Building on CW Foundations
from
Steve Turner, M0RNA
on
May 30, 2007
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I'd like to ask for some advice please on the subject of improving my CW. Whereas many articles have been written on learning CW from the beginning, there seem to be far fewer articles about building on those foundations, and its on this subject that I would like to stimulate some discussion.
I've been working on code now for about two years. I firmly know the code and have astonished myself at scoring 11000 plus and reaching speeds of 46wpm using the "RufzXP" program. However, I find that there is a big difference between getting high-speed callsigns correct, and ragchewing, and it is in the latter that my interests, and difficulties, arise. I find that for the standard CW exchange of callsigns, RST, QTH, name, rig, ant, WX and general pleasantries, I have very few problems at 20wpm, copying in my mind, and only making notes of the essentials on my computer log. However, if the other station starts to stray from that beaten path, and ask me questions on other subjects, I tend to panic a little and lose the thread of what is being said. Being an occasional /P operator, I don't really want to start writing everything down, and feel that I would find that restrictive.
I do realize that a year ago, I would have found any exchange, no matter how "textbook," at 20wpm to be out of the question, and my expectations seem to be "leading edge" rather than "trailing edge." By this I mean that, rather than using a slower on air speed, and a faster off-air practice speed, I tend to want to use my best personal off-air speed during live QSOs.
While on the air should I use a speed at 5wpm less than what I am comfortable with during a standard exchange, or should I carry on at 20wpm and continually push the envelope? I am ever mindful of the FISTS motto, which states that accuracy transcends speed, and I do feel this is the correct approach, but the thought of going back to 15wpm as my on-air speed doesn't seem particularly appealing.
I have recently found the QST CW archive online, and feel that this will be of great use to me in training myself to read lengthy passages of code in my mind, whereas the RufzXP training will help to continually improve my speed. Is this the correct way to proceed, or am I missing a fundamental point? The advice of CW operators of experience would be greatly valued at this point.
With very best 73 and hope to chat to you on air sometime,
Steve Turner, M0RNA
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Building on CW Foundations
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by N0IU on May 30, 2007
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I was walking down the street in New York City and a man with a violin case in his hand comes up to me and asks, "Do you know how to get to Carnegia Hall?"
To which I replied, "PRACTICE!"
Scott N0IU
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Building on CW Foundations
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by N0IU on May 30, 2007
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Typo correction (for the benefit of the spellcheck police):
Carnegia Hall should have been Carnegie Hall
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Building on CW Foundations
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by N2EY on May 30, 2007
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"I have recently found the QST CW archive online, and feel that this will be of great use to me in training myself to read lengthy passages of code in my mind, whereas the RufzXP training will help to continually improve my speed. Is this the correct way to proceed, or am I missing a fundamental point?"
Those things are good, but they're not the whole story.
IMHO, the way to build up Morse Code skills is to actually do the thing you want to get good at. If you want to have conversational CW QSOs, you should simply go on the air and have them, at whatever speed you find comfortable. Also listen to other people's QSOs on the air, without writing anything down (since you're not in the QSO, it doesn't matter if you miss something).
Over time the speed will increase, and the concentration required to listen will go down.
You can take notes (rather than copying everything) as a step towards pure "head copy".
Software simulators are a good learning tool, but they can be a little too good in that the code is always perfect and not quite like the way real-world, off-the-air Morse sounds. So you need to have on-the-air experience most of all.
It can help to practice sending as well as receiving. Learning to send won't teach you to receive, but there is a connection. When people learn a language, they don't just listen to it.
The total immersion experience of contest operating helped me learn. So did simply having the rig on and receiving Morse while I was doing something else.
After a while it became like listening to someone talk.
And like talking, accuracy transcends speed.
73 de Jim, N2EY
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Building on CW Foundations
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by VK2GWK on May 30, 2007
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Hi Steve,
Yes... I recognise your problem. Got the same myself. But the more you practise, the better it goes. One day better than the next.... I do NOT reduce my standard operating speed to avoid problems with the occasional "chat". Rather try to pick up as much of what the other station is sending. Sometimes blame it on QRN.... And it is amazing of what you can read back when only copying two out of every five characters.... And after a while it is three out of every five, and four.....
I do not think I'll get to 30 or 40 wpm.... but being able to copy and carry on a conversation at 20 - 23 wpm is not bad.... Leave the higher speeds to the fanatics. There are fanatics and ordinary folks...
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by WB2TQC on May 30, 2007
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Ninety Five plus percent of my QSO's are in CW. While I am not the most active Ham, I DO listen to a lot of Code. There is only one way that I know of to increase your code proficiency and the last poster nailed it. Practice, Practice, and more Practice. You need to look for long, fast, QSO's on air and try to pick it up. I do this a lot. Not because I want to send as fast as these guys but just to see if I can understand what they are saying.
Unlike yourself, I Like copying QSO's word for word. It's not efficient but I've got many spiral notebooks filled with QSO's I've had through the years. I keep them for the memories. I'm happy right around 18wpm. I can do better but I find this speed to be most comfortable. That's my opinion.
73,
John WB2TQC
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Building on CW Foundations
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by W2KAE on May 30, 2007
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This may be a cognitive problem we all have along the line, sending from text or copying to paper can be a mechanical process that leaves one in the role as translater rather than communicator. I agree with an earlier comment, leave the radio on and listen as you go about other things, there is always continuous higher speed banter around 7.025. There are some keyboard operators there, they don't do you much good for conversational cw, you need to listen to some less-than-perfect sending. Your conversational speed will come up quickly enough. Those of us lucky enough to have grown up using cw have a different problem, keeping old muscles tamed to do what the brain wants at the key!
Good luck, and as the man said, practice.
73, Deke W2KAE
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by K9NW on May 30, 2007
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You probably can't be in front of your radio all day doing on-air exercises but you can still practice your CW. Sound out road signs or billboards and such as you walk around town or are driving down the road. (You may wish to do this silently to minimize quizzical looks from passersby) Try to sound out the words on the signs before you pass them.
Have fun!
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Building on CW Foundations
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by N4CY on May 30, 2007
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To get comfortably close to 100% copy beyond the 18-20 WPM "wall," I had to learn to copy in my head.
The technique that finally worked for me was putting an HF rig in the car and listening to QSOs on my commute every day. I'd listen to stations sending at higher speeds than I could comfortably copy and would try to copy "bursts" of letters/words. In time, the length of the "bursts" I could copy got longer and longer until I was copying everything in my head.
Mobile CW has also improved my short-term recall of QSO details. I no longer jot down call, name, rst, etc. (not safe), so I've been forced to remember everything during the QSO and I log it AFTER the QSO, when I'm stopped or driving slowly.
73,
Ted
N4CY
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by AD5X on May 30, 2007
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A bunch of years ago I was frustrated with being stuck at 20-25WPM because that was the fastest I could write. I found a group of high speed ops that met every morning on 40M (around 7.02 as I recall) that were all probably doing 30-35WPM. So for about 15-20 minutes every morning before work I'd listen to them with just my 'phones on and my eyes closed, and I'd try to stay relaxed. Within about two weeks all of a sudden the words started forming in my head. I've been copying in my head at these speeds ever since. I think the key is to try to find folks sending at much higher speed than you are used to, and just listen to them.
Phil - AD5X
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by K8TDJ on May 30, 2007
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After too many years of being in awe of the speed merchants I have learned to copy behind several words in my head and not write it down, take notes for important points you want to refer to in your next transmission, but I've never known anyone who wrote faster than 12-13 WPM, and they weren't copying behind. I know I got my ARRL 30WPM certificate this way, and I thought everyone did it this way? Guess you learn something every day. Oh yes, over the air copy is the better way to increase your speed with someone who is sending slightly faster than you can comfortably copy. Just my experience after 47 years of c.w. 73, Jim K8TDJ
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by KT8K on May 30, 2007
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When I was trying to break the 18 wpm barrier, I figured out the following scheme:
I start out at a speed at which I can copy about 80-90%, thereby stretching my capabilities while still able to fill in the gaps and hold a conversation. Then I find another station to contact (or listen to) at a slightly higher speed, and then another just a little faster. Somewhere below 60% copy it is no longer possible to make sense of what I am hearing by filling in the blanks, and, by then, I have probably spent a half hour or so at it. I then make one last contact (or listen to one) at a speed where I can again pick up at least 80-90% of what is said, and can make sense of it easily. Almost always this is at a faster rate than when I started out, and I get some satisfaction that I have made some improvement. Then I quit for the day/night since 20-30 minutes of hard concentration is enough -- I don't want to burn out on it. (I may also not have more time to devote to it that day.)
