Hi Dan.
--- DAN ABBOTT <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> I have been reading the comments about the possibility of dropping the
> requirement for CW in order to advance your license. I have great respect for
> those who have passed the code test and one day I would like to be able to
> use CW, but it will take a converter and keyboard to accomplish the task. Let
> me explain.
> I built my K2/100 while trying to learn the code to achieve my General
> license [ it's been three months now] with absolutely no success, my K2 is
> now only a listening device. I have used Ham University and Your Introduction
> to Morse Code from ARRL with no success. If your familiar with the courses, I
> get to the letter L and when you add all the other letters to the sentence it
> sounds like garbage to me.
I know where you're coming from.
I had an *EXTREMELY* tough time learning CW. I tried learning it for
years starting at an early age using training tapes that ran at 13 WPM,
and had only limited success.
The biggest blow to my confidence came when my grandmother came over to
pay a visit one day, and was able to copy the code on the tape better than
I was after only casually listening to about 10 minutes of the practice!
I never got over that...
I started up again years later, and once I began to re-memorize the tapes,
I started making my own -- at around 3 WPM! I slowly worked my speed up
to 5 WPM, and then started listening to W1AW's code practice. I continued
to build my speed through DAILY practice. I even built a direct conversion
receiver for W1AW reception around a color-burst crystal! I worked so hard
at learning CW, and put myself under so much pressure to learn this skill,
that sometimes I would wake up at night with my teeth clenched so tightly
I thought for sure they would all be shattered by the morning.
But things slowly started to improve over time...
I eventually earned an ARRL Certificate of Code Proficiency for 10 WPM
copy, and later earned endorsement stickers for 15 WPM and 25 WPM.
(Incidentially, I only knew about this program because it took the
place of W1AW's regular code practice one evening.) I took my 13 WPM
exam after getting the 15 WPM sticker.
Once I got my license (an Advanced ticket), circumstances left me
little choice but to build my own transmitter to get on the air.
The fastest thing to build was a CW transmitter, and I built
several using tubes (which for me, was a "first"). Once on the
air, I spent most of my time in the Novice portion of the 40-meter
band because it was the only crystal I had.
All in all, learning to copy CW by ear was probably the hardest
skill I ever had to master.
Constant practice, along with a dedicated committment to myself
that *NOTHING* was going to stand in my way of learning CW, is
the reason I eventually went on to become KD2BD.
Maybe the same approach will work for you, too.
I haven't been active on CW in probably 20 years, but the lessons
I learned in acquiring that skill will never be forgotten. I simply
apply them to other things in life with equal success.
I never had an interest in a no-code license. In fact, the mere
thought of such a thing only gave me MORE energy to break my mental
block and finally master the skill that for years was a formidable
barrier to my success.
Practice, practice, practice! Identify the reasons you're having
difficuly, and then knock them out of the ballpark! Don't allow
anything to stand in your way.
73, de John, KD2BD
Visit John on the Web at:
http://kd2bd.ham.org/
.
.
.
.
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