I am a newcomer to all of this, and I am wondering if there is any place
left in contesting for those of us who choose not to have a computer send
code
or receive code--ie just used for logging. I am working on getting my
speed up,
but I couldn't participate due to my inability to copy the high speed CW
used by what I assume are mostly computers sending code. Am i off-base
here? I
do enjoy the QRP contests I have entered since these seem to use "manually"
generated exchanges at slower speeds (20 - 25 WPM). Thanks for any
advice...Ci,
WU7R
What a curious comment: "ie just used for logging"
This is not a criticism, simply a comment on these digitized times. The
presupposition is that if there's anybody left that does not use a computer
to send and receive code, then surely it must go without saying that
everybody uses a computer to keep logs, at least in contests.
I've been hamming (for fun) for over 40 years and talking to computers (for
money) for only a trifle less than 40 years (yes, we had them back then),
and have never seen the need to mix the two.
I still send CW with a key (admittedly hooked to an electronic memory
keyer), receive CW with pen and paper and do all my logkeeping on paper.
I'm the first to admit that in "go for blood" contesting I would be
hopelessly outmatched by the computerized QRO stations that roll up 90 QSOs
per hour.
However, in QRP contesting (i.e., in the QRP class in regular contests
where you're score is only compared to other QRP entrants, but you're
competing head to head with the QRO stations for contacts), where the S5
signal in an S9 ambience pretty much guarantees a relatively low contact
rate (10-20 QSOs per hour), a computer does not give that much of an
advantage, except maybe in preparing the log for submittal.
73,
Steve
AA4AK
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