If I do that every day (or 5 days a week or so) my speed continually increases, and my improved proficiency is very noticeable in just a few weeks. I like RufzXP, too, and test myself for fun periodically.
Keep at it, and you will get better. I hope to catch you on the air sometime.
Best rx & 73 de kt8k - Tim
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by BWOETTKE on May 30, 2007
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As many of us with some experience in military communications will attest, copying plain text is much harder than random code groups or call signs. While copying in your head, you just cannot avoid predicting what the next word will be, and if it turns out to be something different you are easily thrown off. The only way to improve that ability is to practice. For a short while now I have been the proud owner of the new Begali CW Machine (see my review on this site, and http://www.i2rtf.com), and even in a week it has made a significant difference for me. It has modes that are particularly designed to improve your ability to copy "in your head". But, even more effective, I can load my favorite newspaper into it in the morning (it holds more than 50 hours of text at 30wpm) and listen to it on my commute. A fun way to practice, and definitely text that is off the beaten track for a standard QSO.
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by KB9CRY on May 30, 2007
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On the air practice is the only way. Computer programs are very sterile and exact whereas on the air is filled with all the vagaries of real transmitting. As in all other learning processes, you will reach plateaus which seem to take forever to break through.
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by KC8QFP on May 30, 2007
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Getting on the air is the best way and REAL world. You need to get used to all the actual ways people communicate with code. Live on the air is the best way to go! Rather than copy code on paper (that's OK too), I like to record it on a tape recorder that has variable speed (I think mine was a Realistic VSC1000). Sometimes I would get lost, and it was fun to go back and listen to the tape and see what I missed. My hardest part was paying attention (I think I may have some ADHD). Code takes some self disapline besides all the practice. For some it comes easy, and for me it was a struggle. Once accomplished, it feels nice to be able to join in and have some fun too. Code to me is kinda like sign language, it's interesting. Deaf children somehow learn how to sign, and code is much easier to learn than that! Can you imagine being deaf and watching a blinking light for code? (I bet the hard of hearing use computer code instead of blinking lights). You'd be surprized as to how many people using CW are handicapped. Yes, it may be hard to learn for some of us, but we DO IT!!!
73! Don
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by N0SAP on May 30, 2007
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I agree with N2ey and KB9CRY. I was out of radio for 32 years and when I decided to get back in. I just listened to CW for 30 to 40 minutes a day. Within two weeks I was back up to 15 WPM and did not take long from there to get to 25 WPM. So it was like riding a bike. I noticed that after my first Field Day, my speed jumped up again to 35 WPM. However, I don't like to copy that fast all the time, the old brain cells don't like to be excerised that much anymore, HA. Just have fun with it, that is the important part. I do not care if I am helping someone at 5 WPM or having faster QSO, I just love CW at any speed.
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by KD5TLC on May 30, 2007
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Most of my on air time is spent using CW... I like using a straight key, and I rcvd a nice new bug for my birthday last year. I found that by using the bug, my sending and receiving speed increased. Maybe something to do with the hand / brain coordination situation... but I've been able to copy more in my head lately, even with all the other stuff I have overloading it up there.
Good Luck
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Building on CW Foundations
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by K6YE on May 30, 2007
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I agree with the other posts in that regular practice is the key. IMHO, Field Day is one of the best ways to improve ones speed in a single weekend. In addition, it presents the least amount of pressure. Have fun and enjoy!!
Semper Fi,
Tommy - K6YE
DX IS
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by K7PEH on May 30, 2007
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I am in the same process and probably at the same stage as the author of this post. And, I get frustrated when I lose track of the sender's message. I am going fine and then I miss a few, get nervous, and then lose a whole stream.
And, it is not just copying where I screw up. I need to focus quite a bit when sending. Just the other day I was in a QSO that just started and just after I turned it back to the other guy, my wife came in and said dinner was ready.
So, I didn't want to just drop this guy but had to wait until he turned it back which was about a minute or two. I was in a hurry and I started sending to let him know I had to go to dinner and it was one mistake after another. I mean, almost every third character I was sending a stream of dots to erase my mistakes. That's what happens when you try to hurry up.
But, I do still listen more then I QSO and this is mostly because I am trying to cram listening in to spare moments of doing other things. I have my rig on CW portions of the band in my truck all the time -- I don't even listen to the news on the radio anymore. At home, if I am working in my office (also my shack) I have my rig on CW stations.
I do use the computer CW training programs but for one purpose only. I use them to gauge my perception of speed. I will set the speed play at 20 wpm for example and listen for awhile to get a feel of what 20 wpm is and I will do the same for 25 wpm and 30 wpm. Not because I am practicing my copy but only so I can guage speed of other senders on the air. All of my real practice is actual QSOs on the air.
By the way, as easy as it is to copy say 5 to 8 wpm, that is now becoming an agonizing experiece. I mean, it is just too slow to be comfortable. So, I am guessing that guys who can regularly copy at 35 wpm might feel the same when confronted with 20 wpm.
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by WR8Y on May 30, 2007
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N4CY said:
""""The technique that finally worked for me was putting an HF rig in the car and listening to QSOs on my commute every day. I'd listen to stations sending at higher speeds than I could comfortably copy and would try to copy "bursts" of letters/words. In time, the length of the "bursts" I could copy got longer and longer until I was copying everything in my head.
Mobile CW has also improved my short-term recall of QSO details. I no longer jot down call, name, rst, etc. (not safe), so I've been forced to remember everything during the QSO and I log it AFTER the QSO, when I'm stopped or driving slowly.""""
I do the same, and also listen to W1AW bulletins as much as I can while driving. Making recordings of W1AW archives and playing them in your tape/CD player can help too - but listening on the air live is probably better for you.
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by KC8QFP on May 30, 2007
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I think some people just worry too much. Relax and take it easy, it will be OK, you'll get it sooner or later. Like I said, use a tape recorder and use that for practice in a real world way. I used to get frustrated on the air because most guys were speed freaks, and I did not find many at <10wpm that I could keep up with. So record and play at a slower speed. Not many recorder have variable speed, but they do exhist. One way to find such a cassette player is to search Ebay for a "cassette recorder blind" since talking book players all have this feature. Or perhaps you can modify an old cassette recorder with a reostat or SCR to slow down its motor some. I think that this can also be done with Windows and the SOUND RECORDER program in accessories. Just mic your rig into Windows, then use it to playback at a slower rate with its effects/decrease speed function. Try it!
73! Don
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Building on CW Foundations
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by AE6CP on May 30, 2007
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I'm in the exact same boat as you so I'm very happy to read the responses.
I broke 10,000 on RuffZ program (AD5VM on the toplist) which was right at 40 wpm. Any faster than that I cant even tell the difference between dits and dahs.
But I still have a hard time with general rag chewing, I get nervous even at 20 wpm when the other op strays from normal exchange stuff and I start missing about half of the conversation.
I'm trying to find someone in my area who is in the same boat as me to have a nightly QSO with. We could just run QRP to modest antennas so as not to pollute the airwaves while we practice rag chewing. I think that's the best bet.
73
Larry (AD5VM)
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by W2RDD on May 30, 2007
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Radio op school at Keesler Field. If you didn't make 13 WPM in a couple months it was KP (kitchen police for the un-initiated) for the rest of your hitch. That provided real motivation.
When I was a kid SWL I used to copy marine cw traffic.
Today, I really think on-the-air practice is the only alternative.
