[Elecraft] K3 CW text decoder

[Fred Jensen]

On 7/23/2012 1:37 PM, Anthony Scandurra wrote:
> But callsigns are not words.  How does this factor into the "copy in your
> head whole words" method?

Well, a call sign is a code-group, some more than 5 characters.  Most of 
the time, I know when I'm expecting a call sign, and I type it as if it 
was just a code group.  No meaning [well ... if it started with 3D2 and 
ended with C, it would have meaning. :-) ], but you probably get the idea.

I'm sure everyone's personal experience is very different, but for me in 
a CW "conversation," I listen to it like the op was just talking to me. 
  Some words are important ... "Chicago" out of, "My QTH is Chicago 
Chicago" ... "K3 and tribander", out of "Running a K3/100 and tribander 
hr at 45 ft"  Honestly, if I miss the 45, I don't care how high his 
antenna is anyway, and the "feet" at the end tells me what that was if 
QSB got the "45".

Some of the words are predictable ... "Got dinner call, 73 -----".

Much of communications is predictable over the short term.  If we're 
face to face and you say, "Man, that last business trip ---," I'm 
looking for a description, maybe not good.  All you have to do is 
understand enough to know what's likely coming next, and pick out the 
important words.

I learned a passable speaking fluency in Lao when I was in Laos in the 
60's.  Lots of stuff I didn't understand, but I could spot the clues as 
to what was coming next and was important.  I don't think CW is a 
"language," as much as it's an audio alphabet for a language we already 
know.  There *is* a language element in CW, abbreviations, acronyms, and 
Q-signals, but most of it is just listening to someone talk to you using 
an audio code rather than spoken words.  The language part is not much 
different than having the network geek explain why your wireless router 
won't connect to your TiVo. :-)

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2012 Cal QSO Party 6-7 Oct 2012
- www.cqp.org