[Elecraft] Bad fist

[DYARNES at aol.com]

In a message dated 4/6/2005 12:57:46 PM US Mountain Standard Time,  
kevinrock at earthlink.net writes:

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 ;)




Hi All,
 
Well, I think you had a good mentor!  The critical thing I think you  learned 
was about spacing, which in my view is the ultimate sin of most poor CW  ops! 
 I can deal with most CW, so long as there is some recognizable  spacing 
between characters.  But when I run across these folks who simply  run their dits 
and dahs together from one letter to the next, "I'm outta  here"!  Some ops 
insist on having a "swing" to their sending, and though I  don't care for it 
much, I can usually copy that stuff O.K. too.   Personally, I like to make sure 
there is just a slight bit of extra spacing  between words as well.  You would 
be amazed at how much easier it is to  copy when words are readily 
identifiable by their spacing.  When I run  across someone else who uses that technique, 
it is a dream to copy.  Of  course, the characters of each letter in a word 
need proper spacing too, but  there is something very positive about word 
separation--especially if you are  copying in your head.  At 20 wpm or less it isn't 
that critical, but when  you get going at 25 or 30 wpm, you really appreciate 
it.
 
The best advice I can give any op, particularly new ops, is to tape your  own 
sending and try copying it back.  I would suggest taping the W1AW code  
practice sessions, tape your own sending of the same text, and compare.   The next 
best advice I can give is to drop all that "rock and roll" stuff and  just try 
sending well formed characters and words.  You probably won't get  many 
compliments about your fist unless you do.  And last, but not least,  don't send 
faster than you are really capable of doing with proper spacing and  character 
formation.  You can bet the op at the other end won't be having  much fun if 
you violate that rule.
 
Dave W7AQK