[CW] 99% correct - but still a failure!

[N7DC@cs.com]

Every test I ever took required one minute of 100% copy, usually out of 5 or 
10 minutes of receiving.  Back when I could give the Novice and Conditional 
tests, I required one minute of 100% copy.  At 30 wpm, that means 30 words, or 
150 characters, in a 5 minute test.  I often saw people get 145 or 146 
characters within that period, but fail the test, by then making an error, so that the 
group counting had to start over again at that point, and then they went thru 
the whole thing again.  I literally copied for hours a day at 36 wpm to get 
my 180 straight letters perfect.  For 40 wpm, that is 200 straight letters 
(this was 5 letter code groups, so you had a space every 6th character).  

Another testing session I observed, required 5 minutes of copy, with no more 
than one error per minute of copy.  At 30 wpm that would be 750 letters, with 
no more than 5 errors.  At 10 wpm, that would be 250 letters with the same 5 
errors allowed. Normally what happened was that the copy that qualified, also 
would qualify with 1 minute of perfect copy in there someplace.  

   You must remember that these are "written" tests, and the actual letters 
must be down on paper, unlike simply copying the gist of the message by ear as 
many of us do on the ham bands.  I have met many hams who couldnt write down a 
complete message without errors, as they depend on "hearing" the words.  Me, 
I dont remember what the guy sent 3 seconds ago, most of the time, so I write 
down all pertinent info as I go.  


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