A test of CW skills

 This weekend was the yearly running of the ARRL Sweepstakes CW  contest. This is the first year I participated in the contest and it was a blast. This contest has a unique exchange from all other contests. In most CW contests the exchange is a signal report (always 599 or 5NN for  CW) then one of the following serial number, ITU zone, CQ zone, state or province and possibly your name for some contests. 

For the ARRL  Sweepstakes contest the exchange is the following... let's take my exchange for example:

112A VE9KK 89 NB

To break it down 112 is the serial number so the station I contacted is the 112 contact for me. 

The letter A  (called precedence) signifies low power (more than 5w and not more than 100w)  in a single op. Other letters are Q for QRP, U for single op unlimited power, M for multiop and S for school. 

Then you send your call VE9KK

89  (called Check or CK) is the year I was licenced 

NB (called Section or SEC)  is the province. 

Now think of all that info coming at you in some cases 32 to 34wpm. In this contest, it is very advisable to slow down to the station you are contacting speed. If not you will use up lots of time with repeats. 
Now once you send all this you may be asked to resend any one or combination of your exchange as it may have been missed. For example, you may hear PREC, CK? I would then resend A and then 89. 

Now the contest software from records most of the time fill in the stations CK, and SEC  BUT sometimes it's wrong and it has to be changed on the fly.
My effort was part-time as I could not spend any time on Saturday evening it was only late morning and part of the afternoon I was able to take part.
This is a great exercise for your CW skills!