FWIW, I agree 100% with Dale (below) and with some of the other comments in this thread, based on 57 years of 99.9% CW. Specifically:
Although I used a straight key for my novice year (in 1957) and a Vibroplex bug from then until about 10 years ago, I doubt that any of that learning helped my electronic fist when I started using electronic keyers like those in the K3 and the KX3. Although I have been tempted by a Begali, I am hard pressed to explain to myself why I want one (which, truthfully, I do.) Forget the decoder. Learn to copy Morse from its sound. If you are serious about DXing, an experienced brain will be a vastly better discriminator of the almost-identical sounds in a typical non-³up² pile-up than any practical decoder could be, and probably so in any heavy QRM especially where you are constantly using RIT. Without much trouble you¹ll learn to follow three or four simultaneous calls - useful for positioning your own. Above all, try NOT to develop a distinctive fist if it makes what you¹re sending less comprehensible. Just last week I worked a new (for me) DX station who was using an idiosyncratic way of sending ³R², which was how he began every transmission after his own call. It went ³DIT [long space] DAAAAH [log space] DIT." It took me ten rounds to realize that his call [disguised here to avoid insulting a station from whom I need a QSL] was XX5YY rather than XX5YYE. SK, de KN1CBR (Ted) > >Message: 17 >Date: Mon, 1 Dec 2014 08:52:43 -0500 (EST) >From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> >To: "Tom Blahovici" <[email protected]> >Cc: [email protected] >Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 CW decoder and CQ CW contest >Message-ID: > <[email protected]> >Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1 > >Tom, > >Congratulations on your discovery of CW, and on your desire to learn it >and use it. I've been using CW for about 48 years now for about 90% my >operating. Tons of fun! > >But PLEASE DO develop the habit of using the characters "DE" to preface >the sending of your callsign, whether calling CQ or in exchange with >another station. When conditions are poor, or your signal is weak, it has >much value as a delimiter or announcement that you are about to send your >call. This used to be standard practice for years, but unfortunately >appears to have become optional. I have no idea why; it's so short, and >easy to send... > >73, and have fun! > >DE WA8SRA (Dale) > > > >> ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [email protected]
