I'd like to add to the list of big mistakes: Learning to translate dits and dahs into letters and other characters. Slow code encourages translation! ...
Rich NU6T ----------------------------------------------- Is that a mistake for most Hams? It wasn't for me. I am aware of many ops who want to QRQ at 30 wpm, 40 wpm and up. I have no argument with them when they say that they must learn to hear words, not characters. That certainly sounds plausible, as does the idea of learning code as words from the very beginning. Such extreme QRQ is surely an interesting challenge for those who pursue it, but it's certainly not "mainstream" in Amateur CW operations from my experience on the bands. (Sometimes contest exchanges approach those speeds, but that's a different story. Every contact is very brief and predictable.) Learning to copy individual characters at very slow speed sure did not bother me. After over 50 years "pounding brass" my fastest comfortable copying speed is about 35 wpm. I can copy 40 but it wears me out pretty quickly. I don't try to send faster than 30 WPM but then I use a mechanical key, either a hand pump for QRS or a bug for QRQ. Across the range from less that 5 wpm up, I copy code "in my head" visualizing a string of letters scrolling by in my head as I hear it sent. It's kind of funny when I hear an odd fist on the air - someone who drags out their dashes way too long and then uses very short dits, or who varies their inter-character spaces a lot (like that link to maritime spark transmissions I sent earlier). At first such code is gibberish. I "see" nothing. Then, usually, after listening for a bit, suddenly my brain "locks on" and the letters start scrolling by in my head. Then it's fine copy. It's kinda of fun to sit back, let the code flow into my hearing and have that suddenly happen. I made transition to "head copy" slowly from copying letter-by-letter on paper, as we used to do to pass our FCC tests and when receiving messages. For me, the ability to send and receive very slow CW is an important skill; one I use far more than sending or receiving over 30 WPM. As more and more Hams explore the CW bands, I find it very common to run into operators running at 10 WPM or even less. I want to reply to them at whatever speed they are sending, as long as it's within my range. Ron AC7AC _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net 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
