[CW] Art and Skill of Radio-Telegraphy

[Jim Reid]

My  copy of the FISTS published version of The Art 
and Skill arrived today,  as promised via Priority Mail,  
very pleased to have it.  And is very professionally done.

Am especially pleased with the three or four pages
devoted to the Candler System of learning(Chap. 30).
That is the system,  along with The Instructograph
machine,  I used back in the late '40's to get atop
the CW code and obtain my Class B license.  Sure
brings back memories!  Only omission about the
system by Pierpont:  Candler's belief in the effectiveness
of what he called,  "the Mental Factor".  Now Pierpont
hints about this when he mentions Candler's insistence
on having a correct mental attitude toward learning.

Candler stressed the importance of daily,  especially
while falling asleep at night, that you repeat over and
over again to yourself,  such a phrase as: "Day by
day I am able to copy the Morse Code better and better",
or some such phrase.  He also emphasized the use of
a more general purpose "attitude enhancing" phrase
each night:  "Day by day, in every way,  I am getting
better and better."  I recall putting myself to sleep many
a night with words similar to those going through my
head -- maybe it was just another way to count sheep,  hi.

Candler wanted you to start learning "head copying",  reading
on your minds blackboard the text,  without writing anything
down,  once you were able to copy with pencil up to about
10 wpm.  Then stop written copy,  and just listen until you
could "read" the text in your mind at speeds between
15 and about 25 wpm,  then return to writing down,  preferably
on the "mill".  And force yourself to type behind the transmitted
text.

I also believe I recognize in Peirpont's lists of common words,
phrases,  etc.  some of the material from the ten lesson
Candler course.  I particularly would like to obtain the lists
of Candler's so called "high speed" words,  which were usually
included on the last page of each lesson.  These were specific
words Candler emphasized must be instantly recognized by
word sound by the commercial operator -- I never had any
particular way to do that,  as the only means for home
recording in those days was to make your own phono
record,  and later - sort of forgotten exactly when - wire
recorders came along.  Obviously,  today those could
be input into a text file and used with any of the CW computer
training programs available.

Wonder if I should begin reciting again to myself that,
"Every day it is easier and easier for me to read
45 wpm CW in my head",  hi!

73,  Jim  KH7M