Ed et al., My opinions usually rub someone wrong, so take them as they are - one man’s opinions about what he has observed in his short time as an amateur operator.
K1EL makes a kit that will let you set it up in “bug” mode. I assume his Winkeyer does the same. I have been reluctant to jump in this conversation as I am a QRS op still. I got interested in CW about two years ago. I had learned it to upgrade to Tech Plus and then General 20 or so years ago and then promptly put the key away and I am still kicking myself. I can copy a lot of what is sent at 18 - 20 WPM, but I am comfortable at about 15 - 17 WPM. Not really fast enough for a long QSO. Once I get the call, I can copy standard exchanges pretty fast (i.e. 5NN, TU, 73). I do *not* like “cut” numbers like “T” for “0.” That messes with my head and I try to figure out what the crap “1TT" means and have missed part of the exchange. I understand *why* it’s done. That doesn’t mean I like it or that I’m going to change it. When I first got interested a couple of years ago, I think it was this group (Elecraft) that put me on CW Ops. I took a course during the summer of 2012. If I practiced an hour a day, every day, I’d have my speed up where I’d like to be, but I haven’t practiced. I do well enough to copy calls and 5NN from DX ops, but for longer contacts, my mind wanders and I stop decoding. I have tried typing stuff out and that helps some. CW Ops will want you to head copy and learn words. I like this approach, but I’m not there yet. I have a hard time remembering what is spoken to me in regular conversation. :) There are CW-oriented groups around too - SKCC (Straight Key Century Club skccgroup.com <http://skccgroup.com/>) is one. Another is FISTS (fistsna.org <http://fistsna.org/> although I’m not a member) and there’s also NAQCC (North American QRP CW Club naqcc.info). There are a lot of QRS ops in SKCC. You don’t have to be a member to work one of the members, you just won’t have a “number” to exchange. SKCC, as the name implies, is a straight key club. They also allow the use of bugs and cootie (sideswiper) keys. Their focus is on manual sending of CW, but it would be rare that the regular ops in that club would shun you. I like sending with a bug - kind of a nostalgia thing to me. I’m not particularly great at it, but I’ve heard much worse. NAQCC is another specialized club in that they want you to be QRP. Unless you’re an experienced op, or unless you are patient, this club might not be for you. It is kind of a purist club with CW only (paddles are allowed), but they award more points for their sprints based on different criteria. They prefer that you use a wire antenna. However, they have a list of QRS nets on their website: http://naqcc.info/cw_nets.html <http://naqcc.info/cw_nets.html>. Just tune around and listen. Their nets are *not* necessarily QRP. They want folks to check in and practice. My opinion is that “on-the-air” practice is good. You get to experience all of the conditions in real time. I prefer a single-lever paddle to Iambic. When I *first* learned CW 20 years ago, everyone I knew used a set of Bencher paddles. I didn’t know any different and the Internet was still a dial-up connection to AOL for me. I didn’t know enough even to ask questions. When I got back into CW a couple of years ago, I started reading a lot. I read some history of CW and the progression from straight key to bug (or cootie) up to Iambic paddles. Along the way, the single-lever paddle came up. I bought one and loved it. I *never* got the hang of Iambic operation and *much* prefer a single-lever paddle - to each his own. Because of the way the single-lever mechanism works, it’s been my experience that you’ll pay a little more for that configuration. I just thought of something else… CWOps will stress *accurate* keying not *fast* keying. If you’re a fast op who makes lots of mistakes and repeats, you could wind up being as slow as the QRS op who is accurate. There’s also a book out there - I think it’s called The Art and Skill of Radio-Telegraphy. I originally laughed when I heard about a book on learning CW. Well, it’s a good read and is available for free as a PDF from many many places. Here is a link: http://www.tasrt.ca/TASRTVersions/TASRT.pdf <http://www.tasrt.ca/TASRTVersions/TASRT.pdf>. 73, Joel - W4JBB > On Dec 1, 2014, at 2:17 AM, Edward R Cole <kl...@acsalaska.net> wrote: > > I still have my original straight key that I bought in 1958 when I was > practising for my Novice. I didn't have the luxury of a code machine to send > my practise sessions (cassettes had not been invented) so either I listened > on my little 3-tube receiver or I spent hours sending to myself. I think > that resulted in a pretty good "fist". In the day I could send 18-20wpm > easily with the straight key. I guess I favor learning with a straight key. > Learning what proper sounding CW sounds like one should use tapes or practise > programs. Do an hour a day for a month and you will absorb it. > > Many years later I bought a Bencher-2 but never got very good results as the > K3 keyer only does Iambic. I guess I am too set in my ways wanting to > control the dots and dashes to get hang of Iambic. I should say I was off CW > for decades so having to get back into it. My straight keying is a little > rusty and not as smooth as I used to do, but In time it'll come back. I > wonder if there are any keyers that just work like a bug but using a paddle? > ______________________________________________________________ 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
