[CW] Reading With the Ears

[Richard Knoppow]

     I learned first by memorizing the code and sending to 
myself. I sent simple words and slowly expanded. But, I had 
little in the way of a source for reading and it was not until 
later, when I had a decent receiver, that I began to learn to 
read code. I wrote it down. I had an ancient WW-2 code manual. A 
useless book meant to go with classes using an automatic sender. 
I learned to print. Bad, very slow. I did not know then and did 
not learn until much later than the old time ops used longhand. 
Eventually, mostly by using CW on the air, I got up to maybe 
20WPM. That seems to be a barrier for many. I used to practice by 
copying press transmissions. They were at about 25WPM. I could 
get part but not that much. This was head copying because I did 
not learn to type until later.
     After a long hiatus from ham radio I decided I had to get 
back and then taught myself the code again but this time 
concentrating on reading in my head. I find I do better at higher 
speeds, not less than about 15WPM. At 15 or slower I must write 
it down. My speed varies from day to day, partly because I now 
have damaged hearing. When I am good I can get whole sentences at 
as much as 40 WPM and words at 45 but if I need to get a whole 
message I am still sticking above about 20WPM. I have tried all 
sorts of things. Its frustrating that sometimes I can copy at 
quite high speeds but I also found a fatigue factor. I get it all 
at 35 for a few minutes and then just freeze. I think it is party 
my hearing because, at some point, my ears ring.
     I think you do have to practice a lot but not for long 
periods. Several times a day for maybe fifteen minutes at a time. 
I think I am getting better at it. I hear folks having real 
conversations on the air at maybe 30 or 35, not copying on a 
computer I am sure. I want to be able to do that. Just listen and 
get it. Its the way I hear speech and the way I read.
     I have learned from this, and other lists, that my problems 
are not rare, which is encouraging. I have also become very 
interested in the psychology of learning code. I think it is not 
that well understood.
     My first receiver was a Hallicrafters S-38B. I still have it 
but it needs to be restored. Second was a BC-779, which is a very 
good CW receiver. I added a voltage regulator to the LO which 
kept it from pulling with RF gain variation. Easy mod to do.
On 3/15/2019 10:55 AM, levandowski wrote:
> I learned CW at age 12 by looking at the various groupings in the ARRL's "Learning the Radiotelegraph Code" publication and sending the letters to myself.  Then I would listen to W1AW on my AC-DC National NC-60 and try to identify the letters.  Eventually, I got all the letters, numbers and a couple of punctuation signs.  Finally, I was able to pass the Novice exam at 5 wpm.

-- 
Richard Knoppow
1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com
WB6KBL