[Elecraft] Another CW question (was: CW Mistakes)

[Rick Kunath]

Comments inline...

On Saturday 26 April 2008 10:39:33 am Brian Lloyd wrote:

> I do have the ARRL operating manual and I am using that to start to
> guide the kids through proper procedures. On voice they have cue cards
> with pieces of the QSO they can use; i.e. how to call CQ, how to
> answer a call, how to give a signal report, how to "brag" the station,
> how to clear, etc.; and that has helped them a lot. I bet that cue
> cards for a CW QSO would be really helpful to noobs as well. Put the
> most-used abbreviations and Q-sigs on there for reference.

Yes, a good idea. I used that many times with new ops. Another thing that 
helps them get over the on-air jitters is having an experienced op sitting 
somewhere else in the room reading the mail. Then they can relax and ask the 
occasional, what did he say? question to the other op in the room, it lets 
them relax and enjoy the QSO. It isn't long and they won't need the crutch.

> My question concerns the use of Farnsworth sending on-the-air, i.e.
> sending the letters at a much faster speed than the overall rate and
> then inserting greater spacing between letters and words. Is that an
> OK-practice for working new CW ops or should I have the kids slow down
> the keyer so that all intra-element, intra-word, and inter-word
> spacing is proper?

Yes. Character spacing needs to be right for proper sent CW. So set the keyer 
spacing and timing for the speed in question. Still, think about a hand key.

 I have used the Farnsworth method in teaching CW before, and it is faster as 
far as getting to the speed you used to need to get a ticket and get the CW 
testing done with. But if you really understand CW, the plateaus that all of 
us who learned the old fashioned way had to go through were just learning the 
language of CW at the different speeds. If you learned it right it was about 
the sound of the character, the rhythm of it, and not anything else. That 
changes as the speed changes. So anyone learning via Farnsworth spacing, 
can't necessarily slow down and operate anywhere in between with out going 
through the learning experience eventually. It's easier I think after you 
know CW faster. But you really don't know 20 wpm CW if you space it down to 8 
wpm via Farnsworth. 

As for me, it's choppy and disconnected. I don't like to listen to it. I'll 
QSO an op like that, but I won't enjoy it as much as properly spaced CW. Even 
slow, properly spaced CW just flows along.

> As soon as they can send/copy 5WPM I plan to push them to actually get
> on-the-air to have some CW QSOs. I want to be sure I am giving them
> good advice.

Yes, that's the best. For me and those I've taught, I don't recommend using a 
keyer until the speed is over about 15 wpm, with real spacing. Part of the 
whole experience is knowing how to send by hand, and at slower speeds that 
just works best and is less nerve wracking with a hand key. There are a lot 
less mistakes in sending that way too. And it helps avoid sending too fast, 
faster than you can receive. Having to learn a keyer and making tons of 
sending mistakes is just something else a new CW op doesn't need to worry 
about.

Get them on the air and start having nice slow QSOs with properly spaced CW 
and the speed will go up on it's own. You give me a CQ from a slow sender 
using a hand key, and he'll get an answer from me every time. No matter how 
long it takes to complete the QSO.

Rick Kunath, k9ao