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Building on CW Foundations
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by N0AH on May 30, 2007
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Learn to immediately recognize the Q codes as words and anticipaite the following words tyically abbreviated ie:OP, ES, ?, TU,, etc...Most of my 250+- countries confirmed using CW and most of the zones I verified for my 200 5BWAZ were short contacts but full of information. I find with the exception of the station's call sign and name, which I typically give out at least twice, knowing abbreviations and Q codes should help- Recognize the Q codes as words, not just as letters, and you should really see your speed go way up. In a contst or while working DX, I can 40 WPM. But in a local rag-chew, which I don't lke because it seems every word get spelled out, I fall asleep and try to keep up at 10 WPM. BTW, the average 8th grader can read with good comprehension at 330 words per minute. -
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by WB2WIK on May 30, 2007
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Built up by using CW on the air to make contacts, every single day without fail.
As a new Novice in the mid-sixties (and as a kid!) I came home from school each day and spent an hour on the air prior to homework, dinner or anything else. After dinner, homework and whatever, if time permitted, I'd get on the air again for a few more contacts at night. I made about ten contacts a day. For weeks, and for months, and for years.
When my speed hit about 20 wpm (which actually only took a few weeks of operating) I noticed what was holding me back was I couldn't write fast enough. So, I stopped writing...anything. I kept a logbook, but would only write the contact's callsign, RST report, his name, plus the date and time. Then I put the pencil down and listened to my contacts without writing anything. Speed ramped up very fast doing this.
By the time I was on the air about a year, I'd made probably 3650 contacts, all CW (didn't have anything else), and was operating at about 40 wpm.
Since then, my copying ability increased to about 60 wpm although I can't send that fast. When I was younger I could actually hit about 60 wpm with a keyer/paddle pretty consistently without many mistakes; but now in my fifties, I find my coordination and dexterity isn't quite as good as it was maybe 10-15 years ago and my hold myself down to 40-45 wpm to avoid excessive mistakes.
For me, the trick was definitely USING code (not copying it, but using it), and putting away the pencil and paper many years ago.
WB2WIK/6
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Building on CW Foundations
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by WA8MEA on May 30, 2007
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This will surely date me, but one way was listening to the constant repetition of coastal CW marker stations like WLO, WCC and NSS. Also the longwave beacon/markers.
A trick the late W8LIW, Les, told my dad; "When traveling, look at signs and billboards and "tap" them out in your head using CW."
73, Bill - WA8MEA
http://HamRadioFun.com
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Building on CW Foundations
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by K0RGR on May 30, 2007
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There were a few big boosters to my CW ability.
First was contests. They used to have a contest just for beginners called the "Novice Roundup". The contest ran for a couple weeks, so you could do very well by just getting on for a couple hours a day - perfect for kids in school who had to somehow manage their homework and the contest. The NR boosted by code speed from under 10 WPM to somewhere around 18.
There isn't a "Technician Roundup" contest, though perhaps there ought to be. So, beginners will need to find other places where they can get some experience. I also got into the November Sweepstakes contest and gained some speed there. Now, with the new Tech bands, that should be much easier. Field Day is another opportunity.
Next, I started checking into CW traffic nets and handling messages. That got my code speed up over 30 WPM. These nets still exist today in various forms. However, I don't think we have the volume of message traffic that we used to. Get on and originate some messages!
Finally, when I studied for my Extra, I found a station sending UPI news every night, apparently aimed at the Caribbean. The station was on a frequency just below our 160 meter band, and would start transmitting at about 1 a.m.. The station sent at 25 WPM. It's much different to have to copy ALL of the punctuation marks, as well as the stock market quotes. I could check my copy each morning with a newspaper.
I don't know if anybody does this today, but it would be a good thing to look for.
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by AB3CX on May 30, 2007
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I think a relaxed and creative approach works best. The longer you use CW and morse code, the more natural it gets. Copy in your mind without paper, and put the words together. I would also suggest having more ragchew type QSOs where you pick a unique subject or converstaional line, and go with it. Avoid abbreviations, go at a comfortable pace, and let your brain get used to morse code as a language with it's own alphabet. After a certain point you will recognize the character without the conscious process of "translating", or assembling characters into words.
Despite my own long time CW preference, I still have trouble with ops who insist on excessive speed (50-60 WPM), and who do not use proper spacing. Repeating a callsign 3 times at 60WPM takes more time than sending it once, correctly at 40 WPM.
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by VE3XDB on May 30, 2007
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I'm no speed demon, but don't think speed should be your goal. Concentrate on being a good operator. Speed will come. Relax, enjoy and practice. Especially at your speed, which is perfectly acceptable. If the other is going too fast, then ask them to "pse qrs". If they don't bid them 73.
I'm quite comfortable between 25-30wpm, and here's how I did it. Whenever I felt the need to stretch my speed, I call CQ at a comfortable speed, plus 4-5wpm. So, if I'm feeling good at 22wpm, I send CQ at 26. Then, when you get a response, 'fess up if you've missed something, tell them you're operating at the top end of your speed range, and missed some detail. Thank them for helping you get faster. By doing this, I moved from about 18wpm to 25wpm in a fairly short period, and had fun doing it. I found all ops to be helpful and courteous.
Good luck!
Doug VE3XDB
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by N5XM on May 30, 2007
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A great thread! I like CW contests, but ragchewing is my favorite. It's like weightlifting in that no one starts out looking like they belong on Muscle Beach. Ragchewing is talking, but with CW. Maybe the hardest thing is to learn to relax and pay attention at the same time. We all lose a little of the thread of the conversation, but don't let it upset you. Just focus again, and you would be surprised how your brain can fill in the blanks. Just remember that this won't happen overnight. Unless you plan on leaving this Earth soon, why be in a hurry? That's one thing I love about Ham Radio in general, and CW in particular...we have the rest of our lives to keep getting better and better.
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by N8KG on May 30, 2007
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I GOT DRAFTED. Sitting behind a typewriter, listening to cw, 8 to 10 hours a day, increased my speed.
But, practice is the best thing to increase speed. Just like playing chess, you never get better playing someone who is not better than you. Don't be afraid to ask what the question was, if you missed it. Soon you'll realize that you don't miss the questions anymore.
I wud be gld to qso u anytime. 73
de N8KG ..
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by KA0W on May 30, 2007
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Interesting comments posted on being able to copy RuffZ and "contest" CW at much higher speeds than a ragchew. Contest trained ops perhaps.
Would think it would be the other way around. Maybe I can take up contesting at 100 wpm with a 50 wpm ragchewing rate. Will have to get get some lighter lithium grease for the "paddle bearings" first.
Excellent post!
Ken, KA0W
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by W4VR on May 30, 2007
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With an Allied Radio 33rpm Morse Code record back in the early 60's. To increase the speed I ran it at 45 or 78 rpm. Within two weeks I was ready for the 13 wpm test. I practiced sending with an Allied Radio Morse Code monitor.
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by N4OI on May 30, 2007
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Steve, I have been there, done that. I've been a ham for just over four years now and working on my CW "head copy" speed for the past year and a half. (Sending speed was never much of a problem.) I can now comfortably copy 25 wpm in my head and on up around 30 or more at times. The most effective method for me was to load all of the QST CW .mp3 files that my Ipod could hold. Started with 25 wpm, then to 30 wpm and then 35 wpm. I just play them whenever I have time -- waiting at the mall, on the plane, doing other stuff.... I found that if I didn't worry about the message and just treated each word as a standalone, it helped a lot. As it became easier to pick out the words, understanding the message just took care of itself. If I fell behind, I just got back into it -- word by word. I have still not arrived -- but at least I am not copying down every character anymore -- just a few words as reminders during a QSO. Keep at it and have fun! 73 de Ken N4OI
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by W6TH on May 30, 2007
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.
I will make it simple.
Every evening a group of us hams would be on day after day, night after night and we worked a round table using breakin, that means just butting in on the conversation and not taking turns, a free for all. The speeds were from 25 wpm up to about 35 wpm all using Vibroplex bugs.
My receiving copy in my head was clocked at 72 wpm tops. My receiving speed on a typewriter was 45 wpm. Today I can easily send 60 wpm with my Bencher paddle and receive over 60 wpm in my head.
Get a group of locals and get on the air and send and receive with anything goes. To copy in your head, just take notes of what you can copy and don't worry about what you missed, the speed will increase as long as you work the higher speed operator, so copy faster than you can receive. Stay away from the slow speed operators, they are of no help for you.
.:
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by W4SK on May 30, 2007
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W6TH describes the best method. Talking to friends, and 'pushing yourself' to do better. Alas, the something-for-nothing crowd will never understand this.
