[CW] Learning Morse

[Ron Zond]

Phil

When trying to obtain greater copying speed, most people
hit a plateau at 13-15 wpm. I know I did. The standard way
to get around this obstacle is to comfortably copy 15 wpm.
This, I discovered, took about 3 months. In 1992 I wanted to
get my Extra, but didn't want to waste 90 days getting there.
One day I happened upon the W1AW CP session that  starts
at 35 wpm and goes down. I listened, and was able to get
some characters. As the sessions progressed downward in speed,
I picked up more characters, especially with the mixed groups
sent at the end of each session. At 25 wpm, i started copying (writing)
a few characters. Each time I used these sessions, i got better
at 20 wpm. After three weeks, I could copy (write) 170 characters at
20 wpm: 130 characters at 25 wpm. The key is that you are conditioning
yourself to recognize character patterns instead of characters. You are
also copying behind, but by using this method it is easier to do
than by starting "bottom up".    I describe this method very briefly
in my article entiltled "The Road to Good CW" (www.hamradio-online.com)
March and June, 1997. For a beginner, I would suggest learning
character recognition; then gain some speed. At the point  you have
trouble copying, go to a higher speed and LISTEN to recognize characters
in your head. For example, you are stuck at 13 wpm. Listen to code at 18 wpm
(ARRL bulletins) for a few days; don't write anything down. Go back to
13 wpm and write what you hear. you will probably have more characters
than before. This works regardless of the speed, as you are conditioned by
the
higher speed. Another tip; RELAX!!!  If you  relax your mind, you can read
in your head 55+ wpm with clarity. When I want to know what the speed
merchants
are saying, I lay on my bed and just listen. Soon i am understanding what
they are
saying.

73

Ron
K3MIY


-----Original Message-----
From: cw-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:cw-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On
Behalf Of PSmith at vinu.edu
Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2008 8:21 AM
To: CW Reflector
Subject: RE: [CW] Learning Morse


Being a QRQ operator, I would be especially interested in knowing about
your high speed teaching.

Thanks,  Phil,  AA9ZZ

Phillip Smith, CRMC
Broadcast Faculty
Vincennes University

General Manager
WVUB

Invest in your success. Visit the Vincennes University website
http://www.vinu.edu


.-    .-     - - - - .    --..    --..
Amateur Radio AA9ZZ
7.056.5 MHz


"You see, wire telegraph is kind of a very, very long cat.  You pull his
tail
in New York and his head is meowing in Los Angeles.
 Do you understand this?  And radio operates exactly the same way: you send

signals here,  they receive them there.
The only difference is that there is no cat."


 Albert Einstein

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