[Elecraft] O.T. Learning Morse Code

Sun Jun 1 11:15:41 EDT 2014

I'm surprised to learn that there is at least one other living human 
being that knows what an APL golfball is.  The Selectric was a great 
machine. I only ever used it as a terminal - but it sure had a pleasant 
keyboard.

I don't work nearly as much cw as I would like to.  I've always had some 
kind of mental block.  I just can't seem to recognize characters fast 
enough, no matter how many hours (100's)  I've spent just copying code.  
On a good day I can maybe get to 15 wpm. Mostly, in a QSO, I'm more like 
12 wpm.

My father could copy 25 WPM in his head like someone was talking to him 
on the phone.  Whatever genes he had that enabled that, he certainly 
didn't pass them on to me.

Doug -- K0DXV

On 05/31/2014 10:02 PM, Walter Underwood wrote:
> Should be able to find a typewriter in fine working condition here:
>
> http://www.losaltosbusinessmachines.com/
>
> My all time favorite typewriter is an IBM Correcting Selectric II. An APL golfball would be icing on the cake.
>
> wunder
> K6WRU
>
> On May 31, 2014, at 8:26 PM, WILLIS COOKE via Elecraft <elecraft at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
>
>> I had to learn to copy at least three times.  First, I memorized the code from the Boy Scout Handbook with dots and dashes.  That was good for about 5 wpm.  Then I learned to copy with block printing and that worked well to almost 20, but I could not get there.  I had to learn to copy with cursive to get the extra back when you had to get a minute perfect copy for the examiner.  I am still working on head copy but for some reason I have to hold a pencil and make marks that even I can't read most of the words to copy.  Finding a mill that works well is a challenge these days.  The ships that I have worked on have several mills sitting around frozen up, but none that work well.  I don't think there are any typewriter repairmen left around to rework a mill.
>>   
>> Willis 'Cookie' Cooke, TDXS DX Chairman
>> K5EWJ & Trustee N5BPS, USS Cavalla, USS Stewart
>>
>>
>> On Saturday, May 31, 2014 7:25 PM, Fred Jensen <k6dgw at foothill.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> You are right Chuck, this is true, many will verify it.  If I'm writing
>> it down, the translation path is <hear sound><know letter/number [or
>> maybe word]><recall shape of written character[s]><write character[s]>.
>>    With a mill, it's <hear sounds><move fingers>.
>>
>> I think it's that <recall ...> step that breaks the continuous copying
>> process, it requires thinking, and if you learned on a mill, or have
>> used a mill a lot, you're not used to doing any thinking.  When I was at
>> the coastal marine station so many years ago, my mind would wander while
>> in traffic with a ship ... OK, I was 16, 16-yr old minds wander a lot.
>> :-)  But, it's just evidence that I wasn't thinking about what I was copying
>>
>> Copying on a mill, and to a large extent on a keyboard, I have no idea
>> what I copied when I'm done, without reading it, it's muscle-memory and
>> it did not go through my alleged brain.  I'm not a musician, but my
>> brother is [however, he makes his living writing software :-)] and he
>> tells me playing the piano is basically muscle memory ... <see
>> notes><move fingers>.
>>
>> It goes a bit beyond that however, there is a distinct difference
>> between a mill and a computer keyboard for most.  I can type faster
>> [from hard copy text] on a desktop keyboard than I can on a mill.
>> However, I can copy Morse [groups or text] faster on a mill than than
>> that same keyboard.  On a mill, I'm good for 30-35 WPM.  On a standard
>> sized desktop keyboard, 30 is tops and will have typos.  On a laptop or
>> other smaller keyboard, I sort of top out at 20-25 ... or less depending
>> on the keyboard.
>>
>> I really don't *know* why, but I suspect that the longer key travel
>> forces a rhythm that syncs with the Morse.  The worst of all keyboards
>> to touch type on are the flat-panel ones with no key travel.
>>
>> Just in case there are any out there looking for a CW Elmer, the CWOps
>> group runs an international CW Academy.  They use a well proved
>> methodology, a free video-conferencing program with competent
>> instructors, flexible schedules, and there's lots of on-air support from
>> the members on the 3 CWT's each Wednesday.  cwops.org  There is usually
>> a waiting list but it goes fast.
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> Fred K6DGW
>> - Northern California Contest Club
>> - CU in the 2014 Cal QSO Party 4-5 Oct 2014
>> - www.cqp.org
>>
>>
>> On 5/31/2014 4:08 PM, Chuck Smallhouse wrote:
>>
>>> I was tasked teaching much older(>17) and lower ranked Radiomen, Morse
>>> code, via using a typewriter for copying.  It was a learning experience
>>> for me, as I found this method much easier to learn, than by writing
>>> down the words and messages by hand.  It seemed as if the code
>>> characters went directly from the ears to the typing fingers, totally
>>> bypassing any pondering in the brain.
>>
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> --
> Walter Underwood
> wunder at wunderwood.org
>
>
>
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