[Elecraft] Improving your cw (was the international treaty thing)

Wed Jun 25 17:34:00 2003

Buddy,

It's been a very long time since I could copy 20 wpm, but before too very
long, will be back on the air with my new K2.  All I ever worked was CW, but
after being off the air for decades, I am looking forward to renewing my CW
skills.  (By the way, I helped in the 1970s to preserve the code test for
amateurs, which now seems to be fading away.)

Now, I have to figure out how to get back into the game and have fun while
not being able to keep up with almost everyone that now works CW at speeds
beyond my ability.  I guess there will be some who will put up with me until
I can get the speed back up.

73,
Tom, W6WW
K2 #3453

----- Original Message -----
From: "Buddy Brannan" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2003 1:52 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] Improving your cw (was the international treaty thing)

> Hey John,
>
> On Wed, Jun 25, 2003 at 12:00:00PM -0500, John Cooper wrote:
> >>  felt like i worked to hard to learn it and now
> they were droping it!!! its hard to force your self to use a hand key
> when you can already type on a keyboard.  trying to get good enough to
> headcopy like some on this list is my only motivation, my local elmers
> are great for antennas digital modes but none i repeat none are into
> QRP or CW for that matter.
> <<
>
> This might help a bit. Then again, it might not.
>
> I'd submit that most of the problems people have with learning--and
> getting good at--cw are really psychological. That's to say, if you
> approach it as something difficult, then it will be difficult. If, as
> you say, you have to force yourself to use a hand key, perhaps a shift
> in your thinking is in order. Look at it this way. Start of course wit
> h the premise that ham radio is a hobby (it is, as well as being a
> service). Hobbies are supposed to be fun. Now what you're aiming for
> is the acquisition of a new skill, which will, naturally, take some
> work. But it's *fun* work! You're not forcing yourself to use a hand
> key. You choose to use a hand key so that you can acquire that
> particular skill. You choose to learn to use a paddle or a bug because
> you want to learn to acquire *that* skill, once your copying and
> sending abilities have progressed beyond the practical limit of a hand
> key. If you like the competitive bit, let's just say you're having a
> bit of a competition with yourself to copy better and more accurately
> and to make your characters with your hand key as close to perfect as
> you can. Sure it's a lot of work, and it may take a while. But I think
> it might help to modify your thinking just a little. Let's don't use
> the words that you're forced to do anything. you certainly are
> not. Things that are forced aren't very much fun. So start by having
> fun with acquiring this nifty skill that not everyone on your
> block--or in your circle of friends--has. Believe me, as a 14-year-old
> with a 20 WPM certificate, I was pretty well pleased. Sure, no one
> would care about it but me, but the fact was...it was something I had
> that no one could take from me, the skill and the art of using a mode
> that most people wouldn't appreciate the beauty of. (I'm not 14
> anymore, but I still love cw.) And remember, too, that you've got a
> lot of friends on this list, if no other, that would be more than glad
> to help you improve. All you need do is ask.
>
> So quit forcing yourself to do things and have fun instead!
>
> Vy 73,
> --
> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV/3   | "And if the ground yawned,
> Phone: (814) 455-7333     | I'd step to the side and say,
> Email: [email protected]  | "Hey ground! I'm nobody's lunch!"
> http://www.ycardz.com/    | --Eddie From Ohio
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