[CW] Copying CW

Alan Wormser [email protected]
Fri, 28 Feb 2003 11:43:03 -0500


As to copying text at 20 wpm and faster.:  So far, folks have suggested

   1.  Head copy (both letter-by-letter & impressionistic) 
   2.  Practicing fast, legible on script or block writing
   3.  Imagining a Times Square marquee
   4.  Using a typewriter or computer keyboard
   5.  Only writing notes or key words

Another technique is called "copying behind."  

To train, force yourself to let a couple of letters go by before wrriting.  
Eventually, you find yourself writing a word or part of a word at a time.  
And this takes advantage of the eventual tendency of CW ops to hear "tion",  
"ing",  "the", "been", "have", etc. as single sounds instead of as individual 
letters.  And it is more like hand-copying verbal dictation - which usually 
is  far in excess of 20 WPM.

It is said that when Ted MacElroy set the CW copying record in the 1930s, at  
over 75 WPM, he kept typing for over a minute after the code stopped.  
Commercial telegraphers relied on that skill.

Consider all therse techniques as tools in your tool box.  Each used for a 
different purpose - they are complimentary:  If I am handling traffic, I will 
be going letter by letter -- it's important to that situation.  For  informal 
QSO, note-taking is OK.  If I am "reading the mail," or waiting to be called 
on in the net - then head copy is fine.

dit dit

Alan N5LF