Hey Jim...
You'd be surprised at how fast your cw CAN come back.
Being a US Navy radioman means you were one of the best cw op's in the world!
Don't sell yourself short.
At Radioman cw speeds, it's head copy and simultaneously typing what your hear.
A guy out here, NF6T, back in the day, took the FCC's 20 wpm cw test for his extra class license.
He brought his small manual typewriter with him, and the lady administering the exam allowed him the courtesy of using it. I always thought that was nice of her. She had a reputation for being a "meanie".
Moving along, you can do it!
Milt.
N6MG
070-650
LONP #76
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
-----Original Message-----
From: Jim K5SP <jinnis@...>
To: 070Club <070Club@groups.io>
Sent: Wed, Jul 18, 2018 3:21 pm
Subject: Re: [070Club] local VHF GROUP IN MY AREA
I am left handed, learned code in the Navy in Radioman School.
We had to copy 20 wpm to pass, I aced 22 wpm, and was working on
36 wpm when class graduated. So, don't think being left handed
has anything to do with it. However poor hearing and lots of
years not using much CW has moved my speeds waaaayyy down.
Going to look into those lefthanded items, just could not use a
right handed speed key, or a paddle. Tried using a paddle by
turning upside down but that did not work so good.
Jim K5SP #483, RMC-USN Ret.
On 7/18/2018 4:03 PM, Jerry N9AVY
wrote:
Am being the
"musician thing" is folklore ... there was an old song
from 60's/70's that I used to call "the didadit song and
now I can't remember the name of it ! It went didahdit
didahdit didahdididah or something like that, hi !
Jerry
n9avy
I
can easily hear Morse sent at 20 wpm, but the
problem is translating that into the
alphanumeric characters. If I listen at 20 wpm
with a Farnsworth speed of 5 wpm...lots of space
between characters, then I can come close to
getting it. I have tried copying in my head; I
have tried copying on paper, I have tried
copying on a keyboard (I can touch type about
50-60 wpm), but nothing seems to work. I have
tried several CW learning programs, but I can't
seem to get there.
Some
folks have told me that since I am a musician,
that code sent by iambic keying should be easier
for me to copy, and it it easier than straight
key or bug, but I still struggle. I have not
give up...maybe one day I get there.
Ray N9RWc
------
Original Message ------
Received: 02:39 PM CDT, 07/18/2018
From: "Jerry N9AVY"
<n9avy@...>
To: "070Club@groups.io"
<070Club@groups.io>
Subject: Re: [070Club] local VHF GROUP
IN MY AREA
Ray:
Appreciate your
comments. Sending CW is never the
problem... most people top out around 25
wpm on a straight key. The problem is
receiving at 5 wpm... if you can receive
at that speed, you probably copy at
faster speeds.
The
problem is that no one should ever try
copy at 5 wpm. What is needed is to copy
around 13 wpm and they move on to higher
speeds. One common trick was to listen to
25 wpm machine sent code (W1AW) without
ever writing any on paper... just try to
pick out letters here and there. After
that, go back to 13 wpm and you'll be
astounded at how slow it seems... trying 5
wpm , you'll probably fall asleep between
characters !
It's
sort of like running with a 50 lbs. pack
on your back... when you take it off and
run without it, it feels great ! It works
for some on CW.
I
commiserate with all those who struggled
with code. Did that for years until the
light bulb went on, but it required months
of daily code practice (we maybe not
daily, but 3 -4 times a week ).
In
sort, use whatever works .
Jerry
n9avy
True, you no longer HAVE to
learn Morse code.
As
a boy I was in Boy Scouts
(the group that no longer
exists). In order to achieve
the rank of 1st Class, you
had to be able to send and
receive Morse at 5 wpm using
buzzers, flashlights, etc. I
never could master the skill
and dropped out of scouting
as a result. I completed all
of the other requirements
for 1st Class and even had
the necessary merit badges
to qualify for Star rank.
But because I could not
master the Morse code
requirement, my progress in
scouting was stymied.