Apparently, however, this "gimme gimme" is not a new phenomenon. "Reap what you sew" describes the same thing.
I, too, was age 14 when I began to copy CW, and for me I think it was the prospect of being able to do something that not everyone else could do. In other words, 'pride'. Even before sitting for my Novice exam, I would copy text to paper, and show it to my non-ham grandfather, who was very encouraging. It was neat to me then, and remains so now.
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by W6TH on May 30, 2007
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W4SK
Those that won't sew won't reap. I only elmer those that are/have quality of being worthy towards ham radio.
.:
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Building on CW Foundations
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by N4CW on May 30, 2007
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CW traffic nets help you improve not only speed, but accuracy. It takes a few years...
If you truly want to master high speeds, then endear yourself to the keyboard crowd. The Morse they send is PERFECT, and it's so much easier to copy. Before you know it, your copying ability will truly improve; as for sending at those speeds...get a keyboard!
Best wishes for success,
Bert, N4CW
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Building on CW Foundations
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by N5CRO on May 30, 2007
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Lot of good advices...
So far N0IU and N2EY gave you the best answers.If you feel that you are OK with 20wpm,goahead and get
yourself nice bencher or vibroplex paddle and start sending 40wpm speed for practice.In no time you will be able
to copy the same speed you are sending.Most QRQ op`s having problem to write down mesages sent.but that is
another story.There is one thing that you need to be aware...copying code on HF is different then one you are
sending on your electronic keyer or computer..It takes time to adjust your ear on HF band.Dont panic if you did not
copy station asking you a question....you can always ask that station you are talking to repeat the mesage.
GL...
Joe,N5CRO
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Building on CW Foundations
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by HC2S on May 30, 2007
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My recomendation, read the book "Feel-Fear-Do-Anyway" from Susan Jeffers. She addresses the fundamental cause of fear the belief that "I can't handle it!".
Rene, 73
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Building on CW Foundations
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by KE3WD on May 30, 2007
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Those of us who are old enough (and had that military copying or 1st/2nd radiotelegraph license experience) were able to easily find traffic to copy on air, "back in the day".
While copying on air does train the ears for the fading, qrm, different fists, etc. very well, I have found that we can take advantage of the computing resources available today to train competent HS CW ops, and have been quite successful with these methods.
Before getting on to the methods, first I would emphasize that the true hurdle involved with High Speed Ragchew involves crossing that bridge from character-to-character copy, which is valid and has a place, to becoming thoroughly familiar with the sound of whole WORDS. This is one of those breakthrough things that can only happen through repetition of practice, and the old musician's adage applies here: "Practice makes perfect but only if practiced perfectly." -- Which to me means that we want to eliminate practicing any bad habits, practicing in a "wrong" fashion, simply because once we learn something a certain way, we find that it is maybe ten times more difficult to RE-learn how to do it in a more efficient manner.
Those W1AW code practice sessions plus their CW bulletins, even though the bulletins are always at 18WPM, can make great "head copy" sessions if you do it every day. On the 40 meter band using a common portable shortwave radio I can usually get good copy anywhere on the East Coast for a session. Not having a ham transceiver or filters is a plus actually. Sitting here fondly remembering the nights spent copying W1AW in bed for the 10PM sessions on the old tube driven Zenith Transoceanic... (These days I find just about any of the small solid state SW receivers can pick up 1AW, even the AM only versions with the wide receive. --That will train the wonderful "filter between yer ears" that we all had to use at one time. In my case it wasn't because I'm that old, it was because when I was a kid I was that poor. Super-regen can still do the job if you've got that head filter, man. )
Here is the method I've been using with the few youngsters I've found today who want to become "real" CW ops like the old man:
There is a neat software program called, "Morse Academy" out there.
http://www.speroni.com/AH0A.html
This program comes with a few built in QSO's of the type we used to use for the CW exams, but the good feature here is that you can drop ANY text that you can copy and paste into the file and Morse Academy will play it back!
There are also a few controls in the program that will automatically vary the pitch of the generated CW, which can add to the ability to copy when on-air by throwing in at least one monkey wrench for you.
I have the youngsters copy and paste chapters from books they are reading, magazine articles, -- even internet forums and then they can sit back and just listen and learn to head copy CW while at the same time learning to recognize those entire words as a distinct and separate single event.
You can also use your computer's soundcard and a recording program to make an mp3 file of the CW for use anywhere using an iPod or mp3 player, too. Or burn a CD for use in the car or truck.
A good free audio recording program that can do this is called "Audacity.exe":
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
You must set the soundcard's Recording Properties to record "wave" or "stereo mix" depending upon your soundcard type, then run the Audacity in Record mode first, start Morse Academy running second and record the output of the program. Then save it as an mp3 file.
I use this method instead of those "audio books" when out on the road driving long distance -- I get to "read" a new book or do some Bible study, maybe catch up on some online articles, whatever, and at the same time keep the 40wpm+ CW skills up.
You should start recognizing smaller words like conjunctions right away, "the" "and" etc. and soon just about all of the one-syllable words will come into focus, eventually just about all of the three and four syllable words will happen for you if you keep at it. It is amazing how you just hear the long string of characters without consciously thinking about each seperate letter character and then all of a sudden you picture the entire word in your head.
It is exactly the same internal process that goes on in your brain when you read what I'm typing here. At least I'm convinced that is the case.
Don't neglect that all-important on-air practice, though: We have far fewer identifiable fists out there than ever before due to the electronic keyer, but old Sam with his bug and his "West Coast Swing" is still out and about from time to time, God bless him!
Try this out for a few weeks, certainly beats copying callsigns and typing them ever faster, man. That has a place and I do use it, right before a contest or field day. Then its back to text that makes sense and ragchewing.
See you down on the lower end of 40 sometime.
--And if that other guy doesn't respond to a simple QRS request, we used to have a name for him: LID
Don't be PC, not about this, call a LID a LID again.
(Although I do know some old hands who have difficulty copying slow code, believe it or not. You see, as we get older, our short term memory does not want to hang on to waiting for the entire sentence -- and our mind wanders away, whereas when the CW is HS, that is less of a problem. I'm now starting to find out about that the hard way, heh. Speed up, young fella, I fell asleep between characters again! )
73 de KE3WD
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by M0OXZ on May 31, 2007
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I am SO glad reading all this. I was beginning to feel like the only person learning CW. I'm right at the beginning, learning W, B, M at 30wpm. Everyone else on 7MHz seems to be communicating far faster than 30wpm!
I am persisting with the Koch method- without much sign of success, yet. I find that I am having to unlearn the Morse code I learned as a kid i.e. unlearn the process of recognition, visualisation, translation.
I even had ego challenges with that! Having to admit that "knowing" E is a . is totally different from the reaction to hearing . E which is the real knowledge, was a problem for me!
Now, when it comes to learning Morse, my mind is empty and I know nothing except W, B & M. Then the concentration drifts........ I will persist until I can do this well!
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Building on CW Foundations
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by W4YA on May 31, 2007
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I have a theory about this that I've never been able to prove, or disprove. I believe that it takes the same amount of time to double ones initial copying speed regardless of what the initial learning speed was. If this is true, then it makes sense to set the initial speed at 20 or 22 WPM instead of 3 or 5 WPM as I believe most people do. Then the first doubling will be around 40 WPM.
I also believe that it takes the same amount of time to learn the code initially at any reasonable speed. By "learn the code" I mean to be able to copy without error. By "reasoable speed" I mean somewhere between 5 and 25 WPM.
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Building on CW Foundations
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by NT4XT on May 31, 2007
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For me, acquiring speed was most enhanced by resisting the urge to hand copy. Jot only words of interest, NAME, QTH, AGE, RIG, ANT, ETC, stuff to place in the Comments of your log after the QSO.
After that was comfortable, then it was always trying to copy speeds that resulted in missing two, or three characters per word, until that became for the most part solid, bump it up again...
And I completely agree that head copying this way while doing other menial tasks pays huge dividends in increasing speed.
