[Elecraft] Fwd: Re: [OT] increasing CW copy speed: practice slow -v- practice fast

Wed Dec 9 20:13:50 EST 2015

Bob...

Yes, I have used your comments to infuse a new energy into the business 
of "speeding up." At the moment, still using 5-letter groups and Rufz, I 
start with the "dot" letters, e/h/i/s with U & V, at around 20wpm and 
spends several trial at that task. Then, the full alphabet at 30wpm with 
the previously mentioned "ignoring the first letter." As you no doubt 
expect, the 5-ltr groups at 30wpm are going better. I increase the speed 
one ltr/min per trial up to around 35wpm at which point there are more 
mistakes. Then, I drop back to 30wpm and start the process over again. I 
do as many sequences as can comfortably fit into your 10min window. It's 
fun, and I imagine that speed is picking up. Thanks for your 
contributions to the discussion.

Again, thanks to Elecraft for making space for this thread.

...robert

On 12/8/2015 05:06, Robert Harmon wrote:
> Robert,
>
> Human nature being what it is all of us put what we think is beneficial
> "time in the saddle"
> on the air but we become complacent and migrate back to easier copy and
> we are kidding
> ourselves and not really exercising our copying speed abilities. Ask me
> how I know this  :-)
> Time in the saddle is not the nirvana for higher speed CW.
> Try the exercise Robert then report back.  It is only 10 minutes a day.
> As a sideline to being a ARRL VEC, I teach morse code to new hams and
> hams that want to improve their CW skills.  I cant take credit for this
> exercise.  I finally took
> the advice from other high speed ops and found it to be the most
> efficient and fastest
> method for me in advancing my copy speed.  It is necessary to spend ten
> minutes
> in quality training time a day for a few weeks.  (I wouldnt call that
> intense, hihi)
> Then enjoy "time in the saddle"  but do your 10 minutes regularly for
> awhile and see what happens. !
>
>
> 73,
> Bob
> K6UJ
>
>
>
>
>
> On 12/7/15 5:27 PM, Robert G Strickland wrote:
>> Bob's approach to increasing speed once a basic level of cw
>> proficiency has been achieved speak directly to my original thoughts
>> on the subject. Using a 5-letter group of random letters as the
>> practice message, then my question, in terms of Bob's approach, could
>> be stated as follows. Which is the quickest way to achieve some target
>> speed: to start the group at a speed where only one/two character are
>> correct, or to start where three/four are correct? I have no doubt
>> that with the regular and intense "concentration" that Bob advocates,
>> any method [within common sense limits] will result in higher copying
>> speed. That said, which starting point is going to get the operator to
>> the target speed the quickest? I don't know. Most of the folks who can
>> comfortably copy at speeds in excess of 30wpm seem to be from the "old
>> school" in that many learned in the military and have been at it a
>> very long time. I have to believe that their speed developed over time
>> with continuous usage/practice. Nothing beats time in the saddle. An
>> interesting "experiment" would be to take a bunch of hams who can copy
>> at 20wpm, divide them into the two approaches being discussed and
>> "measure" how long it takes each group to be comfortable at 30/35wpm.
>> A human factors issue is a person's task motivation and tolerance for
>> frustration. Starting with only one character correct out of five may
>> be pretty daunting for some and a piece of cake for others. But,
>> that's a separate issue.
>>
>> Enjoying and learning from the discussion. Thanks Elecraft!
>>
>> ...robert
>>
>> On 12/6/2015 08:00, 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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>>>>>
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-- 
Robert G Strickland, PhD ABPH - KE2WY
rcrgs at verizon.net.usa
Syracuse, New York, USA