[ADXA] Hard call sign in Morse

Thu Jul 22 16:42:29 EDT 2021

I have an old MFJ Morse Tutor and I am sure if the firmware could be updated, it sure needs it!  

I think it was QQ that mentioned getting on the air works.  When you get the time be sure to try and make one contact a day.  Then set a goal like DXCC or WAS.  Don’t worry about the speed or missing a word here and there.  Just get on the air and enjoy the experience!

73 de jay..

From: adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net <adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf Of sbranyan at cox.net
Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2021 10:36 AM
To: 'ADXA' <adxa at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [ADXA] Hard call sign in Morse

Thank you all for the fun comments, tips, and most of all the stories.

As Jay said. Mixing it up and keeping it fun is the challenge. I've tried several aps and some software, but one device that has helped me a lot is the MFJ Code Tutor. I keep coming back to it. Some Most days the brain is foggy and listening to a string of code is unproductive. The thing about the Code Tutor is you can have it auto pause after one callsign. Hit one button to play it again, or another to move on. Throw it in your pocket with wired earphones and you can take it anywhere you have to sit and wait and need something to do. Battery life is pretty good.

It's pricey for what it does and old technology, but not found an app that does what it does well. Favorite apps have been Ham Morse, Morse to Text, and Morse Key. 

73,

Scott/W5AAJ

I like MY callsign just fine :-)

-----Original Message-----
From: adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net <mailto:adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net>  [mailto:adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jay Bromley
Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2021 4:10 PM
To: 'Nick Kennedy'; 'ADXA'
Subject: Re: [ADXA] Hard call sign in Morse

HI Nick,

Sorry about that, I just clicked on the link below your message to test it again.  YouTube would go down for a second and then loaded the typical YouTube commercial, hi.  Probably latency?  

Speaking of YouTube, they have a nice set of training videos (audio) that I like to use for CW practice called “100 most common English words in Morse at ___wpm”  https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=cw+plain+English+%40+25+20+wpm   This takes one to the next level in listening for words and sentences in CW.  Nick does NOT need this sort of practice, but others here my find the info of use?  BTW, if you haven’t heard Nick on CW what a joy to listen to.   

YouTube has similar videos for just about any CW speed.  Just do a search in YouTube’s search box.  Normally one thinks “Video only” for YouTube, these are not really videos per-say in the typical sense.  Those videos will send the word, then say the word and then repeat the word again in case you didn’t get it the first time.  If you miss the word the first time it forces the mind to focus or concentrate on what is being sent the second time.  You now know the word and listening for the pattern the second time around.  I find this really makes a difference to me.  Even if I been off of CW for a while, I can get up to 20-30 wpm in just a short review of the above.

In improving in CW it is like exercising, best to mix it up if you can.  Do everything from using RURZ like Nick mentioned to using Morse tutors and even YouTube.  

Before going on a walk I load up whatever YouTube CW speed I want to listen to on the smart phone and then then use the headphones to block out nearby noises like a car passing by, dogs, cows, etc.  LOL.  

Over the years I have continued to try to improve on my CW skills, even listening to practice sessions late at night.  In short I will never be great CW op, but could always do the Extra code test if I needed to.  Still my brain stays in a fog and tries to play catch up.  I can still hear my own call at nearly any speed and the customary TU for the confirmation, hi.  I don’t let my lower skill set keep me from a DX contact I want to make.  

Still I would rather DX with CW than with any other mode.  In and out, no pain, no worries.  Then the customary “YEA” with a fist pump, hi.

Nick I still have a soft spot in my heart for the HW-16 and HW-101 to this day!  Larry ex-WB5HHM now W5EIT (Charles W5JE’s son) had one of the first HD-10 Keyers in the Fort Smith area.  When I saw his HD-10 I knew I had to have one!  Building it was a nice experience, but operating it was totally horrible whith those micro switches!  Larry also used a Temp One when we were teenagers.  Wow lit up it had what appeared to be a hundreds of tubes and the heat to prove it.  Really I think it had less than 20 tubes if I remember right?  

I really wish I could go back in time to relive the Novice days and experiences!  73 de jay..

From: Nick Kennedy <kennnick at gmail.com <mailto:kennnick at gmail.com> > 

Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2021 2:43 PM

To: Jay Bromley <jayw5jay at cox.net <mailto:jayw5jay at cox.net> >; ADXA <adxa at mailman.qth.net <mailto:adxa at mailman.qth.net> >

Subject: Re: [ADXA] Hard call sign in Morse

Hey Jay, 

Your link caused my browser to shut down. Twice.

OK - not your fault - I tried opening YouTube without the link and it happened again.

But I really wanted to comment on the HD-10 keyer. Whoa, terrible keyer. Those microswitches would cause misfires and I don't need any help making errors. Did a nice job of matching my HW-101 though.  I finally bought a Brown Brothers paddle and built an Accu-Keyer from the '76 Handbook.

As far as calls that are hard to copy - I dunno. Used to hear that too many dits was bad because they'd get lost in QRN.  But in recent years I've heard a number of folks opt for the 'ESE' shave and a haircut suffix.

Playing with RUFZ, it's generally the prefixes that get me. I don't have them hard wired into my memory like a real DXer should.  Was that a 5 or an H?

73

Nick, WA5BDU

On Wed, Jul 21, 2021 at 1:54 PM Jay Bromley <jayw5jay at cox.net <mailto:jayw5jay at cox.net> > wrote:

            Sure try my old novice call WN5JZX.  I built a Heathkit HD-10 paddle keyer and never could send that call with it, hi hi.  That was one of the most horrible Keying devices!  See it here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBINAkfoH9A  it had a micro switch on each side that could be adjusted.  Again horrible compared to the worse keyers/paddles that we have today, hi.  

            73 de jay..

            From: adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net <mailto:adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net>  <adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net <mailto:adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net> > On Behalf Of sbranyan at cox.net <mailto:sbranyan at cox.net> 

            Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2021 8:21 PM

            To: ADXA <adxa at mailman.qth.net <mailto:adxa at mailman.qth.net> >

            Subject: [ADXA] Hard call sign in Morse

            Been practicing listening to callsigns. This one was particularly hard for me this evening to try to send. WN6EIF It's like a tongue twister when I try to say it at 15 WPM.

            Not that I am a gluten for punishment, but anybody else have any others, hihi

            73,

            Scott/W5AAJ

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