Nu Morse Pro is also a superb tool. You can play back whatever text you wish, whatever speed you wish, even adjust rise and fall times, you can mimic hard keying, soft keying, you can record your favorite text containing commonly used conversational words/phrases, and play it back whenever/wherever you wish depending on the assortment of your audio recording stuff.
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Building on CW Foundations
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by K4GK on May 31, 2007
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The way to learn, or, to improve, Morse Code skills is a five step method: (1) Practice, (2) Practice, (3) Practice, (4) Practice, and finally (5) Practice.
That's the way one improves their Morse Code skills.
Best wishes,
Chas K4GK
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by W6UDO on May 31, 2007
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I agree that on-air practice is certainly a major key. Nothing like just jumping in and doing it with the QRM and QSB flying. Fists also has an Elmer program that hooks up proficient ops with those of us who want to increase our speed.
I've also found it quite helpful to tape the ARRL code practice sessions off the 'net and listen to them as I'm falling asleep or, as another mentioned already, in the car. If it's practice QSOs you're looking for, an excellent site is www.aa9pw.com. Simon offers code practice from 5 to 50 wpm...QSOs, code groups, even headlines from various on-line news and sports sources.
I suffer from nervousness at times, too. As other hams already advised...practice, practice, practice. Tune around and just listen when you're not on the air, especially to stations just a little faster than you can comfortably copy. I have one guy I hear on a lot...real good signal and one of the most solid fists around. Sometimes I'll just kick back and listen to him.
As far as whether to write everything down or not, for me it's a personal choice. Sometimes I'm copying a station in my head and hoping it'll last forever; others, for whatever reason my brain is cloudy and thick and I have to write every character. I've had very FB ragchews using both methods.
I play 5-string banjo. Someone once asked me if it was hard. I said no...it's fun, challenging at times, but I wouldn't say hard. I have no aspirations of ever being the greatest banjo player or fastest CW op...just to enjoy them, be the best I can, and meet new friends on the air. You obviously have the aptitude if you're copying call signs at 40wpm. Kick back and enjoy...have fun. GL and very 73. Hope I hear you on sometime...Joe...w6udo
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Building on CW Foundations
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by WB4BTL on May 31, 2007
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Morse just takes a knack, and a little practice, and a little more practice, and a lot more practice until you drop dead.
I spent a number of years as a Morse intercept op with the USAF Security Service during the Cold War. Live targets and several hours a day of continuous and interrupted commo coverage helped to build skill sets at a variety of speed levels and interpretation complexities. As far as increasing speed levels, I used automatic tape runs of coding groups and plain text. We're talking hours of dedicated concentration, discipline and practice. I don't know of an easy method. How's that for simplicity?
I always found crap-chatter at ~15-20 word per minute more challenging than copying automatic Morse at speeds exceeding 30 words per minute, the beginning of high-speed Morse. Anyone who has ever copied Eastern Europe (the former Eastern bloc countries) can appreciate what crap chatter is. Then again, the Chicoms and Albanian Bandits offer (or offered) a variety of their own. Is the Cold War over?
Morse is great for the soul...
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Listen, listen, listen
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by K3ESE on June 1, 2007
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I listened a lot, and I operated a lot. Besides that, I had a desire to get my speed up past 30 wpm, so I'd often just find my way to about 25 kHz from the band's bottom, and I'd find a QSO where I'd have to push myself to copy 50-60% of what was being sent. I found that doing that in short bursts - one minute, two or three times a day - helped. I also had a CD a friend made of Jules Verne's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" in code, which switched speed every few paragraphs, from about 15 wpm up to about 28 or 30 wpm, and I'd listen to that on some car trips.
It all paid off - I can now copy over 40 wpm when it's well-sent, and can send intelligibly up to about 32 wpm. Almost never, while tuning around, do I hear a QSO that I can't copy - it's all opened up to me. And, for some inexpressible reason, to which other CW ops can attest, CW is amazingly relaxing and delightful - and it's an anti-Alzheimer's activity, too!
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more...
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by K3ESE on June 1, 2007
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anyone who wants to improve can do it - but wanting to is the key. I didn't care about what it took to get where I am with the code, because none of it was "work." I loved every minute of it...even while experiencing the frustration of pushing myself to try to copy code that was too fast for me. I think that's a key point, and I stress it to anyone trying to learn: find code that you can copy maybe 60-70%...and do your best, for short bursts.
A very important skill to learn, which allows you to progress, is the shortening of your "get off it" time. What's that...? It's the time it takes for you to miss a character and then stop trying to figure out what it was and start listening again to the currently heard character. The faster you can "get on with it," the more you will be able to copy.
My copying is nearly all "head copy" now, only writing down Name, time, QTH, etc. What's amazing but true is that it just seems like the code "washes over me," and rather than picking out individual characters, entire words pop out. Often, I'll "miss" a string of letters at the beginning of a word, but if I'm relaxed, as the word finishes, the entire thing pops out - almost as though some characters near the end fit in with the recent memory of the initial characters, and presto, a word. Or phrase. This describes just what the experience has been like for me - not as a mechanism to strive for...I think that, with practice, this is just what happens.
Someone else mentioned this: I enjoy conversing in code, not just 599 MD LL FB TU 73 kinds of QSOs. I sought out other ops who were interested inhaving a conversation...about kids, pets, other hobbies, holiday plans, etc. Anything you'd chat with a friend about, you can chat about in code. Long QSOs near the limit of my receiving and sending abilities have been some of the most ham radio fun I've known.
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by KA3NRX on June 1, 2007
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No tapes, no classes, no practice sessions on the air. I did it the old fashioned way. By actually getting on the air and using the code. Yes, it takes time, but your speed will gradually increase. The best way to increase your speed is to jump in and fly. And forget about anything that will needlessly cost you money like tapes (which will only repeat the same thing over and over again) or classes.
Vince P
KA3NRX
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by WR8D on June 1, 2007
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Practice or on the air contacts is the way to go and in no time anyones speed will come up.
One comment on bugs and i've seen several comments on them here. You might think you're a whizzzzzz with yours...someone "trying" to copy you may just think...Good Lord i can't wait for this qso to be over. They'll never take the time to let you know just how bad your sending is. Nobody would want to hurt anyones feelings in the first place. Some can really make a bug sing, sorry to say though most can't and your fist with those things is terrible.
Think about what you're doing to the station on the other end trying to copy you the next time you let your bug loose on the bands. Learn how to operate the thing or use some RAID on it. LOL
My two cents: 73 John WR8D
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by KA0W on June 1, 2007
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"Think about what you're doing to the station on the other end trying to copy you the next time you let your bug loose on the bands."
Not just a bug problem. One can hear some fairly ruff sending on straight keys, paddles, & keyboards too. Poorly sent CW comes from either not knowing or not caring what their CW sounds like. A buddy of mine ran his CW on a paddle together, one huge word. He still runs CW together on a board. Now I can listen to 40+ wpm run together CW from a board in place of the 25 wpm off his paddle. Makes my paddle CW sound top notch. Listeners will guess wrong on who is on the typewriter. However, CW bands wouldn't be nearly as interesting having everyone sound the same. It's just nice that some QSOs end faster than others - "HI!"
Have a great weekend!
Ken, KA0W
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Building on CW Foundations
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by W8GX on June 1, 2007
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I use the "Chuck Adams/K7QO Code Course" available on his website http://www.k7qo.net for a very low cost (he is practically giving it away) It works with my iPod so I do my code practice with my morning coffee at the local coffee shop. 73 Keith Hamilton W8GX
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by KE6TDT on June 1, 2007
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"I do not care if I am helping someone at 5 WPM or having faster QSO, I just love CW at any speed."
For those of us that are not sultans of speed, thanks.
To be honest, sometimes I'm almost afraid to get on, fearing I'll look like a moron.
Been a General class for about 10 years, but I don't have a lot of time to practice or play radio. Just beginning to get interested in CW and I appreciate those like you out there that will take the time with us slow-poks.
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Building on CW Foundations
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by K2TV on June 1, 2007
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One of the best ways to increase your code speed is by checking into a cw traffic net on a regular basis. You can start with one of the many slow speed traffic nets. The HIT & BOUNCE SLOW SPEED at 7AM EDST and the Empire Slow Speed Net at 6 PM EDST both on 3576 kHz in the North-East USA are good examples. Once familiar with these nets, you can graduate to a faster CW traffic net. CW traffic handlers are really good at helping newcomers and will generally QRS down to your sending speed if asked. To find more information on slow speed as well as higher speed nets, check out the FISTS web site at http://www.fists.org and the ARRL site.
