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Getting on CW is getting better. RufzXP has greatly increased my ability to copy call signs faster (and type them in at the same time) and I’m starting to find a rhythm to handling the stream of calls. Still, there are acres of room for improvement, but perhaps practice will get me closer to perfection. Today on 17 meters the callers were a little thin and the signals were
mostly not strong and I only had one non-U.S. QSO, but it was relaxing.

I’m using a few “tricks” to decrease the depth of the pile-ups, such as today by using 17 meters instead of 20 meters, which pretty much guarantees less traffic. Today I was even spotted on the DX clusters early, but still the pile-up never got more than 3 deep; most callers were in the clear. On a more populated band I can tell by the rapid increase in the number of hams calling me whether I just got DX-spotted.

Another trick is to lower the power. Using the TT 516 avoids any temptation I can get to go over 20W. I also try to engage the first caller in a ragchew if possible, because it may be the last one for the next hour or so. Digi-modes offer ragchewability without pile-ups of course, but I’m really enjoying getting back to my CW so my activity on those has declined quite a bit.

You get used to being popular I guess, even though TI is way, way down the Most Wanted list.