Well I finally accomplished my goal of upgrading to Extra. My next goal is to become proficient in CW. I am looking for advice on how to start doing this, what works for everybody else? I have people saying get the Gordan Wess tapes and others say just listen to it and try to copy it? Also looking for recommendations on Keys/Paddles?
Any how looking for as much advice as I can get
Ryan
congratulations on the extra ticket.
when i was studying it i used computer generated cw and i had tapes with the farnesworth method on them. not sure if there's any programs out there for computer generating now that they've dropped the cw requirement many moons back. sometimes when tuning around you may hear some pretty clean characters too, but you can't check yourself without something to read it.
i used a bencher iambic, but nearly anything beats a straight key.
i guess i should mention that i plateaued at about 10wpm before i gave up after i had passed the advanced questions.
Congratulations Ryan !!
I've been doing CW since I had my novice back around 1966/1967 or so. 30 WPM is about
the best I do. Sometimes bursts of 35 WPM but much after that the dots and dashes
appear to just blend together for me.
When I went back for my test in 1992, I still knew CW just barely since I semi-practiced
rarely over the years and took the 20 WPM extra exam just for practice for the 13 WPM
but I somehow passed the practice so went for the whole enchilada at one sitting
except the VE examiners wanted to go to lunch so I took the last written the next
week at another club's VE testing.
I have a leg key in the car but just bought a paddle for automatic keyer in the Yaesu
for $15 at the last hamfest so will have to wire that up and maybe make a leg
holder for it too.
So Ryan, we'll catch you below 14.225 here some time soon !!
boB
Ryan Congratulations!!
And great on wanting to learn CW.
Being an Old Fellow, learned CW as a High School kid. This makes it much easier, because learning languages is much easier for youngsters, and CW is a simple language.
It has been SSOOOOooo long, but think that the method taught then was to learn the shortest letters first. For example the letter 'E' is one dit, and the letter 'T' is one dah, and so on.
While you are learning the sounds of the symbols, IMHO, it is important to also send them. You can find a simple code practice set -- a "Straight Key", and an audio oscillator that generates a tone when the key is pressed.
You might have an HF transciever, or a multi-mode VHF/UHF rig that can do CW. It this is the case, many of these allow CW to be "sent" without generating RF output, so then you would only need the key.
Also in my opinion, a person learning CW is far ahead by starting with the straight key, as it has a very direct brain-motion linkage. If you try learning to send using an automatic means like the mentioned "paddle" and keyer, this adds another layer of learning. I'd learn the paddles a bit later.
MFJ makes a great little battery operated Code Tutor, which is very versitle, runs on a 9V batt, so you are not kinna tied to one spot for your learning. It has an LCD display so you can check your copying skill.
EDIT: Just went to e-ham and looked at the review of the MFJ Tutor. The one that I had was an early one, dating back to the late 90s. I gave it away to a chap who was learning CW. IT appears that this great little product has been cheapened, and make much less functional, and has a poor display. So probably, this is not the best use of about $80. I'll see if I can find out what happened to the one I used to have, and foreward it to you if I can find it.
Great going Ryan. Have Fun! 73 Vic K6IC
I had a VK limited call (Technicial Class), in 2003 morse code was removed for HF operation, all limited calls got updated to full calls and HF bands..I guess oldtime full calls will say you limited guys got it too easy.
Im suprised the FCC still mandatres morse code for US hams general and extra classes.
I have to say to the brass pounders..your the Gentlemen of the ham bands, I regret being too lazy to pick up CW..I do however I use PSK31 on HF does that count ?
73s
Frank VK3ZFS
_. ___ _ .... ._ _ _.. ___ . ... _. ___ _ _._. ___ .._ _. _ ::) :P
Quote from: phonetic on June 08, 2012, 08:17:25 PM
Im suprised the FCC still mandatres morse code for US hams general and extra classes.
Code has not been required for any US licenses for a few years now.
What I don't understand is why US hams can NOT use phone on areas such as 14.225 to 14.250 MHz
when Canadians can.
boB
Quote from: boB on June 08, 2012, 11:54:33 PM
Quote from: phonetic on June 08, 2012, 08:17:25 PM
Im suprised the FCC still mandatres morse code for US hams general and extra classes.
Code has not been required for any US licenses for a few years now.
What I don't understand is why US hams can NOT use phone on areas such as 14.225 to 14.250 MHz
when Canadians can.
boB
K7IQ
I assume you meant 14.000 to 14.150 as the range you specked is in the phone band? My limited knowledge tells me you can use CW anywhere you can transmit. Phone is "Recommended" in the areas ARRL has blocked out. I do not think it is an "FCC" thing but more of a suggested best practice from ARRL?
KB1UAS
Quote from: Halfcrazy on June 09, 2012, 06:26:00 AM
Quote from: boB on June 08, 2012, 11:54:33 PM
Quote from: phonetic on June 08, 2012, 08:17:25 PM
Im suprised the FCC still mandatres morse code for US hams general and extra classes.
Code has not been required for any US licenses for a few years now.
What I don't understand is why US hams can NOT use phone on areas such as 14.225 to 14.250 MHz
when Canadians can.
boB
K7IQ
I assume you meant 14.000 to 14.150 as the range you specked is in the phone band? My limited knowledge tells me you can use CW anywhere you can transmit. Phone is "Recommended" in the areas ARRL has blocked out. I do not think it is an "FCC" thing but more of a suggested best practice from ARRL?
KB1UAS
ARRL doesn't set the rules except to work with the FCC maybe... The rules we have to live by are governed by the FCC.
Not that the FCC cares... But other hams care if you go to a band space you're not supposed to.
Yes, CW can go wherever the license class allows them to go but even for an extra class ham, phone is only allowed from
14.150 to 14.350 Canadians can use phone lower than 14.150
What I hate is like, on 40 meters, when I hear hams using phone in the CW portion like around 7.020 and below.
That really Irks me !
boB