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Building on CW Foundations
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by V73NS on June 1, 2007
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#1 Practice
#2 Put mic in drawer
#3 Add distractions (i.e. TV on in the background)
#4 LISTEN
#5 Make contacts
#6 Forget where you put that mic
#7 Make more contacts
#8 Listen more
#9 Try pile ups and chasing DX
#10 Sign up for one of the CW stations at Field Day
It's like anything else, you have to use it often to get into it. What I would tell anyone passing the code test to do is make 2 or 3 CW contacts before you allow yourself to operate Fone. After a while you'll find, as I did, that your Fone speed slips to zero and your CW speed improves greatly.
Another way is to take a job on a remote island and make thousands of contacts! Hi Hi
Neil
V73NS
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Building on CW Foundations
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by KB4HZ on June 1, 2007
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Practice listening to code without your headphones on, and don't use a pen and paper; copy it in your head. Besides increasing your code speed, this will also increase concentration skills.
73...
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by KC8QFP on June 1, 2007
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I remember when we waz kidz how we used to wire up a couple of practice keys together, and mess around with code back and forth. We learned it from my big brother's boy scout manual. Later, we tried using a cuople of walkie talkies, but it was slow. My point is that it is fun to learn with friends. I used to get some tech lites on 2m simplex and mess around with the code. It was a challenge because I would get their curiousity up by sending insults, jokes, and other silly things for them to try to figure out. Many got much better at it then me. We had a lot of fun doing FM 2m simplex code, we simply beeped a practice key into our mics. This also would be fun if you have kids to mess around with, kids seem to like messing around with code. Of course kids like words like di di dit, di di di dit, di dit, dah cause they are easy and words they are familiar with! HIHI! It's also a good way to learn whilst you elmer. I found it was a fun way to learn whilst I was also the teacher. So the next time you go to visit kinfolk, take a practice key along and see if you can spark some interest by beeping some messages to your victums. Have fun with it!
73! Don
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by KC5CQD on June 1, 2007
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"I do not care if I am helping someone at 5 WPM or having faster QSO, I just love CW at any speed."
For those of us that are not sultans of speed, thanks.
To be honest, sometimes I'm almost afraid to get on, fearing I'll look like a moron.
Been a General class for about 10 years, but I don't have a lot of time to practice or play radio. Just beginning to get interested in CW and I appreciate those like you out there that will take the time with us slow-poks.
I love banging away with my Hex Key at 20 to 25 wpm. That's where I'm most comfortable. But....I also love swapping over to the Kent SK-1 straight key where I can, at most, operate at 15 wpm. And that's on a good day!
I just love CW and I really don't care how fast or good you are. I'll ALWAYS try and hold a QSO with you. I even sometimes patrol 7.100.00 to 7.150.00, looking for newbies to try my straight key out on. hihi!
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by KA2DDX on June 2, 2007
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N2EY said it all. I cannot really add anything to his comments. My experience with getting good at morse code came during a time when there was still a lot of commercial cw stations on the air. So, practicing what you want to get good at is the key. Nowadays, you are working with cw on the ham bands, which is fine. Just practice copying the way you want to excel and ignore other stuff. In time, you'll find yourself making progress. Practice, practice, practice......
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Building on CW Foundations
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by KW4N on June 2, 2007
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Good morning, Steve:
Many comments have pointed to the need for concentration and focus to increase your head copying ability and increase your speed along with various ways to accomplish this. Listening to CW while driving is NOT one of these. Aside from the fact that multitasking has proven to be counterproductive, it's downright dangerous to shift your focus back and forth while driving. The arguement that casual listening falls into the category that "every little bit helps" is lame. CW in a vehicle is nothing more than an ego trip that may get you a headline in the obituary column. Or worse yet, someone's son or grandson.
The reality is that to get up to 25 w.p.m. headcopy, for example, takes a lot of time and focused practice. In the universe of CW operators the percentage that have attained this proficiency is very small; many talk a good game.
Striving for headcopying proficiency as a very worthy endeavor, but stay with us, friend.
73's KW4N
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by KC8QFP on June 2, 2007
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Learning code is much easier than learning another language, or learning to play a musical instrument. You simply have to dedicate yourself to it, get involved with the learning, and go to town. As I said before, since CW is for communications, it is much better to do code with some friends to begin with. You first have to get the basics down, then you can QSO with others. I found the same with music, it is fun to learn (self taught), but when you do some gigs with some other dudes, it is a hell of a lot more fun and goes much more quickly (not so boring as practice by yourself). Some folks get really obsessed with their thing, and get really good at it. In a band, they would be the lead or front man. If you really like code and want to get really good at it, find such a perfectionist to go along with, and you too will pick up a lot of their skills, it's sort of like competition. But playing in a band is much better than solo, a lot more FUN! Get out there and JAM! Code is a lot like music when you get going with it.
73! Don
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Building on CW Foundations
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by M0RNA on June 2, 2007
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I am deeply grateful to everyone who replied to my original post, and I am only sorry that time does not permit a personal reply to each comment, but please know that I have read them all, and am very grateful for the help and advice I have been given.
I guess the take home message is that there is no short cut to really good CW skills. They have to be aquired over a fairly long period of time and the only way to get further down that road is practice and dedication. I have found CW to be the best mode for me, and I intend to stick with it, and work hard at it until it becomes a fluent second language...but above all, I am enjoying myself with the code, and find it puts me in contact with really fine operators who are alive with Ham spirit, as the replies to this topic have shown.
73 es DX to all, and hope to work you all on CW someday.
Cheers
Steve Turner, M0RNA
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by AG4RQ on June 2, 2007
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These "how to" articles are the best and the most constructive on eHam.net. There's a lot of good CW advice here.
Let me echo M0RNA's words. "...there is no short cut to really good CW skills. They have to be aquired over a fairly long period of time and the only way to get further down that road is practice and dedication." Let me add that it makes no difference what you're striving to perfect, whether it's CW skills, being a musician, a professional athlete, practicing medicine, or anything else. Practice makes perfect. Nothing that's worth something comes easy. Anything that's worth having takes much work and dedication to attain.
73 de Mark
AG4RQ
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by N2EY on June 2, 2007
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"N2EY said it all. I cannot really add anything to his comments. My experience with getting good at morse code came during a time when there was still a lot of commercial cw stations on the air. So, practicing what you want to get good at is the key. Nowadays, you are working with cw on the ham bands, which is fine. Just practice copying the way you want to excel and ignore other stuff. In time, you'll find yourself making progress. Practice, practice, practice......"
Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate them.
But upon reading what I wrote, and the advice from several to practice, practice and more practice, I'll add a few things.
First off, each of us is, as George Sheehan wrote and said many times, "an experiment of one". IMHO, nowhere does this show up more clearly than when learning skills. IOW, what works really well might not work for you and vice versa. So what each of us has to do is to keep trying different learning methods, to see what works and what doesn't for each of us. Of course the place to start is from the advice of the experienced, but there's still the need to try different things yourself. One size does not fit all.
For example, some hams progress quickly if they have a few long training sessions, such as a contest, or an hours-long training session. Others do better with frequent short sessions - maybe 15-20 minutes, 3 or 4 times a day. The same time investment, spread out different ways, may have different results.
Second, it usually helps to have both "hard" and "easy" practice. For example, if you can comfortably handle 15 wpm, 18-20 wpm is probably a workout, but not extremely hard. 25-30 wpm, OTOH, is probably a real challenge! But you need both in order to progress. You may only get every third letter at the higher speed, but no matter, because after some time, the lower speed will sound positively slow!
Third, one thing that is less common today than in years past is real-life exposure to skilled Morse Code operation. That's why it's a good idea to seek out the local CW ops and see if you can get yourself an invite to their shacks and see how they do it first hand, and why you should volunteer for the CW setups on FD, etc. Simply keeping the log for a couple hours on FD can be an invaluable learning experience. In the old days, accurate depictions of Morse Code operation were fairly common in the media, but not so much anymore. So you have to seek them out.
