MST Feedback

Howard WB2UZE, and the CW Council deserve kudos for their success creating, maintaining and growing the MST.

Nowadays, I am always amazed by how many QSOs I can make at 22wpm!

When I was a budding contest op in the 1970s, if you had asked me how it would be when I was an OT I would never have said “There will be a big pile of fantastic high-rate short little CW contest bursts every single week.”

I also would not have said “… and I predict CW will make a comeback.”  Best thing that ever happened to ham radio.

I’ve really been enjoying the MSTs. The serial numbers add to the challenge, but they also require a completely different strategy than CWTs. In a CWT, it’s all about speed, as it’s virtually impossible to work every station active. That’s fine, and challenging, too. Most MST sessions, on the other hand, you can really work just about everybody, and THAT becomes the challenge. Sometimes, I’ve quit early when I just couldn’t find anyone new, but most of the time it’s worth sticking it out. They’re also a great way to practice sending with the paddle.

 I feel that the SST’s and the MST’s are great ways to practice and help others who are just learning.

Having watched the progress of brand new CW ops going from SST to MST level and one day being able to sponsor them for CWT is very satisfying.  Our CWA students have overwhelmingly commented that SSTs were responsible for getting them out of the classroom and into the real world!

Frank K1EBY

The SST and MST are great for building CW experience regardless of the capability of the person on the other end of the contact.  I am glad the experienced guys are there to run or answer CQs

Dennis WA5LXS

I like the MSTs.  I have been working S&P in CWTs since late last year but not at all comfortable “running” yet.

The MSTs may be the stepping stone for me to get comfortable calling CQ in a contest situation.  I will be making the sessions Monday.

Charles, K5KXJ

I just recently started to run during the SST’s and now with the MST’s it is a good stepping block for me to get additional practice running at a higher speed before I consider running during the CWT’s. I still have to send more ?’s and AGN then I would like while I’m running, but I’m getting there. I find both the SST’s and the MST’s to be a bit more casual and the CWT’s a bit more serious. I like that the MST’s have the serial number exchange as it is good to have something a bit different. I see all of these events as a natural progression for people new to CW to practice and learn. From my experience it was a big jump for me to go from the SST’s into the CWT’s and I appreciate all of you who were patient with me while I brought my speed up. I think the MST’s will fill that gap nicely for people now. I enjoy all of these events each week and I look forward to having more people join in on the fun.

73 – Vin – W1VKE

The participation in the first two MSTs today was very good, though I’m hoping to see more graduates of the Slow Speed Tests.  I often work about 90 in the SSTs just running to work mostly newbies.  I S&Ped in the MSTs today when I ran out of stations to work running.

Exchanging serial numbers rather than states, as in the SSTs, is fun

Jim N7US

I think it is a real good idea having this speed range from 20 to 25 wpm. My keyer has been set to 22 wpm and I went down, when necessary (only once to 18 wpm). But the straight key is close to the paddle on the desk, so I may slow down as appropriate. The slower speed also encouraged me to exchange some extra greetings; unusual for a standard contest.

Talking to some friends who are at just around 20 wpm now, I know that they are not feeling prepared for high speeds in standard contests already —
so a very, very good idea.

CU 73
Tom DF7TV

Howard,

Thanks for the MST reminder! The concept for this contest is fantastic, and I will be sure to support the activity.

73,

Eric NM5M

The 1300Z session was the most fun for me, especially to be in the inaugural. I found 20m very slow on the 1900Z session. 4 QSOs in 20 minutes. I need a better strategy for 20. Once I went to 40 it was running at a good pace.

I’ll be back next week.

Howard,

I am a CWA Advisor for the intermediate class. Some of my students do work and the times do not work for most.

But those one or two out of 11 students that the time did work; enjoyed it. I worked about 10 minutes just before going to bed.

Mark,  K5GQ

I worked the 1300z MST. I’m not very good at calling CQ, but for the  FL QSO party on Sunday and the MST Monday I called CQ.  257 Qs in the FLQP and 33 Qs in the MST was a blast.  Now that the UDC has been fixed, getting into a rhythm will be fun.

Dennis N0SMX

As of 1200z on May 5th, 3830 shows for the May 2nd/May 3rd iterations of the MST:

for the 1300z session, 89 scores reported
for the 1900z session, 94 scores reported
for the 0300z session, 59 scores reported

This is excellent participation for a new contest.  I was active for the 1300z and the 1900z sessions, and I worked several familiar calls from the CWT and the SST, but I also worked several calls that were new to me.  I think the MST has a real shot to be a substantial contributor to overall CW activity.

This is to let you know that my contest logger “SD by EI5DI” gives full support for the MST Contest, and tracks points and multipliers correctly.  SD runs on any Windows PC, and on Linux with wine/wineconsole.

SD by EI5DI is free from www.ei5di.com

Thanks & 73,
Paul EI5DI

Remembering back to the first CWT, you were having a great day if you made 35 QSOs in an hour. Now, some make well over 200, and I have come close with 192 (no spotting or SO2R). So I would say Monday’s MST was successful and will grow. I’ll be back.

Rob K6RB

I managed a half hour in the 1300z and 1900z and 45 minutes in the 0300z. Plenty of activity and operating portable I could only run S&P.
 I likely can’t make the 1300 and 1900 events in the future but hope to make several of the 0300 slots.

Randy KB4QQJ

I participated in the 13Z and 19Z sessions and I really enjoyed this event.  I got my start in the SST’s last year and then it took several months before I started on the CWT’s and I was very slow.  I just started running in the SST’s and did a little S&P and running last week in the MST’s.  These are all excellent tools and helped with my confidence tremendously.  It seemed to me like the MST was a bit more relaxed similar to the SST’s with the CWT’s a bit more serious.  I now enjoy them all, but I am not yet ready to run in the CWT’s…maybe soon though :-). I highly recommend the SST’s and MST’s for all who are new to CW and then progress to the CWT’s.  I am always happy to slow down to meet a speed you are comfortable with.

73 – Vin – W1VKE

Looking forward to the other sessions today and encouraging others to join the fun.
We now have a very good CW  “Playing Field” laid out:
Sun night/ Fri PM for SST to encourage a cross section of brand new, rusty, shy, curious CW operators with a more personalized experience at less than 20 WPM.

Mon AM/PM/Late night MST to encourage those CW operators who are beginning to gain confidence in themselves at 20 – 25 WPM.

Wed AM/PM/Late night CWT for those who really want up sharpen their contesting skills to take off the governor and let er’ rip at 25 – ?? WPM.

73, Pi – K1RV

I had a lot of fun participating in the 1900Z on 40m.  I look forward to participating in many more MST events.