[CW] Re: [KochMorse] Diminishing returns when learning morse

[K0HB]

Actually I think you're on the right track, Cecil, especially given your
statement about short term memory.

Navy high-speed radio operators were trained with 'gibberish' characters (no
recognizable words) so that there was no temptation to try to read what they
had copied.   Eventually the process became 'automated' and the character
seemed to go directly from the eardrum to the fingertips without being acted
on by the conscious brain.

Somewhere around 30WPM you found you could actually carry on a verbal
conversation with a buddy in the room, and the Morse copy happened
separately at a completely subconscious level.  At that point you were ready
for plain text copy, and the task of copying the morse was 'sublimated'
(best word I can come up with) to the separate conscious task of 'reading'
what you had copied on the mill.

Don't give up.

73, de Hans, K0HB
Master Chief Radioman, US Navy

----- Original Message -----
From: "Cecil Bayona" <CBayona at CBayona.com>
To: "K0HB" <k-zero-hb at earthlink.net>
Cc: "CW" <CW at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Friday, February 18, 2005 1:51 PM
Subject: Re: [CW] Re: [KochMorse] Diminishing returns when learning morse


> I been trying to learn Morse code for a while now with very little
success,
> I've tried all sorts of ways, I have a problem with short term memory that
> seems to affect me in dealing with Morse code and phone numbers, so I have
> not been too successful.
>
> For a while I tried instead of writing it down, I would type the letter on
> the keyboard. When I had that letter down, I would add one more letter to
> the mix.  I stopped learning that way when I was about 18 letters into it,
> because of one problem. I could copy the letters that I had learned
> perfectly, like you mentioned I would hear the letter and my fingers would
> react and type a letter. all I did was to concentrate on listening to the
> sound. Although I was copying those letters accurately I did not have a
> clue what I was receiving, I would have to stop concentrating and look at
> the screen, but then I would miss several letters.
>
> So my question is, when does knowing what you are receiving come in? Does
> one as they become more proficient acquire that skill also?
>