> > My opinion is that a Morse decoder does more harm than good for a > learner. Maybe it might be helpful for those first few terrifying QSOs > (which are still quite vivid in my memory), but I think that the learner > would be far better off learning to trust his or her own decoding > apparatus. >
Where I find some kind of recording device to be invaluable is when I make a typo keying in the exchange to my logging program. If I correct the typo right when I make it I will miss the rest of the exchange, so I just keep typing. But by the end of the exchange, half the time I've forgotten what the mistake was! This is why I keep a tape recorder running during contests, but a decoder might be a great solution as well. It'll be fun to try it. I used to just listen through the next QSO, but that has drawbacks apart from taking more time. Sometimes there IS no next QSO, and multi-multi stations don't always give out consecutive serial numbers so if you lose that, your QSO is in doubt no matter what you do. There was a thread a few days ago on copying contest exchanges that would be quite good reading if you missed it. It describes exactly what I went through on my first couple Field Days when the experienced CW ops went home to bed and I was left by myself staring at a radio, a key, and a log sheet... 73, Carl WS7L No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.26/1120 - Release Date: 11/9/2007 9:26 AM _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [email protected] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
