[CW] Thoughts on receiving CW

[Ron W4BIN]

Richard WB6KBL Knoppow:

> Some of the advice in the old books really does not make sense, makes 
> me wonder if the people who wrote them could actually read code. 

   I learned to whistle the code by looking at signs at one or two w. p. 
m.   I could do nothing else.

   I took a class in "Tom's" kitchen with three other blokes (in 1973) 
and the first thing he said was:
I will send the letter "A" and you must visualize the letter "A" as it 
is printed.  Beep  Beeeep.  I could visualize nothing
I knew right then that I was in trouble.  I wrote down the letter "A" 
without visualizing anything.  In the end I got 100% of the test correct.

   After two more code classes I could write down (block letters - 
kindergarten style) over 20 w.p.m. with no errors
from W1AW.  About 22 or 23 w.p.m. was my printing limit and man was it a 
lot of work.   That's it, it was no fun.
After about ten years (when the local weekly cw net ended) I stopped 
wring and I listened to W1AW in the car* to and from work 99% of the 
time.  I only attempted to learn head copy, mostly at 20 to 35 WPM.  I 
have learned many short words and signals, but not the larger words.

   I have tried to copy on a keyboard, but I have not been trained to do 
it, and I am a trained touch typist.
I have a tendentious long term memory, but almost no short term memory.  
I cannot look in a telephone book and memorize the local seven digits 
long enough to dial them, I have to go back and get the last four or a 
bit less.

   Recently the captain taught us to word space and I have downloaded 
everything he offered, as soon as my major medical problem is handled I 
will start working with that system.
I will only give up trying by dying.  (getting close)

  * 40 meters with a 10 meter antenna

-- 
    Ron  W4BIN - Understanding is much better than
                                       knowing how.MX

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