[Elecraft] CW - Living language (RE: Prosign confusion)

[Darwin, Keith]

Some examples of morse as a living language.

In the mid 70's, when I first started, QSOs were ended with "Shave and a
hair cut" to which the other replied "2 bits".  Of course it was all
done by sending dits to the rhythm.  I went QRT for several years.  When
I came back in the mid 80's the exchanged was shortened to just the "2
bits" part, hence the adding of the little "dit dit" to the end of a
QSO.

It used to be one would say oops by sending 8 dits in a row.  Now, I
routinely hear a couple of short odd spaced dits instead.  I suppose it
works but it is more risky.

I also hear people (myself included) who have become wordy with Q
signals.  We send "the QTH here is Gary, IN" rather than "QTH Gary, IN".
I worked a guy a few weeks ago who really opened up my eyes to this.  He
sent something like "GE OM TNX. RST 55N 55N.  QTH Pittsburgh, PA.  OP
Gary.  HW?"  Wow, he gave a lot in a short space and even though he was
at 15 wpm it didn't take long at all.  I liked it and am trying to model
it although I still tend to fall back to "TNX FER CALL OM.  UR RST IS
55N  QTH HERE IS ..."

Way OT:  I copied a guy on 40 SSB a couple of days ago complaining about
his Icom rig.  He called it a "RAY-diddey-oh".  Oh boy, did I hate that.
I felt like interrupting with "hey good buddy, ya got yer ears on?".  Ah
the joys of CW.

- Keith -

-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of n2ey at aol.com

>-----Original Message-----
>From: Ron D'Eau Claire <rondec at easystreet.com>
>
>> To me it's that CW or Morse is a language 
>> and, like most languages it goes through a process of evolution and 
>> change according to popular usage.
 
> I agree to a point. But we amateurs are the last widespread users of
> Morse Code - the keepers of the flame, as it were. I think it's up to
> us to preserve its unique character.