[Elecraft] Bad fist

[Kevin Rock]

I learned CW through a combination of Farnsworth spacing on my CW tapes 
and sending in the TEST mode on my K2.  Then I passed my test.  Scared 
silly I did not get on the air using CW until the next summer when the VE 
who tested me for element 1 met me at field day.  He asked how many 
contacts I had made.  Meekly, Kevin says, "None."  Well he set up a sked 
for the very next day on 15 meters.  Scared and sweating profusely I got 
on the air.  Fought through the QRN and copied him about 30%.  He said I 
did great when he called me on the local repeater.  I knew I had not but 
found out I could actually do it (sort of).  So I kept at it with someone 
more my speed.  The VE op was an Air Force ELINT intercept operator in 
Alaska for years.  Very fine fist on any bug you could imagine.  He has 
dozens of the critters.

Then I found my current CW mentor (I am not sure if he wants to get 
mentioned here But Thank you SB!!)  He worked with me, and is still 
working with me.  Got me faster and faster.  He weaned me from Farnsworth 
at about 15 wpm.  He modified the style so the words were at full speed 
with larger spaces between.  Then he went faster.  Eventually I never 
noticed when the extra spacing went away.  Some place in there I got 
confidence enough (foolish me!) to start the Elecraft CW Net.  I thought 
since the SSB net was getting started maybe we should use these fine rigs 
for what they are best at doing: CW.  So fools (me) rushed in where most 
angels would be scared silly.  Too dumb to know any better I got a CW net 
going.  Wayne still thinks I am a bit nuts but then he may be right ;)

But the jist of this ramble is: Farnsworth is great to learn Morse code 
but see if you can find a mentor to wean you to where you can run the code 
other ops are more comfortable copying.
    73,
       Kevin.  KD5ONS  (Net Op Without a Clue)


Ron D'Eau Claire <rondec at easystreet.com> wrote:

>
> I've noticed that happens more often these days as ops get on the air 
> after
> learning Farnsworth code. It's wonderful that they are able to learn CW 
> more
> easily and enjoy it more quickly, but several ops I've known who learned
> Farnsworth had to stop and learn to copy all over again once they got on 
> the
> air. The problem is that in normal operation most ops on the air don't 
> leave
> the exaggerated spaces between letters that the Farnsworth system allows
> when you set the Farnsworth speed well above the actual sending speed.
> They've been studying Farnsworth CW at 20 WPM and when they got their
> receiving speed up to, say, 10 wpm, they try to get on the air. Suddenly
> "real CW" at even 10 or 15 wpm sounds like a run-together jumble to them
> until they learn to follow the proper spacing and rhythm of CW.
> ...
>
> Ron AC7AC


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