[Elecraft] O.T. Learning Morse Code

[WILLIS COOKE via Elecraft]

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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