Hi everyone. I'm the OP here and I thank everyone who replied. I've had an order of magnitude more mail than I received on the list. I can't answer all of them due to a broken elbow but I thank everyone who replied. Lots to digest, hopefully will be on the air soon. 73's Tom
On Dec 1, 2014 1:16 PM, Jim Allen <jalleninv...@gmail.com> wrote: > > With all the keyers out there, built in and otherwise, there should be no > bad CW heard, but as anyone who listens can attest, there is, lots of it. > > One thing I suggest is copying W1AW code practice, and bulletins once your > speed can handle the 18 wpm used for Bulletins. That is "perfect" code, > weight, spacing etc., supposedly. Get used to what that sounds like, and > imitate it! > > Code proficiency comes from a combination of talent, effort and want to. > Some are so talented they pick it up easily with little effort. Some make > an effort, but don't really want to do it, and that impedes progress. Want > to overcomes a certain deficiency of talent. > > 73 de W6OGC Jim Allen > > > > On Mon, Dec 1, 2014 at 12:06 PM, Phil Hystad <phys...@mac.com> wrote: > > > My story... > > > > Learned CW when I was 9 years old, taught by ham uncle (also a ship radio > > operator). I used to listen to ham radio operators CW and got my speed up > > a little bit before I ever got my Novice license so passing that code test > > was easy-as-pie. > > > > As a novice, started with J-38 (I didn't even know that other kinds of > > keys existed). But, I soon bought a Vibroplex Original, brand new for the > > cost of about $36 (~1966) as my speed went beyond my capable skills with > > the J-38. At the finish of my Novice year, I was easily handling both > > RX/TX at 20+ wpm. > > > > Big huge gap of 38 years between my Novice CW activity and getting > > licensed again in 2004. I was all SSB until 2007 when the "bug" for CW hit > > me again. How much time to relearn CW? > > > > It took two weeks of listening to CW traffic to get my head in gear again > > after 40 years of not hearing any CW at all. I was up to about 15 wpm > > after two weeks of one or two hours a day of listening (never used a code > > practice program). I decided to try my first QSO. I called CQ and got a > > reply. In the middle of the QSO I got so flustered (using a J-38 again) > > that I had to abort. I sent my apologies to my contact via e-mail. I just > > did not practice enough with the J-38. > > > > So, practice-practice-practice on the J-38 for another week and I was > > ready. After a few weeks of nothing but CW contacts on the J-38 I realized > > that my operating time was limited to my hands sending at about 12 to 13 > > wpm on the J-38. I just wasn't capable of anything faster. > > > > I bought myself a used bencher paddle and started practicing. I liked it > > right off that bat and my skills got better and now I am back up to about > > 20 to 22 wpm. I have tried sending at 25 wpm with the paddle but I make > > more mistakes then I am happy with so I need to spend time on that or learn > > better techniques. Being self-taught on the paddle there are some skills I > > am sure have not been honed yet. Oh, I never did learn to do squeeze > > technique on the paddle and I still don't know what Iambic A or B mean > > (yes, I have looked that up but I keep forgetting). > > > > My main fault that limits my speed skills with the paddle is my limited > > operating time. I am 90 percent CW but I don't get that much operating > > time on a daily basis. I had planned to do a lot of activity in this > > weekend's CQ DX CW contest but missed out due to all kinds of other > > interruptions. > > > > However, thinking back of experiences: in today's world, I would > > recommend skipping any straight key and learn with a keyer and paddle right > > from the start. I think straight keys are antiques like tube-based rigs > > (no flame wars from hollow state players). > > > > 73, phil, K7PEH > > > > ______________________________________________________________ > > Elecraft mailing list > > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > Message delivered to jalleninv...@gmail.com > > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to tom...@videotron.ca ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