As a young man, I wanted
to get my Novice class ham
license. Although I could
easily pass all the
technical tests, the 5 wpm
code requirement prevented
me from becoming a ham.
When I neared retirement,
I learned that the code test
was no longer required for
an amateur radio license. I
studied for a couple of
weeks and easily passed both
my Technician and General
tests at the same sitting.
Less than a year later I
studied until I understood
all of the questions and
answers in the Extra pool; I
did not memorize the
answers. I knew the material
so well, I completed the 50
question test in less than
15 minutes.
Because I have many
friends who are good CW
operators, once again I
tried learning Morse code.
The interesting thing is
that, with practice, I can
send code at 20 wpm, but I
still struggle to read code
at 5 wpm. I do not know why;
but my mind does not seem to
be wired for instant recall
of Morse characters.
I am not a fan of SSB
phone on HF, either. I hate
noisy bands and pileups. I
set a goal to make 100 SSB
phone contacts and once that
goal was achieved, I quit
using the mode.
Thus,
I am thankful for digital
modes such as PSK, RTTY,
MFSK, Olivia, and FT8.
Ray N9RWC
------
Original Message ------
Received: 01:17 PM
CDT, 07/18/2018
From: "Jerry
N9AVY"
<n9avy@...>
To: "070Club@groups.io"
<070Club@groups.io>
Subject: Re:
[070Club] local VHF GROUP
IN MY AREA
The
thing is ... you
don't HAVE to
learn code, you
GET to...
I started doing
coding. I'm a
newb to the
hobbie and I
didn't have to
learn it. I
didn't want to
learn it. Once
I found out I
didn't need to
do CW I went
and looked up
when they were
testing, there
happened to be
a test the
next day. I
went and
passed the
Tech/General
exams after an
evening of
study. I
didn't pass
the Extra on
such short
notice. I
couldn't make
it to the test
in Sept, and
passed Extra
in October.
Once I got
into ham radio
and started to
do more with
HF, I was
hooked. I then
wanted to
learn CW. I
can send like
a champion. I
have issues
hearing and
get caught up
on the parts
I've missed.
What I was
using, I
really liked
it. But, I
think it does
require 2x 15
minute
sessions a
day.
I love CW
just like I
love data
modes. I'm not
a huge fan of
the SSB side
and lots of
talking. I
like to see
how far I can
get, and with
how little of
power.
On
Wed, Jul 18,
2018 at 10:58
AM Jerry N9AVY
< n9avy@...>
wrote:
John:
They
do make left
handed keys.
Really, check
out Vibroplex
and they have
semi-automatic
keys both
right &
left.
Don't
think it's a
matter of
being being
left or right
handed. As
Paul said,
it's a muscle
memory
thing.
Jerry
N9AVY
From:
John Hendry
< archer@...>
To:
070Club@groups.io
Sent:
Wednesday,
July 18, 2018
9:46 AM
Subject:
Re: [070Club]
local VHF
GROUP IN MY
AREA
I'll
give it a
try. Code
has always
been my
Waterloo.
I've been told
its a left
brain vs right
brain thing,
and that its
exceptionally
difficult for
those who are
left handed to
be able to
learn code.
something
about
processing
time in the
brain being
slower for
some things.
John
KG5OIB
--
Jim, K5SP #483
Member Services Director
|
Jim K5SP
Hey Milt, and when I first went to the FCC field office in San Diego to take the test, they would not allow me to use my mill. Told me I had to copy with pencil and paper. What a disaster, brain was trained to hit a key for the character, and not to copy with a stick. Had to go back and practice to go retake code. Happy to say that 25 years later decided to go extra, and passed the 20 wpm code easily. But, that was almost 20 years ago, and now will have to work hard to get back up to that speed.
While I never had to, knew some Radiomen that could listen to code, hold a conversation, and drink coffee at the same time. They would sit there and then type a couple lines all at once.
--
Jim, K5SP #483
Member Services Director
|
