[CW] How to get proficient in morse?

[Matt Maguire]

David makes a good point -- you must know good morse before you learn to copy bad morse. I was assuming you already had done that, but if not, what I do is get a program called "ebook2cw", I download an out-of-copyright ebook from the Gutenburg project (www.gutenburg.org) and convert it into morse. I then load it onto my mp3 player and listen to it on the train. This trains the ear to hear good copper-plate morse.

Another thing -- if you want to build confidence, participate in a contest using CW. Here the QSOs are even more restricted, you just need to swap callsigns, the RST is always 599, and you swap a serial number or similar. That's pretty much it. Just listen to a few QSO from others to get the hang of the format. A contest is a chance to make many QSOs in a short time. You're not looking to take out a prize, you're just looking to make QSOs to practice your morse. At the end, it is a good idea to submit your log, even if you only have a few QSO, because this helps the contest organisers validate the contacts, and shows them that there is interest and participation in their contest. And who knows, you may even get some sort of certificate, if you are lucky.

73, Matt VK2ACL.

On 11/10/2011, at 3:05 PM, D.J.J. Ring, Jr. wrote:

> Hello Michiel,
> 
> I would take a middle ground!  I would copy with a pencil sometimes and I would listen to the Morse in the background.
> 
> I remember when I was 16, I listened to KH6IJ from Honolulu, Hawaii on 21 MHz working stations during the CQ WW DX test - every year - he would be sending at about 40 wpm and some of the people calling would be doing the same.  I would always try to listen to what I could not copy an eventually I'd catch a few letters, then words, but I would have a pencil nearby to write down what I decoded.
> 
> I remember I kept hearing a pattern in code sent by NSS US Navy Radio Washington, DC on 10 MHz - it was a short little pattern that was frequent and flew by so fast I couldn't write down the dots and dashes!
> 
> I finally wrote it down after an hour or two of listening:  T H E.
> 
> One dash then the rest were dots!
> 
> Download some of these mp3 files - they're perfect code and no errors.  It is very bad when you try to copy someone who always sends TSE for THE.  You have to know good Morse and be able to detect the errors on the air - then you know you're good.  A tape recorder or digital recorder is very helpful to build confidence.
> 
> 73
> 
> David
> N1EA
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