BasicB-002-005-003
At what speed should a Morse code "CQ" call be transmitted?
B
Answer
Licensing, station identification, and operation
Type
A
At the highest speed your keyer will operate
B
At any speed which you can reliably receive
C
At the customary speed for the band
D
At the highest speed at which you can control the keyer
Answer Notes
A fundamental rule of Morse code (CW) etiquette is that an answering station will reply to a CQ call at the same speed the CQ was sent. Therefore, you should only send a CQ at a speed you are comfortable receiving.
If you transmit faster than you can accurately copy, the answering station will likely reply at that high speed, and you will struggle or fail to understand their transmission.
While you might be physically able to manipulate a keyer at a very high speed, your transmission speed must always be dictated by your cognitive ability to decode the incoming reply.
Previous · B-002-005-002
How should you answer a routine Morse code "CQ" call?
Next · B-002-005-004
What is the meaning of "CQ"?