I heard the call again, and this time it was a full out fumbling act between reading the call and keyboard stumbling.
I heard the code but my N1MM+ contest software was just met with my blank stare. Out the code went, "TEST VE9KK VE9KK" I did this about 3 times and then a station came back to me.it didn't turn out as planned. Well here we go.first thing that occurred to me was a contest simulator and the real deal is very different! I was not sending code to a computer program but a real person, it's a hobby and all, but I was very nervous about the whole thing. This allowed me to concentrate on the contest program. I worked on my keyboard skills, so I am now able to copy calls without looking at the keyboard. I also downloaded the CWops intermediate CW course and worked through that each day. These are both free programs and excellent tools. Every day I practiced with programs such as Morse Runner and RufzXP. Over time, getting my code speed up to copy around 30wpm.
They say that preparation is the key, and that I worked on. You send out your call sign (for me at 26-28wpm) and wait for the grease to hit the fan and at times it did! Below is how it feels to be a first-time CW running contester.īefore I begin with the adventure, just a little background. (run, meaning you sit on a frequency and call "CQ contest" and wait for stations to contact you) I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID IT.įor those of you who are not into CW contesting when you are running (for me anyway) it's a big deal, and you have to be on your CW game. (search and pounce meaning searching out stations in the contest who are calling CQ and trying to contact them) I was for the first time ever a running station. In this contest, for the first time EVER, I did not operate search and pounce. I try to take part in most of the large CW contests, and this one was not exempt. The annual running of the CQWW CW contest was in full swing for the entire weekend. This past weekend, as most of you may have known or seen, the bands were alive with a CW contest, all except the WARC bands. The hills are alive with the sound of music.well you get the idea.