I had to learn to copy at least three times. First, I memorized the code from
the Boy Scout Handbook with dots and dashes. That was good for about 5 wpm.
Then I learned to copy with block printing and that worked well to almost 20,
but I could not get there. I had to learn to copy with cursive to get the
extra back when you had to get a minute perfect copy for the examiner. I am
still working on head copy but for some reason I have to hold a pencil and make
marks that even I can't read most of the words to copy. Finding a mill that
works well is a challenge these days. The ships that I have worked on have
several mills sitting around frozen up, but none that work well. I don't think
there are any typewriter repairmen left around to rework a mill.
Willis 'Cookie' Cooke, TDXS DX Chairman
K5EWJ & Trustee N5BPS, USS Cavalla, USS Stewart
On Saturday, May 31, 2014 7:25 PM, Fred Jensen <[email protected]> wrote:
You are right Chuck, this is true, many will verify it. If I'm writing
it down, the translation path is <hear sound><know letter/number [or
maybe word]><recall shape of written character[s]><write character[s]>.
With a mill, it's <hear sounds><move fingers>.
I think it's that <recall ...> step that breaks the continuous copying
process, it requires thinking, and if you learned on a mill, or have
used a mill a lot, you're not used to doing any thinking. When I was at
the coastal marine station so many years ago, my mind would wander while
in traffic with a ship ... OK, I was 16, 16-yr old minds wander a lot.
:-) But, it's just evidence that I wasn't thinking about what I was copying
Copying on a mill, and to a large extent on a keyboard, I have no idea
what I copied when I'm done, without reading it, it's muscle-memory and
it did not go through my alleged brain. I'm not a musician, but my
brother is [however, he makes his living writing software :-)] and he
tells me playing the piano is basically muscle memory ... <see
notes><move fingers>.
It goes a bit beyond that however, there is a distinct difference
between a mill and a computer keyboard for most. I can type faster
[from hard copy text] on a desktop keyboard than I can on a mill.
However, I can copy Morse [groups or text] faster on a mill than than
that same keyboard. On a mill, I'm good for 30-35 WPM. On a standard
sized desktop keyboard, 30 is tops and will have typos. On a laptop or
other smaller keyboard, I sort of top out at 20-25 ... or less depending
on the keyboard.
I really don't *know* why, but I suspect that the longer key travel
forces a rhythm that syncs with the Morse. The worst of all keyboards
to touch type on are the flat-panel ones with no key travel.
Just in case there are any out there looking for a CW Elmer, the CWOps
group runs an international CW Academy. They use a well proved
methodology, a free video-conferencing program with competent
instructors, flexible schedules, and there's lots of on-air support from
the members on the 3 CWT's each Wednesday. cwops.org There is usually
a waiting list but it goes fast.
73,
Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2014 Cal QSO Party 4-5 Oct 2014
- www.cqp.org
On 5/31/2014 4:08 PM, Chuck Smallhouse wrote:
I was tasked teaching much older(>17) and lower ranked Radiomen, Morse
code, via using a typewriter for copying. It was a learning experience
for me, as I found this method much easier to learn, than by writing
down the words and messages by hand. It seemed as if the code
characters went directly from the ears to the typing fingers, totally
bypassing any pondering in the brain.
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