The CW op has
put in many hours of practicing and participating in contests to get
his/her
speed up to a really useful contest level.
Well I think most CW ops are in there at a minimum of several nights a week
.....I try to get on ever night time permitting ....Speed ... 25 WPM I think
generally speaking ..... The CW op really doesn't practice as such but
just gets on the air and enjoys an efficient non-verbal mode.




Some of our CW ops help in this effort also,
including the hardest working one out of the bunch. But some others
simply show up and work a few hours, then go home.

Or really don't show up at all ..... I remember one fellow from our club who
had an antenna raising party on FD.

On CW, the single letter "R" does the job, and some ops don't even
bother with the R - they send their exchange as an indication that
they got yours. Or they send "TU" - (thank you) which does the job of
"roger" and "73" both.
73 de Jim, N2EY

I always ask the WPA section guys or even the PA guys or others where they
are at and how things are going ....a slight off topic tends top break up
the flow from time to time. I am not in there for blood or a free pass for
everlasting life due to a FD score. FD does present itself in many ways to
get the message out and get the public to see first hand an aspect of our
service. Heck ...we even give the cops free food ..I think the word gets
out on the police radio ...

73 Tom KI3R Belle Vernon Pa .... W3CSL Monessen ARC on FD