When I was active in MARS operations, they had two CW Nets: a slow speed net and a fast speed net. That really helped me get my Extra back then when 20 wpm code was still a requirement. They also has a fabulous radio electronics course that was available to members, as well as access to used military equipment. By the way, my first reciever was a Hallicrafter SX 28 (Boat Anchor). Awesome reciever, but some drift. I quickly upgraded to a Heathkit HW 101. WD9GQL later NG5W. I also taught CW 7 years when I taught Amateur Radio for the Ector County ISD in Odessa, TX.
thanks Keith. I make long boring videos of my POTA activations . I do it at 15wpm so that people can just grab a pencil and pad and sit back and listen and copy. I make the videos just for people to use as copy practice. Thanks for the video
Thx for the comment. I dont do POTA in CW yet one day lol. I do have to get out to a park on ssb once the weather warms up here. Try Morse Ninja too he is very good.@@hgjobe
Thanks - good information. I discovered this all by accident, and by second-hand information. You talked about 'real-life', and different sending styles (fists) of others. Other things to also factor in are the different types of keys that people use. You've got the straight key, of course. But, then you have the bugs, and the cooties. I had a hard time (at first) copying code from those using bugs. But, you begin to hear them better the more you do it. Getting on the air for the first time was scary, but like anything - the more you do it, the easier it gets.
Thank you for the comment. So true, I still have a hard time copying bugs too. You do get to recognize people by their sending style and the way they send certain letters. Getting on the air is key... too many wait and wait while they try to get perfect, but everything improves once you are on the air.
Yes very different. Go to the POTA park page and listen to cw at different speeds- great practice. Also the SKCC on their sched page look for callsigns with QRS beside them
Gotta tell ya, as a novice I worked a lot of Canadian's on CW. My Elmer and my dad installed my antenna one day while I was at school. It was oriented East West which meant the main lobes went North Sout. I didn't understand his comment when he left, "Don't work any Canadians". LOL. Had many a QSO with them!
We had fun back then the USA was 5 and 10 wpm. We could never understand why we had to be 7 and 12 wpm. But in the end we all had a lots of fun. Even today most of my contacts are US amateurs
@@ve3svq-theshakykey440 When I was licensed in the USA in the 1980s, we had 5wpm, 13wpm, and 20wpm. I passed 5wpm and 13wpm, but I could never make it to 20wpm. Even so, I enjoy working CW and around 10-15wpm is fine for me.
Check out the LICW program its very good and its what got me doing it. longislandcwclub.org/ I did a few other videos in that group which might also help, 73
I thought I was too old to learn the code. I am probably too old. But I can nevertheless make some QSOs in CW mode! On POTA, you know who you are calling. You can listen to the station for as long as you want to before you call them back and then when you decide to do so, you will probably know in advance all the information they are going to transmit to you and in what order. What else do you need to press the button, and do your first contact? Last summer, using this principle, I have completed 400 QSOs in CW mode, while hunting POTA stations all over NA. My station is a very modest transceiver and a 20-meter dipole on the roof. I had a lot of fun, believe me! I now have completed more POTA QSOs in CW mode than SSB. Let's imagine what it would have been if I actually knew how to copy the Morse code. Understand that the purpose of the Morse code is to communicate with other similar people, not to read literature. Like language, It is in fact more natural than you first thought. Finding the POTA site was the best thing that happened to me since the two years when I got my license.
Most folks learn CW by listening and copying first. Is it better to include sending also when just starting out? I think building “muscle memory” would be just as important. Thoughts?
I'd like to take the Long Island cw club course but unfortunately with exceptionally poor internet service and an ancient computer that has no video conferencing geegaws on it and no budget to upgrade, it's unlikely I'll be able to do that.
While you will miss out on the class practice sessions and Qs and As, the main club page in the top right has a link to their practice page- same one we use in class. Start with student BC1 That will help a bit.
I never got above 5-6 wpm. I barely passed my novice test back in '88. I then immediately got my technician license, but had to wait a really long time to upgrade to general. To me, once you get much above 5 wpm, it just becomes an unintelligible mess. None of those "guaranteed to work" methods worked. I have never used code on the air, and have no desire to do so.
Thx for your comment. My Canadian licence was 1990. Needed 7wpm then 12 wpm for full HF. Made 3 contacts and didn’t use again until a little over a year ago. Like you tried all sorts of sites etc. came across the Long Island cw club and took their courses. It worked. On the air now around 12 wpm and having fun. My mic is rarely plugged in now.
I am not sure what it is like now but in the 1990s we could ask for a 2nd call primarily for contests etc. which is what my VA3 was primarily used for and still is.
@@ve3svq-theshakykey440Sometimes we forget that call signs identify stations not people. My first license had two parts. One was the station license with my street address as the location for the “fixed” operation. The other was my operator’s license which listed my P.O. Box as the mailing address.
When I was active in MARS operations, they had two CW Nets: a slow speed net and a fast speed net. That really helped me get my Extra back then when 20 wpm code was still a requirement. They also has a fabulous radio electronics course that was available to members, as well as access to used military equipment. By the way, my first reciever was a Hallicrafter SX 28 (Boat Anchor). Awesome reciever, but some drift. I quickly upgraded to a Heathkit HW 101. WD9GQL later NG5W. I also taught CW 7 years when I taught Amateur Radio for the Ector County ISD in Odessa, TX.
thanks Keith. I make long boring videos of my POTA activations . I do it at 15wpm so that people can just grab a pencil and pad and sit back and listen and copy. I make the videos just for people to use as copy practice. Thanks for the video
And those videos really help new ops for the exact reason you mention. Sit back and relax and copy. Keeps new ops keen and interested in learning CW.
