Please Slow Down

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Most of you will recognize this sign on a lot of our roadways.  However, this sign applies to Ham Radio, too.  Over the this last weekend of March 2023, I was operating portable hunting Parks on the Air.  I came upon a prominent You Tube contributor who is relatively  new to CW POTA activations.  Upon his posting of his activation in POTA Spots, the very nature of his call sign undoubtedly brought a lot of attention. I listened for a few minutes and sure enough, he was being bombarded. Many wanted to get the opportunity to work this You Tube contributor.  There were signals on top of signals and even I was having difficulty making out some of the calls. I could hear speeds from what seemed like 12 WPM to 25 WPM.  I mean hunters were all over him. This was truly "MARCH MADNESS".  As I listened I could tell he wasn't accepting calls from what I considered the strongest stations. What was going on? 

What was happening is most of the hunters did not see or were unaware of his first post on POTA Spots.  Additionally. the pileup was so intense and overwhelming most did not hear his signing a "Q" code.  Although when completing a QSO and sending a CQ, again some ignored or did not listen to the "Q" code he was including in his "CQ".   

In his initial POTA Spots he included this in his comments.   "New CW OP  14 WPM or BE IGNORED"  but once he was re-spotted that comment was lost. However, throughout the entire time I was listening he was send "QRS" a lot. Unfortunately, a lot people didn't know what "QRS" meant, didn't hear it due to pileup or just plain ignored it. The second he ended a QSO, there were some sending their call at 25WPM repeatedly hoping to break through and be heard.  And there were those you adhered to his request or understood the assignment and lowered their speed to his speed.  This activator was sending his CQ's a a causal 14 WPM but only a few caught on.

Kudos to this POTA activator as he never became wavered by those not following his request. He was a true Ham Radio professional if there is such a thing.  I got to thinking about what effect this might have had on a less experienced SSB POTA operator, someone newer to CW or a newly Amateur Radio operator. Would this crush their desire to continue CW? Or for that matter, deter them from continuing their Ham Radio journey? 

For those who don't know "Q" codes or need a refresher; here is a link to those codes:

https://hamradioprep.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Ham-Radio-Q-Codes.pdf


In MY OPINION, as POTA hunters it is not our right to justify the speed at which an activator sends CQ and/or responds. As a hunter we don't know the key that person is using, how they are using that key, the speed they able to receive, or their CW experience, etc. Help them out and reduce your speed to match their speed. It will not only make their activation go smoother and quicker, it will cut down on them requesting repeats.  Send carefully and PLEASE SLOW DOWN.  

My Thoughts from "Ham on a Bike"

Comments

  1. Mike ThompsonMarch 28, 2023 at 9:47 PM

    Great post! As you know, the proper thing to do is to reply to the activator at the speed they are sending. Since this activator is sending at 14 wpm then hunters are to reply at 14 wpm.

    That my friend, as you know, is the "Please Slow Down" sign.

    Hope to work you again soon!

    WB8ERJ

    ReplyDelete

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