[Elecraft] LEARNING CW

[Edward R. Cole]

Yep,  a few of them are still with me like: CQ and SK and TEST and 
RST and NAME...pretty good since the last time I operated CW for any 
extended time was in 1958-1959 as a novice!

But you have hit on what my problem is -- No parallel processor! 
;-)  MY wife can rattle off at length when I am reading and I hear 
nothing!  Of course this is due to my college years, when as an 
engineering student, I had to filter out all the noise made in the 
dorm by the "jocks" and "art history" majors, etc.  the ability to 
focus with total concentration.

But I think once CW becomes a language that you hear, parallel 
processing is not needed.  What I find in progressing beyond 10-12 
wpm is having to copy one word, decode another, while listening to a 
third one.  One unrecognized character and the whole deal halts into 
a "blue screen".

Another parallel problem I am facing is learning to run a paddle.  I 
have had a straight key for over 50-years and back in the day I could 
send perfect 20wpm (could'nt copy it worth ding, though).

I have tried using the CW decoder on the K3 but the decode delay is a 
lot like trying the listen to TV while watching closed 
captioning.  Got to chose one or the other...see no parallel processor, here!

Good advice, Bill.  Ignore us old fuddies.

73, Ed

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Message: 24
Date: Sun, 08 Aug 2010 09:06:24 -0400
From: n6fb at aol.com
Subject: [Elecraft] LEARNING CW
To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Message-ID: <8CD0511A3B94BA8-1608-1E7C4 at webmail-m092.sysops.aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"


As a long time high speed CW op, let me pass on an few of what I feel 
are the keys to learning to receive effortlessly at QRQ levels.  The 
goal is to get to the point where listening to CW is exactly like 
listening to a conversation; that is, there is no conscious 
translation from dits and dahs into letters, words, and ultimately, phrases.



The first thing do to do is throw away your pencil.  Learn early to 
copy in you heard, even if it initially lowers your copying 
speed.  As you work through this stage, you will be amazed how 
quickly you begin to hear words instead of letters.  This approach 
will get you to at least 15 WPM if you stick with it.


For higher speeds, you must train your brain always hear words and 
phrases.  I found that the best way to do this, is to scan, and 
later, read some printed material while youare copying CW.  Again, 
this may require you to cut back your copying speed as the process 
sinks in.  What this does is to permit you to "parallel process" two 
things-one of which is hearing the CW and unconsciously  turning 
it  into words at the same time you are doing something else.  When 
you reach this stage, you have the tools to take your CW copying to 
any level of speed you wish.  Once you are over the 20 WPM barrier, 
speeds of up to 45 or can be achieved by anyone.


You say you can't parallel process?? Sure you can--you do it every 
time you are, for example, reading the paper and the XYL is talking 
to you ( and you are answering her ) at the same time!!


Bill
N6FB



73, Ed - KL7UW, WD2XSH/45
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