[Elecraft] Fwd: Re: [OT] increasing CW copy speed: practice slow -v- practice fast
Peter Chamalian
W1RM at Comcast.net
Sun Dec 6 09:50:57 EST 2015
Practice is very important but so is having a good coach. To that end may I
suggest you check out the CW Academy -- http://www.cwops.org/cwacademy.html
There is also a CWops HF On the Air Advisors program open to all:
http://www.cwops.org/cwa-aota.html
CWops also has a weekly one-hour sprint like contest called CWT that runs on
every Wednesday at 13z, 19z and Thursday 03z. The exchange is easy -- name
and state or country if you are not a member. Members send their name and
membership number.
Pete, W1RM
-----Original Message-----
From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
Stephen Shearer
Sent: Sunday, December 06, 2015 8:31 AM
To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: Re: [OT] increasing CW copy speed: practice
slow -v- practice fast
Sounds great. It should work. I know I need to practice...
I have another problem....
How do I put this... Sloppy sending?
I notice (particularly in contests) that many ops run the characters
together. I can't copy and my KX3 can't copy. Good keyers add the proper
spacing between characters and words. Bugs, straight keys, and simple
keyers don't (can't) add the spacing automatically.
I tried the zombie shuffle, all I or my KX3 got was cqtest, others were were
copying fine.
comments?
steve WB3LGC
On 06-Dec-15 3:00 AM, Robert Harmon wrote:
>
> Bill,
>
> We are not discussing entry level code learning. We are discussing
> increasing your code speed on receive. And speed is vitally important !
> K7QQ is not the only one that can copy high speed CW, there are many
> of us out here. Transitioning to higher speed copy can be done
> through systematic and regular exercise. I have been a CW operator
> for over
> 40 years and it wasn't until fairly late in the game that I accepted
> the advice from several high speed ops on how to progress past
> mediocre copy speed. ( I will share this below) First we need to
> realize there are two distinct types of training for CW. The first is
> developing your rote memorization skills for learning the characters.
> I recommend the Farnsworth method for this. With Farnsworth the
> characters are sent faster than the words. For instance at 10 wpm
> each character is sent at 20 wpm but enough time is added to slow down
> the rate to 10 wpm. The ARRL adopted this method years ago for their
> morse code training materials and the W1AW morse transmissions. For
> example when W1AW is sending at 18 wpm the characters are sent at 20
> wpm.
>
> Now to increase your speed you need to approach your training
> differently. (which is the subject of Roberts original post) There
> are different variations of the training used to increase your speed
> but they all have a common denominator. They all in some form or
> another introduce copying at a faster speed (go figure)
>
> Here is what I found to be most effective method for me I learned from
> other ops.
> Its great to spend time in the saddle copying QSO's in which your
> current copying speed will allow, but to really increase your copying
> speed you need to spend some time exercising your copying abilities
> each day by practice copying ONLY at speeds faster than you can
> comfortably copy. You wont increase your copying speed by always
> copying at the same comfortable speeds. Practice at a speed where you are
only able to
> copy one or two characters in each word. Concentrate !! Do this for
> only 10 minutes each day. If you are really concentrating you will
> find
> 10 minutes is about when you are ready to throw in the towel for the
> day anyway Later on after you find you are able to copy about half of
> the overall text then increase the speed back to where you can only
> copy one or two characters in each word. (This isn't supposed to be
> easy this is a training exercise.) Try this only ten minutes a day and
> see what happens ! Also this needs to be practiced regularly, every
> day and if you miss a day, no worries,
> jump back in. Many hams never improve their speed and are content when
> they reach around 20 wpm max. In many chasing DX and contest
> operating CW activities it gives you an big advantage to be able to
> operate at higher speeds. We have all heard the high speed ops during
> a contest and marvel at how fast their contacts go by. It is great to
> be able to match their speed and grab a contact ! Its not that
> difficult folks, just 10 minutes a day of concentrated practice. As
> you are gaining your speed don't get frustrated over losing a word or
> words when you are in a CW QSO and losing the intelligibility of the
> conversation, that happens to all of us and will be remedied when you
copying speed is increased.
> Lastly, you will with practice, increase your "comfortable" copy speed
> to upwards of 30 to 35 wpm and more.
> You will be able to really enjoy morse as a language. You will sit
> there and listen to sentences and paragraphs go by in your head with
> complete understanding. It is very enjoyable !
>
>
> 73,
> Bob
> K6UJ
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On 12/5/15 11:54 AM, Bill Rowlett wrote:
>> The best way to learn CW is the same as learning any language, by the
>> sound of the letters or charters. The speed you use to practice is
>> not important, it is writing down the letter when heard, over and
>> over again. K7QO has a CW program on his site which does just that.
>> Also, it is finding the time and dedication to put in the time
>> needed. K7QO by the way has won copy contest at over 100wpm, he knows
what he speaks.
>>
>> Just my two cents. Now, back to the practice.
>>
>> 73 and good DX
>>
>> Bill KC4ATU
>>
>>
>> On Dec 5, 2015, at 2:37 PM, Kevin Stover<kevin.stover at mediacombb.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I've always thought the Farnsworth method was directly responsible
>>> for the "10 wpm wall" newcomers were running into. Reading "The Art
>>> and Skill of Radio Telegraphy" Pierpont says the same thing. By
>>> stretching the time between words you give people more time to
>>> translate. if your going to copy Morse faster than about 10wpm you
>>> don't have time to translate. You have to know the character as soon
>>> as you hear it without using the look up table in your head. The
>>> Koch method has no exaggerated spacing between words or elements.
>>> You want to be proficient at 35 wpm, you practice with dit/dah and
>>> word speed set for 35 wpm.
>>>
>>> Building speed on the air is great as long as the code you are
>>> copying is "good" code meaning close to properly spaced and timed
>>> code. The nice thing about the computer programs is they send
>>> perfect code. With G4FON you can make it more realistic by adding
>>> QRM, QRN and QSB in varying levels. The only thing your missing is
>>> an old timer on his bug sending with the "Lake Erie Swing".
>>>
>>> --
>>> R. Kevin Stover
>>> AC0H
>>> ARRL
>>> FISTS #11993
>>> SKCC #215
>>> NAQCC #3441
>>>
>>>
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