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

[David A. Belsley]

On Jan 12, 2006, at 1:26 PM, Darwin, Keith wrote:

> 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.

This phenomenon is actually a very interesting and natural evolution  
to cw's conversational style.  When sending at relatively slow  
speeds, particularly -- but not only -- with a straight key, the 8- 
dits error sign made a good contrast and served psychologically to  
clean the slate for a fresh start.  When sending with a keyer,  
however, at higher speeds (say 25 wpm or above -- and certainly above  
30 wpm), the string of dits no longer provides the kind of contrast  
that makes the mind say, whoa, let's do that again, and instead often  
just sounds like unintended noise.  Indeed it a couple of well spaced  
dots that do provide this contrast, and hence serve better to the  
purpose.  I think this notion grew naturally and independently to a  
large number of operators, and I suspect it is going to stay.  As  
Keith says, "it is more risky," but this risk can all but be removed  
if the sender takes the pains not to make the dots "oddly spaced" but  
rather, say, three dits spaced evenly with the between-word spacing.

best wishes,

dave belsley, w1euy