[Elecraft] Farnsworth CW

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

I never saw a "mill" in an FCC test either, even though they were =
"standard"
in the stations. We block-printed at 20 wpm the code groups, which =
included
some truly arcane stuff for the commercial test because they used
punctuation. A code group string might be ATYGH $2HGY T(R)$...=20

It was TOUGH learning all the punctuation at 20 wpm since no one used it =
on
the Ham bands!=20

They would allow an op to use a Bug for the sending test, but few did. =
The
examiner said that almost everyone failed doing that. They'd get nervous =
and
it's hard to keep a Bug from making extra dits when you're nervous. I =
sent
on the FCC's straight key.=20

I'll look up that Bug in QST. Sounds interesting!=20

It's great to see CW still drawing new adherents... And many of them =
more
skilled than I ever was, I suspect. 'Course it helps to have some neat =
gear
like the Elecraft kits to get ops back to their soldering irons again.=20

Who says that History doesn't repeat itself?=20

Ron AC7AC

-----Original Message-----
No one brought a mill to their FCC code exam in my time, but am not sure =
if
they allowed it or not. ...

Some of us never sound good on a bug either, but I have at last found a =
bug
that can be mastered at less than 25 wpm without extra weights on the =
lever.
A local makes them out of surplus brass air tubing fittings,and the dot
spring is from a defunct car radio vibrator!  It was in QST last year, =
or
earlier this year as a photo story. -Stuart K5KVH