2006 ARRL International DX Contest (CW)
02/21/2006 |
K5BZH
Well, it is the day after the contest and I have been doing some housekeeping chores. I feel pretty good about the weekend. Im not a serious contester, not a code speed demon, have pathetic antennas (a short wire in the attic for 40 meters and a 12AVQ vertical for 20-15-10 when has only 2 radials per band). No one is going to remember me unless it was due to my sloppy sending (had a straight key with a stiff spring), but I had a blast.
It was about a year ago that a friend spurred my interest in CW again. I was really rusty at that point. Even though I am a 20 wpm Extra, it took a while for me to get my speed back. I can copy W1AW solid at 20 again, not too bad at 25, but I do miss characters. Thirty is fast, but I probably get over 50 to 60 percent, 35 wpm is a bit of a blur.
My first time to really try getting into a CW contest was Field Day 2005. It was a bit tough for me. I did better on Sweepstakes although I was under the weather at the time. A contest always starts with a blur, it takes me a few minutes of listening, within a few minutes I can begin to handle it, but I have to cheat by copying a station behind to feel comfortable with the data. Noted some creative abbreviations that helped speed things up. My favorite, it threw me at first, was an ENN for 599. It appears that my code speed is improving, sure hope so.
I made 121 contacts. Worked all continents, 42 countries including 6 new ones. I needed a Hawaii contact on CW for a CW-WAS. It appears that my Alaska card from a December QSO may not be coming, so I really needed Alaska too. Got both of them! Thanks to all who worked me. If I accidentally stepped on you, please accept my apologies. May the Ether Gods continue to bless all of you.
73, Jim -- K5BZH
It was about a year ago that a friend spurred my interest in CW again. I was really rusty at that point. Even though I am a 20 wpm Extra, it took a while for me to get my speed back. I can copy W1AW solid at 20 again, not too bad at 25, but I do miss characters. Thirty is fast, but I probably get over 50 to 60 percent, 35 wpm is a bit of a blur.
My first time to really try getting into a CW contest was Field Day 2005. It was a bit tough for me. I did better on Sweepstakes although I was under the weather at the time. A contest always starts with a blur, it takes me a few minutes of listening, within a few minutes I can begin to handle it, but I have to cheat by copying a station behind to feel comfortable with the data. Noted some creative abbreviations that helped speed things up. My favorite, it threw me at first, was an ENN for 599. It appears that my code speed is improving, sure hope so.
I made 121 contacts. Worked all continents, 42 countries including 6 new ones. I needed a Hawaii contact on CW for a CW-WAS. It appears that my Alaska card from a December QSO may not be coming, so I really needed Alaska too. Got both of them! Thanks to all who worked me. If I accidentally stepped on you, please accept my apologies. May the Ether Gods continue to bless all of you.
73, Jim -- K5BZH
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