[Elecraft] K2 CW practice

Fri Feb 15 12:10:01 2002

Yes, we did enjoy the webcam show you guys put on last night. =
Valentine's day indeed. But, that thing with the garden tools, that =
ain't right!

Dan

<g>

-----Original Message-----
From: Thor, n9ik [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, February 15, 2002 11:30 AM
To: Dan Barker
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] K2 CW practice

Uh oh, did I forget to turn off the web cam my boys have been =
experimenting
with again?  You've been looking over my shoulder haven't you.

Seriously though, what you've described is pretty much what I do, =
especially
when I feel the need to really stretch my copying speed capability.  I =
was
concerned that I might get reliant on it, so I've made a conscious =
decision
to simply use it to check myself when trying to copy code being sent =
just
outside my comfort level.  I believe that it's actually helped me quite =
a
bit, encouraging confidence, and improving my copying ability.  =
Especially
when the band is noisy and/or it's crowded, CwGet can be pretty error =
prone,
and I've been finding that even with code sent faster than I'm =
comfortable
with, I know what the character should have been when there was an =
error.

I try real hard to look at my laptop's screen only when I really need =
to,
and in fact when I'm using the logging software I keep CwGet hidden =
behind
that.

On a side note, I've also been having fun challenging my tin ear'd self =
by
seeing just how close my tin ear can really get the tones when I'm zero
beating signals.  I get it as close as I can, then check my self using
Spectrogram.  At first, I was finding that I was always off a little =
(flat
on the tone), but now my ear's getting trained better and I'm really =
getting
good at "zeroing" in, usually dead on.  That's not bad for a seriously =
tin
ear!

- Thor, N9IK

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected]
> [mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Dan Barker
> Sent: Friday, February 15, 2002 9:19 AM
> To: Elecraft
> Subject: [Elecraft] K2 CW practice
>
>
> Another excellent practice idea is to back up your copy with an
> audio line to CWGet, or some such code reader on your PC or
> Laptop. Put it out of your line-of-sight, but copying the code.
> It forces you to zero-beat the other station (besides helping
> with that - Set the Auto Goto Max and AFC off, then click right
> on your spot tone.
>
> Then, when the XYL asks a question and you miss three words in a
> row, right before the dog pees on you power supply and you chase
> him off and miss the next 5 words, you can still answer the
> questions of the QSO (it's even possible that you might actually
> miss some words with no distractions - Naaaa. That never happens<g>).
>
> This accomplishes three interrelated things.
>
>  1) You don't feel like an idiot for not copying clear, loud,
> uninterrupted code,
>
>  2) Due to 1, you have LOTS more confidence to work on the edge
> of your copying ability, and that stretches that edge faster, and
>
>  3) Due to 1 and 2, you operate more and say QSM es QRS lots less.
>
> All around good stuff, you think?
>
> Dan / WG4S / K2 2456
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected]
> [mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of WA5PB
> Sent: Friday, February 15, 2002 8:58 AM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K2 CW practice
>
>
> I agree, when put in test mode, the K2 works as a gem dandy code =
practice
> ocilator.  It is a good way to warm up the fist and work out the =
nerves
> before getting on the air.  Just remember to go back to operating mode
> before CQing or you'll wonder why no one is answering!  (yes, the =
voice of
> experiece is speaking......)
>
> 73
> WA5PB
> Bill Allen   K2#1068
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Rick Shindley" <[email protected]>
> To: <[email protected]>
> Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2002 12:53 PM
> Subject: [Elecraft] K2 CW practice
>
>
> > > Just connect your bencher to your K2, select your choice of
> > > Iambic Mode A or
> > > B on the menu, plug the K2 into a dummy load and practice til your
> hearts
> > > content. Good idea. That's what I'm doing, too.
> > >
> >
> > I have been practicing CW with my K2 directly connected to an =
antenna. I
> > place the rig in the "test" mode by holding down the "mode" button =
when
> the
> > cw mode is selected. No RF goes out and the receiver still works, so =
you
> can
> > QSK as if you were in the conversation.  (I verified no RF goes out =
just
> now
> > with my wattmeter before writing this!) It's a good way to settle =
your
> > nerves before making your first contact.
> >
> > Rick KC0OV
> > K2 1360
> >
> >
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