Re[2]: [Elecraft] Farnsworth CW

[N2EY@aol.com]

In a message dated 10/31/03 3:00:01 AM Eastern Standard Time, coca@cwcom.net 
writes:


> Did you get sidetone in your sending exams?

HAW! That's a good one! 

Yes, we did.

FCC supplied a straight key. Keyers and bugs were permitted, but hams were 
advised to be ready to connect/disconnect quickly to/from the straight key. And 
don't expect the electrical outlets to be convenient!

Mills were a different matter - hams weren't routinely permitted to use them, 
*except* when a disability was involved. 

I did all three sending tests on a straight key. Flunked 13 wpm the first 
time because my longhand wasn't sufficiently legible to the FCC examiner for him 
to find 65 consecutive correct characters, so I went home and practiced block 
printing and was back a month later (mandatory 30 day retest waiting period 
back then) and passed. They didn't teach anything but "Palmer Method" longhand 
back in my elementary school (I was 14 and between 8th and 9th grades when I 
went for 13 wpm..)

As to Farnsworth, be aware that there were 3 Farnsworths:

Philo T. Farnsworth, inventor of electronic television and many other 
devices, such as the Farnsworth Fusor

Russell Farnsworth, who made the well-known records. I had a set but traded 
them for a copy of the excellent N0HFF book "Art and Skill of Radiotelegraphy". 
(This excellent book on all phases of Morse code radio operation is free for 
the download from several websites - google "N0HFF book"...) Great reading - 
paper copy also available (insert standard disclaimer HERE)

And the Farnsworth (whose first name I don't know) whose name is applied to 
the code learning method. 

btw, if anyone wants to see the Signal Corps minimal-strokes-block-printing 
scheme, I can scan that page in "Learning The Radiotelegraph Code" (after SS, 
of course). Or maybe I'll write up a description in words...

CW conversations? One thing is the band - I find hams on 40 and 80 much more 
amenable to real ragchews than on 20 and above. Must be the DX influence?

Another thing is that as soon as I mention my rig (either the K2 or the 
Southgate Type 7) there's usually a 10-20 minute discussion of rigs and such. Then 
I mention I'm using a bug and it's another 10-20 minutes, often because the 
other op doesn't believe it's a bug.

73 de Jim, N2EY


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