcØw

[ai4ep]

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif most of the folks I heard were going too fast for me to copy, and SINCE ( by your information ) they were contesting, most would NOT have slowed down to my speed ( 10 wpm, more like 6 or less depending on the wording )...so I would have been more of a hindrance than a help in the whole scenerio.

I DID fail to mention that I DID try to copy and most of it was so fast , I would just get lost in the scenerio.

But transmitting...no, not today.

But it was educational to listen and tune around and listen some more, which is WHY I started this thread ( may still be going on now, but I wont attempt to join ).

KC0W --- I am impressed with your post, since in the past your words were not THAT friendly towards any thing I had/have to say.

I appreciate your kindness in your post above this one. It was polite with NO sarcasm/ insult .

THANK YOU.

[KC0W]

Quote[/b] (ai4ep @ May 06 2007,02:07)]KC0W --- I am impressed with your post, since in the past your words were not THAT friendly towards any thing I had/have to say.
Just wait until your next Bible or CB Radio rant.


Tom kcØw

[VA3SAX]

yeah 20 is always too fast for me. I need to find a shorter bad that has good conditions as well as good attitude

[KC9ECI]

Don't bet on them not slowing down for you...you're a point, and perhaps a multiplier. #Take a look at the results for the NA Sprint SSB and you'll see that the difference between winning and being first loser, was a very narrow margin.

[ai4ep]

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif I shall still wait till a later date to try my skills in a contest.

CALL SIGNS still throw me for a loop. since ( as you know ) the letters can be almost any thing !!

I aint even talked to any foreign cw operators yet...all 19 of them have been ordinary USA licensed amateurs.

Maybe tomorrow.

{ note to kc0w --- you forgot about my great love in response to unlicensed truckers transmitting on 10 meters , but that is ok, you were in a hurry. #I understand. # # }

[kd7msc]

I like contests for code practice. You can listen to a few exchanges untill you get ther Call etc copied then you can jump in with your call. Just practice your exchange a few times before you send it. They wont have to slow down. You will already have there info. They will just have to wait for your info. One of these days I will try a rag chew. Have fun Robert. 73 Sean http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[ai4ep]

( sigh ) I guess I COULD try,


hard part is prizing me away from this keyboard, going in the basement ( other end of the house on another floor )and actually trying.

ok u talked me into trying...brb

[va7aax]

Quote[/b] (kd7msc @ May 05 2007,19:29)]I like contests for code practice. You can listen to a few exchanges untill you get ther Call etc copied then you can jump in with your call. Just practice your exchange a few times before you send it. They wont have to slow down. You will already have there info. They will just have to wait for your info. One of these days I will try a rag chew. Have fun Robert. 73 Sean http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
that was a really good suggestion . thanks ,


73 de va7aax

[ai4ep]

20 meters was fairly quiet

but I DID make another 75 / 80 meter contact instead.

(( I really SHOULD get some qsl cards printed up , sometime this year ))

[al7n]

20 CW was hot today....From Fairbanks here 7QP was the big thing.

I was monitoring 14050 looking for one or the other of my traffic relay stations in WA or CA as I had a written message to go south.

Normally I don't "contest" much, but while trying for these stations, I could hear so many nice loud signals I ended up working a few...Had good contacts in MT UT WA OR and CA.

Finally K6KPH came up on frequency and called me, and we moved the traffic OK about 2240Z. KPH is usually really strong here, but not today....only about S2.