The training in the old (meaning a century ago) taught to
write in long hand, i.e. cursive writing. Not sure kids are
taught that any more but I was a victim of Palmer Method. I think
the block letters (with little arrows on the lines of the
letters) came originally from the ARRL publications on how to
learn code. However, it is SLOW. If you can switch to long hand
it will probably double your speed. This was the requirement for
operators in the days before typewriters became common.
    I am also a good touch typist but taking code on a typewriter
requires two simultaneous skills. Perhaps if you are already a
fast code reader you can just sit down and type. I find I can't
do it for very long. Im not a particularly fast typist but have
been doing it long enough for it to be all kinetic memory. I
don't have to think about my fingers, they just go.
    I have reached the age where my ears prick up when medical
stuff is mentioned. Good luck with whatever ails you. I think
perhaps the main thing (for both medical and code) is not to get
discouraged. Persevere, as an old friend used to say.

On 4/27/2022 1:01 PM, Ron W4BIN wrote:
> 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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--
Richard Knoppow
1oldlens1@ix.netcom.com
WB6KBL
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