I really like your video format. It helps me practice my rcv and I look for your vids and hunt you for POTA.
Thx for the comment. I dont do POTA in CW yet one day lol. I do have to get out to a park on ssb once the weather warms up here. Try Morse Ninja too he is very good.@@hgjobe
Thanks - good information. I discovered this all by accident, and by second-hand information. You talked about 'real-life', and different sending styles (fists) of others. Other things to also factor in are the different types of keys that people use. You've got the straight key, of course. But, then you have the bugs, and the cooties. I had a hard time (at first) copying code from those using bugs. But, you begin to hear them better the more you do it. Getting on the air for the first time was scary, but like anything - the more you do it, the easier it gets.
Thank you for the comment. So true, I still have a hard time copying bugs too. You do get to recognize people by their sending style and the way they send certain letters. Getting on the air is key... too many wait and wait while they try to get perfect, but everything improves once you are on the air.
Thank you. I liked hearing that real life CW is different than the computer generated CW. I’ll have to start listening over the air as I practice. 73
Yes very different. Go to the POTA park page and listen to cw at different speeds- great practice. Also the SKCC on their sched page look for callsigns with QRS beside them
My dear friend. You are doing an excellent job for the whole world!…. My applauses…!
Gotta tell ya, as a novice I worked a lot of Canadian's on CW. My Elmer and my dad installed my antenna one day while I was at school. It was oriented East West which meant the main lobes went North Sout. I didn't understand his comment when he left, "Don't work any Canadians". LOL.
Had many a QSO with them!
We had fun back then the USA was 5 and 10 wpm. We could never understand why we had to be 7 and 12 wpm. But in the end we all had a lots of fun. Even today most of my contacts are US amateurs
@@ve3svq-theshakykey440 When I was licensed in the USA in the 1980s, we had 5wpm, 13wpm, and 20wpm. I passed 5wpm and 13wpm, but I could never make it to 20wpm. Even so, I enjoy working CW and around 10-15wpm is fine for me.
Very good information. Thanks for making your video. Learning Morse code is on my list of things to learn. Bill, KC2KNA
Check out the LICW program its very good and its what got me doing it. longislandcwclub.org/ I did a few other videos in that group which might also help, 73
Don’t listen to Ed. He’s not boring at all.😂 thank you very much Keith that was a great video. I really appreciate it.
Dale KC1TRN🎙️
Thanks for watching and the comment
I thought I was too old to learn the code. I am probably too old. But I can nevertheless make some QSOs in CW mode! On POTA, you know who you are calling. You can listen to the station for as long as you want to before you call them back and then when you decide to do so, you will probably know in advance all the information they are going to transmit to you and in what order. What else do you need to press the button, and do your first contact?
Last summer, using this principle, I have completed 400 QSOs in CW mode, while hunting POTA stations all over NA. My station is a very modest transceiver and a 20-meter dipole on the roof. I had a lot of fun, believe me! I now have completed more POTA QSOs in CW mode than SSB. Let's imagine what it would have been if I actually knew how to copy the Morse code.
Understand that the purpose of the Morse code is to communicate with other similar people, not to read literature. Like language, It is in fact more natural than you first thought.
Finding the POTA site was the best thing that happened to me since the two years when I got my license.
You have a great attitude. If you have a straight key, bug or cootie look up the SKCC. Very simple exchange
Most folks learn CW by listening and copying first. Is it better to include sending also when just starting out? I think building “muscle memory” would be just as important. Thoughts?
@@ihikefar yes. In fact the LICW has introduced some sending practice into their first level BC1 classes. It is now part of every lesson.
I'd like to take the Long Island cw club course but unfortunately with exceptionally poor internet service and an ancient computer that has no video conferencing geegaws on it and no budget to upgrade, it's unlikely I'll be able to do that.
While you will miss out on the class practice sessions and Qs and As, the main club page in the top right has a link to their practice page- same one we use in class. Start with student BC1 That will help a bit.
Very good Sir Thank You Jim K4YNA
I never got above 5-6 wpm. I barely passed my novice test back in '88. I then immediately got my technician license, but had to wait a really long time to upgrade to general. To me, once you get much above 5 wpm, it just becomes an unintelligible mess. None of those "guaranteed to work" methods worked. I have never used code on the air, and have no desire to do so.
Thx for your comment. My Canadian licence was 1990. Needed 7wpm then 12 wpm for full HF. Made 3 contacts and didn’t use again until a little over a year ago. Like you tried all sorts of sites etc. came across the Long Island cw club and took their courses. It worked. On the air now around 12 wpm and having fun. My mic is rarely plugged in now.
How do you get to have two VE3 call signs?
I am not sure what it is like now but in the 1990s we could ask for a 2nd call primarily for contests etc. which is what my VA3 was primarily used for and still is.
@@ve3svq-theshakykey440Sometimes we forget that call signs identify stations not people. My first license had two parts. One was the station license with my street address as the location for the “fixed” operation. The other was my operator’s license which listed my P.O. Box as the mailing address.
Super! Thanks for the encouragement. 73 K6KRG