Fourth, in many ways the difficulty of a thing is strongly affected by how difficult you imagine it to be. That doesn't mean you can imagine your way to highspeed skills, but it does mean that it can help to imagine yourself being skilled, rather than to imagine yourself struggling. Hang out with the upbeat, positive and supportive folks, not the naysayers.
Fifth and probably most important is to recognize that Morse Code operating isn't just one skill, but a whole set of skills, and while they are related, they aren't all learned the same way.
For example, I know hams who can copy in their heads at 40+ wpm, but give them a pencil and paper and they can barely write down half that speed, because they only developed their hard-copy skill to the point needed to pass the test.
I know hams who were real speed demons as long as the signals were good, but toss in some QRM, QRN or QSB and they fell apart. Meanwhile, other hams whose top speed was far below the speed demons kept right on going through terrible conditions - because they'd developed different skills.
IMHO, the truly great Morse Code operator isn't the fastest or fanciest, but rather the one with the most solid set of skills.
Have fun and good luck
73 de Jim, N2EY
...still learning after more than 40 years....
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Building on CW Foundations
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by AE1X on June 2, 2007
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I increased my code speed operating in the Novice/Technician section and then listening to stations in Extra Class spectrum until I could copy them.
Practice is the only sure way to do it!
Ken - AE1X
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by N6MUK on June 2, 2007
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Wow,
I could have written your post! It describes me exactly. It keeps getting better if you work at it. Here is what I have done:
-On the advise of an old-time super-Elmer, I have banished paper and pencil for CW copy. I write down call, RST, QTH and name ONLY. Everything else, (no matter how painful it is to resist pencil and paper), is head copy. This was difficult at first and frustrating as I had to lower my speed from 22-25 wpm to 13-15 wpm. The speed has worked back up somewhat as my mind has learned to form the words as images. Its kind of like those scrolling red signs you see in banks and stores. The letters build up into words as the pass before my mind. This is exactly the opposite kind of brain work you do when copying one letter at a time, writing it down and then focusing on the next letter.
-I gave up the computer Morse trainers. They are great to a point. After that, you just need to copy QSOs in your head rather than stretch your brain for speed.
-I down loaded hundreds of those W1AW code archives you mentioned and put them in a cheap mp3 player. I listen while I'm driving or anytime I'm board. This is great because it allows me to copy in my head while I'm partly thinking about other things. Another old-time super Elmer told me that operating CW mobile, while driving, is the best way to break the 25 wpm barrier because it forces you to put the copy in the background.
-When I'm not making QSOs, I listen to other QSOs on tyhe bands and copy in my head. Some at 10 wpm faster than I am comfortable with. That really helps too.
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Building on CW Foundations
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by K0RU on June 3, 2007
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Hello Steve,
So many people have different learning curves to many to even begin to discribe. Although after reading some of the above comments many of which seem to be very helpful. Others on the other hand come from the Doubting Thomas' of the world... Meaning they can't imagine someone sending and receiving 50 to 60 wpm with their head and sending with their hand using nothing more then a Iambic Paddle & Keyer.
I sir am able to send and receive very comfortably 50 to 60 wpm while driving and operating a motor vehicle with easy... This is nothing different about this then the fact that I'm also DEAF in my left Ear. Now I'm not totally deaf, nor have I been deaf in my left ear forever, it wasn't until I was 21 that I lost my hearing in my left ear. But in anycase I didn't allow that to effect my learning abilities in CW nor anyother part of my life style.
I've heard many of OPS over the years using the excuse that the TONE is wrong, my ear is tone deaf, I can't concentrate with that pitch, whatever... We have all heard one excuse after the other why one couldn't do this or that.
The facts are simple as everyone already knows but nobody seems to pay any attention to it the TRUTH...
P R A C T I C E . . . P R A C T I C E . . .
Once you think you've practiced enough then its time to get on the air and loose total control and begin operating with people that do run 50 to 60 wpm ... Get your feathers in an up roar, get all pissed off, loose your mind a few words here and there... Then you know what? Oh, yeah.... AGN? AGN? and the other station sends the info AGAIN.... DUH! Then if your still strugling at say 60, ask for QRS to what you think might still be challenging, but NOT EASY so you might send the other station QRS 45 meaning Slow down to 45 WPM and lets try that run again...
It all boils down to one getting off his little pissy EGO TRIP and concentrating on what really matters and that is the fun and pleasure of enjoying something that the other station enjoys as well and that might just be HIGH SPEED CW. So many ops get tied up in themselves thinking they SEND THE PERFECT CODE, or THEY HAVE THE BEST KEY, or THEY HAVE THE BIGGEST BADEST RIG, and everyone looses site in what really matters and that is the true ability to enjoy a talent which so many Ham Radio Operators never have the pleasure of enjoying and that is Highspeed CW.
Many Ops just forget where they came from, yes they all once upon a time (yes even the very best) couldn't copy 1 WPM let alone 5 WPM although they would all like for you to believe they were BORN with the GIFT, most likely the only Gift they were born with was the Gift to Gab, and I can sure take pleasure in that Gift as well HI HI...
Look for a book call "The ART and SKILL of TELEGRAPH" by William Pierpont... This book will truely lead you in the right direction, not the old WIVES TALES you hear about how to do this and do that, No computer program in the world will ever copy as effiecient as your mind, and no computer program in the world will ever get you to copy and send 50 to 60 wpm... Only true passion and practice will ever get you there.
Been a pleasure reading some of the post, hope to work you some day... By all means QRS is still a Q-Signal and more OPS should learn to use it... QRS, "SLOW DOWN" for the NO CODERS here, but in anycase by this I mean a gentlemen many years ago told me a little secret to Morse Code which I will share with you here...
The SILENCE is just as important as the NOTE of the tone... USE IT! Meaning when your sending, use the pause as a breather, time to think, and a break point between words, RELAX...and ENJOY... The speed will only come with practice and practice.
CU on the air...
K0RU - Rob - 73
Learn more by visiting my website. www.k0ru.net
PS: I don't care about the spelling of anything above, so why should you... Read and enjoy.
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by NG9D on June 4, 2007
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Well said Rob - and from our QSO's I know
you practice what you preach
you are an A1 OP in my log!
73
NG9D
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by WR8Y on June 5, 2007
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You know, I think I have become good at CW the same way I got good at soldering: 'just do it'.
I was in the lab at school the other day helping a guy learn to solder - and he asked, "how'd you learn to do that???
But the fact is, I read a bit 30 years ago about how to solder, started soldering, made oodles of mistakes, and slowly learned what works for me; use tons of heat, get on and off FAST, tin the work and iron, etc...
Same for CW - just go do it. IOW, 'practice, practice, practice' like others have been saying. BUT, don't think of it as practice, just do it and enjoy it. Listen to the W1AW bulletins, participate in ANY CW contest that comes along, listen to archived W1AW material at arrl.org .... etc.
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by KC9EOT on June 5, 2007
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In one case you are correct, accuracy does transcend speed but that is only important when transmitting traffic emergency situations or if you are working a disaster, or things like that. When you are carrying on a general QSO use the best speed you are comfortable with, that is how you get better. Have you listened to the CW freq. and heard how many make errors. It doesn’t matter, they get their point across and as they use the CW at the speed they are at they get better. Down the road they wont make mistakes at their present speed because they will have improved a great deal. They will be making some small mistakes at a faster speed, we all do, its ok.
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Building on CW Foundations
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by K4FX on June 6, 2007
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Dear Steve,
It sure is nice to see someone asking about improving their CW rather than all the folks celebrating the end of testing like CW is dead, ha, far from it IMO.
I have found that the best way was simply working CW, I got a rig 30 years ago and copied slow CW in the novice bands to get my speed up, and once licensed, I simply worked it, the more you do it the better you get, simple.
I really don't have a lot of faith in any tape, CD or DVD, "system" the more you listen to the same thing over and over, sure you will get faster, but in real life no one is going to send you the same thing over and over.
Every QSO for the most part is a different call, a different fist, with a different signal strength and a different note, so you might as well learn off the air and save that money for the tapes to get you a nice paddle or better yet a WINKEY :-).
