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Author Topic: Why Do You Like CW?  (Read 11083 times)

K3UIM

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RE: Why Do You Like CW?
« Reply #15 on: December 14, 2018, 09:05:42 AM »


A friend showed me a Philmore crystal set (1950) On edit: 1947 and explained how it worked. Charlie, K3UIM


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Charlie. K3UIM
Where you are: I was!
Where I am: You will be!
So be nice to us old fogies!!

KB2FCV

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RE: Why Do You Like CW?
« Reply #16 on: December 14, 2018, 12:13:23 PM »

I like CW because you can build a very minimal radio and talk to someone else. With a small transceiver and some wire I can toss an antenna up and get on the air with a few watts and a transceiver that fits in my hand. Morse Code is also a "language" that most people are not fluent with - I like the exclusivity of it. It's still by far my favorite mode.
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K1VSK

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RE: Why Do You Like CW?
« Reply #17 on: December 14, 2018, 07:08:53 PM »

I like CW because that's the only thing which differentiates it from CB, the telephone and texting.
Not to mention the seeming abundance of nonsense on phone and the artificial digital modes.
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KX4OM

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RE: Why Do You Like CW?
« Reply #18 on: December 15, 2018, 03:38:19 PM »

I enjoy straight-keyed CW, as long as it is reasonably weighted and spaced. Machine generated CW, not so much. Everybody sounds alike. Sort of like listening to text-to-speech conversion.

Ted, KX4OM
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RE: Why Do You Like CW?
« Reply #19 on: December 16, 2018, 12:26:08 AM »

I enjoy straight-keyed CW, as long as it is reasonably weighted and spaced.
Would you consider a sideswiper a straight key? I'm asking because I'm fascinated by the sideswiper, but I have no direct experience yet.
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GW3OQK

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RE: Why Do You Like CW?
« Reply #20 on: December 16, 2018, 04:56:33 AM »

I'd say a straight key works straight up and down. A Sideswiper or Cootie with a single blade making contact with nothing at rest isn't a straight key. IMHO.

The differences in fists is another reason I like CW. I can recognise the sound of sideswiper/cootie sending. So to with a bug or straight key. To ask what key is being used is a good start for a QSO.  In voice and telegraphy we all have different accents but some users of electronic keys talk too fast, gabble and stutter.
73, Andrew
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W6MK

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RE: Why Do You Like CW?
« Reply #21 on: December 16, 2018, 07:25:35 AM »

Would you consider a sideswiper a straight key?

Some of the CW organizations, for instance SKCC and NACQQ, consider any key which requires the operator to form the characters, rather than having the automatically formed, to be a straight key.

Thus straight keys include up-and-down, side-to-side and semi-auto (bugs) keys.
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KC8Y

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RE: Why Do You Like CW?
« Reply #22 on: December 16, 2018, 08:45:25 AM »

I, enjoy CW as it's my favorite mode (besides digital); ONLY, operate SSB about 2%.

Because of my rare form of handicap, I must use a keyer (that accepts my keyboard as input).  My keyer is K42 by hamcrafters.com.  I use my pc as copying (CWget & FLdigi for the software) BUT< can only do about 10-wpm.

Ken KC8Y
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KX4OM

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RE: Why Do You Like CW?
« Reply #23 on: December 16, 2018, 05:51:24 PM »

I'd say a straight key works straight up and down. A Sideswiper or Cootie with a single blade making contact with nothing at rest isn't a straight key. IMHO.

The differences in fists is another reason I like CW. I can recognise the sound of sideswiper/cootie sending. So to with a bug or straight key. To ask what key is being used is a good start for a QSO.  In voice and telegraphy we all have different accents but some users of electronic keys talk too fast, gabble and stutter.
73, Andrew
Absolutely.  Side swipers. I'm moving to one myself, to save my elbow. Even bugs. Music to my ears. Bugs are fine with the Straight Key Century Club. I am a member.

Ted, KX4OM
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N8AUC

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RE: Why Do You Like CW?
« Reply #24 on: December 20, 2018, 04:34:11 AM »

Why do I like CW? Well, for starters it's just plain fun. But other than that....

1) Homebrew CW gear is fairly simply to make, and very effective.
2) CW will get through when other modes won't (some of the newer digital modes are even better than CW)
3) It's an international language, and it helps to facilitate working DX stations when you don't speak the same language.
4) After a hard day's work, making a few CW contacts on the air just removes the mental stress and tension, and helps me relax.

73 de N8AUC
Eric

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GW4IMC

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RE: Why Do You Like CW?
« Reply #25 on: December 23, 2018, 04:46:34 AM »

I still find CW a little mystical if not magical. Just tapping out a few morse characters you can be talking to someone thousands of miles away on the other side of our earth.
Of course this can be done with voice communication but at vastly increased cost and complexity with huge antennas to be anywhere near successful. Cw is somehow more
adventurous, more thrilling and needs more investment in learning the skill. I'm hooked. Best 73 to all.
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K3UIM

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RE: Why Do You Like CW?
« Reply #26 on: December 23, 2018, 05:32:19 PM »

IMC: Well put! I just hope that mystical feeling never leaves us! That's what it's all about. Some just never find it any more than "fun" and to them, life just goes on, "whatever". (Sad.)
Like an equestrian hearing someone say, "It's just a horse." Chances are that if he climbed on, he'd be the only one to ever be tossed off! Hi.
Charlie, K3UIM
« Last Edit: December 23, 2018, 05:34:44 PM by K3UIM »
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Charlie. K3UIM
Where you are: I was!
Where I am: You will be!
So be nice to us old fogies!!

N8TGQ

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RE: Why Do You Like CW?
« Reply #27 on: December 24, 2018, 10:41:21 AM »

CW forces my brain to "shift gears" where day to day
 life gets suspended for a while. Like when you read a good book
or get all involved in building a circuit. You look up and 3 or 4 hours has passed in the blink of an eye!
 
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K3UIM

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RE: Why Do You Like CW?
« Reply #28 on: January 02, 2019, 10:14:01 AM »

CW forces my brain to "shift gears" where day to day
 life gets suspended for a while. Like when you read a good book
or get all involved in building a circuit. You look up and 3 or 4 hours has passed in the blink of an eye!
Exactly! How many times has that happened to me? How many times have I said to the intercom, "I'll be there in just a few more minutes, hon!" … sigh …
Charlie, K3UIM
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Charlie. K3UIM
Where you are: I was!
Where I am: You will be!
So be nice to us old fogies!!

OZ8AGB

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RE: Why Do You Like CW?
« Reply #29 on: January 02, 2019, 11:24:41 AM »

Yes. Same here especially after looking at a computer screen all day long.
And also as others said, the simplicity of the required equipment making it easy to go on SOTA or WWFF "dxpeditions".
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