I did a little arithmetic to determine the skills necessary for this
'competition'. It appears the text only folks never stood a chance.
Using the standard word PARIS here is the run down.
PARIS * 20 wpm = 100 chars/minute
100 chars/60 seconds = 1.67 chars/second
At 27 wpm => 2.25 chars/sec
At 30 wpm => 2.5 chars/sec.
Having never used text messaging, since cell phones do not work where I
live, I cannot truly measure the dexterity required to pass this bit of
traffic.
Since I am a touch typist at a moderate rate of 60 wpm I know I could beat
most CW ops if given the chance to type the message on a QWERTY keyboard
and send it via one of the digital modes. But on a little cellphone's
keypad I do believe I would be severely hampered by its user interface.
They are pretty much a two finger input device as far as I can tell. My
dad was pretty good at two finger typing (40 wpm) but that method has its
inherent difficulties.
I don't think this was a valid test of different user interfaces but it
makes for a fine joke. Now if those folks using the cellphones would have
had Wayne's two button (dot/dash) user input device they would have been
on the same footing. But even then there would have been the use of
repeaters and landline circuits to transfer their message. This would
have slowed the information exchange by just enough to get themselves
smoked by the simplex transfer of data by the '817 to '817 connection.
The contest would have been more fair however.
Imagine if our very own Chicken Fat Operator N0SS had been the keying op?
The poor cell op would truly have had egg on his face ;)
Long live CW!!
73,
Kevin. KD5ONS
Should truly be called the "Vail Code" but I digress.
KJR
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