73
Bill K4FX
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Building on CW Foundations
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by AA3EJ on June 7, 2007
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Always try and copy just above your receiving ability and use paper ONLY for notes, do it all in your head and your speed will increase dramatically, along with W1AW code proficiency program for a benchmark!,73's Dave, aa3ej
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Building on CW Foundations
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by K8XF on June 12, 2007
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If you want to copy and send faster 35-50 wpm you must get on the air daily. It isnt easy to find 35+ wpm ops at times. Its silly trying to write at 35 wpm. You must train your mind to copy this speed and remember to reply to questions asked. This is a good mind exercise. Nowadays you hear a lot of slow pokes on the air. I have also talked with fast ops that contantly make errors thowing off your mental copy. Practice - there is no substitute. Forget about listening to cw practice sessions on tape. Feel the force, Luke.....
73
Mike, K8XF
Viva CW
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Building on CW Foundations
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by KG4TKC on June 13, 2007
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Excellent thread! Outstanding! I fought with the code since before 1963. I had it written down in my loose leaf notebook and tried to memorize it when I was in the fourth grade in 1961. I became interested in ham radio in 1963 when I was 13 years old and tried to learn it by memory again. I got a key and a little code oscillator kit and tried again in 1968. Finally,in 2002 I set about once and for all to learn it,and last September I was finally able to pass the 5 wpm element 1 before it was dropped. Since then I have been trying to build speed but with little success. After keeping up with this thread I am close to jumping from 13 to 15 wpm and am getting close to that magic of catching it fast enough to hear words instead of single characters. My thanks to everyone for such a positive thread and all the help. 73
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by N2EY on June 15, 2007
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"In one case you are correct, accuracy does transcend speed but that is only important when transmitting traffic emergency situations or if you are working a disaster, or things like that."
What I meant was that speed isn't the most important thing. Getting the message across, even if it's just callsigns and RST, is the most important thing.
"When you are carrying on a general QSO use the best speed you are comfortable with, that is how you get better."
Best speed someone is comfortable with is the speed where they maintain solid copy.
One gets better by working outside the comfort zone.
That's true of almost anything.
"Have you listened to the CW freq. and heard how many make errors."
I've been listening to the CW bands for more than 40 years. The best ops are those who make the fewest mistakes, not the fastest ops.
"It doesn’t matter, they get their point across and as they use the CW at the speed they are at they get better."
If somebody is going 30 wpm but has to repeat everything three times to get their point across, their *effective* speed is only 10 wpm. The ham who can go 15 wpm without errors or repeat will actually be going faster in real communications terms.
I see this all the time in contests, where the really sharp ops adapt their speed to the conditions so they avoid repeats and fills.
"Down the road they wont make mistakes at their present speed because they will have improved a great deal. They will be making some small mistakes at a faster speed, we all do, its ok."
Of course everybody makes mistakes, and a few are no big deal. All I'm saying is that, when *operating*, accuracy is more important than raw speed.
When *practicing*, though, the way to get faster is to listen at speeds where you can't get 100%. Where you are *not* comfortable.
73 de Jim, N2EY
73 de Jim, N2EY
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by F6IQA on June 16, 2007
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I post in this topic as it is on its end...
My opinion: the KEY is practice.
But there are many way to improve your skill.
At the begening I began by writing all letters the read. That was my way but I think you MUST get out of it ASAP. It is maybe a way for beginers but a bad one.
Now I can run 26-30 wpm in contest type QSO and 22-25 ragchewing, I realise that I use three diferents methods combined during a QSO: I still write down som key informations like callsign name and qth as well as rst, I pick up some entire words GLOBALY, and I 'print' some letter in my mind.
I begin to understand, like seing light behind a closed door, that the perfect way is the second one, the first and third are just help because my skill is too low. I also guess that this perfect way is NOT due to everybody, regardless the time you spent. It is just a goal but we are not equaly designed to reach it. Just try to get as close as possible for it, and try to get rid of the pencil ASAP.
Keep on trying, I am CW'ing for over 20 years now, and I judge myself at a level only 7 out of 10.
A good new: even if you stop for MANY years, like riding a bike it comes back in a few months.
CUL SN GB GL ES 73 TU.
Joss ;-)
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by N6HPX on June 17, 2007
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I have to agree learning the code was far more easy for me than learning the foreign language as my wife is from Philippines and for the past few years I have been trying to learn Tagalog.
I learned it the same way my Elmer taught me and also found by listening to it not only on the Ham bands but the Marine bands it was fun and also increased my listening.
Its alot of fun and the new guys don't knw what there missing.
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Building on CW Foundations
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by KD8EZU on June 18, 2007
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I got my ticket with 5WPM on Feb 17th . I was the last person to ever take a FCC code test at the test cent. An honor, but also sad. There were about 25 people also there waiting to take the written. None of them tried the code test. I did it for my elmer and myself.
So, my incentive is there and I really want to be a real , coded ham, but my biggest problem is actually getting someone to take the time to have a QRS QSO with me. I'll call and call ( and I know I have a good signal cuz with phone I always get a quick reply ) but no answer. Finally, I'll get someone but invariably they're so weak that not only is it hard to copy them, IT"S HARD TO HEAR THEM!
OK.., I'll stop my whining, because that's the way life is and it was that way for everyone, but realistically Ham Radio needs a new influx of Code loving hams. I agree that you must practice and practice, but is it just me or are there not a great deal of CW operators out there anymore.
I still believe in the relevancy of code. Just the other night a ship was in peril tried to call SOS but the mike failed. The guy used his mike to tap out CW to the Maritime net. Dunno what the outcome was, but I felt proud that I could actually understand what was going on in CW.
I really love it when I can get a slow QSO and copy 70% or more of what is said. My problem now is that 5WPM is too slow but 15 or more is too fast. I find now that it's the S-P-A-C-I-N-G between the letters that are important. More space, and I'm cool. Less and I miss words , get flustered and cannot recover. Let me tell you that it's damn frustrating when you get flustered. But, all of you know that already..., right?
I really, really want to get to the level of hearing whole words and at my level, I cannot even comprehend whats that like. It's like having telekinesis powers.
It's practice that will make it happen. PLEASE, PLEASE give us newbies a chance!. Grit your teeth, SPACE out the letters and help us to make CW last as a part of HF.
Please!
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by N6HPX on June 18, 2007
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Glad to see you passed the exams and I agree with them giving you a chance there..good luck and I will give a listen in a few weeks.
I recall my Elmer telling me if you want to get the higher speed in passing the 13 wpm test you should study at 15 wpm. It works for some but takes time for others.
Larry,n6hpx/mm
off eastern Australia
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RE: Building on CW Foundations
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by N2EY on June 19, 2007
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"So, my incentive is there and I really want to be a real , coded ham, but my biggest problem is actually getting someone to take the time to have a QRS QSO with me. I'll call and call ( and I know I have a good signal cuz with phone I always get a quick reply ) but no answer. Finally, I'll get someone but invariably they're so weak that not only is it hard to copy them, IT"S HARD TO HEAR THEM!"
What band, rig and antenna are you using?
"is it just me or are there not a great deal of CW operators out there anymore."
There are lots of us out there, but you have to go where we are.
For example, two of my favorite spots to work CW are 3525 to 3550 kHz and 7025 to 7035 kHz, in the evenings (usually after 8 pm local). I'll QRS to whatever speed works.
"I really love it when I can get a slow QSO and copy 70% or more of what is said. My problem now is that 5WPM is too slow but 15 or more is too fast. I find now that it's the S-P-A-C-I-N-G between the letters that are important. More space, and I'm cool. Less and I miss words , get flustered and cannot recover."
Being a Morse Code radio operator requires a whole set of skills, not just one skill. It takes time to develop those skills.
One thing I have done since I was a beginner was to put the receiver on and just listen to Morse while doing something else. I'll be doing laundry (both shack and laundry room are in the basement) and listening to a CW QSO (that I'm *not* in) at the same time.
"I really, really want to get to the level of hearing whole words and at my level, I cannot even comprehend whats that like. It's like having telekinesis powers."
Take your time and relax.
Field Day is this coming weekend. Are you going to be part of it? Lots of Morse Code on FD if you get in with the right folks.
73 de Jim, N2EY
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