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

Wed Jun 25 18:53:01 2003

Tom:
  If you could copy 20 wpm once, you will be back there (and beyond) in no 
time.  It's kind of like riding a bicycle.

go for it,

dave belsley, w1euy

--On Wednesday, June 25, 2003 5:28 PM -0400 "Tom, W6WW" <[email protected]> wrote:

> 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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>>
>
>
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----------------------------------
David A. Belsley
Professor of Economics