[Elecraft] My Take on CW

[Ted Edwards W3TB]

And that does help to explain why my mother-in-law never learned to drive.
She didn't want it, and in NYC you really don't need it.

On Tue, Oct 31, 2017 at 9:00 PM, Bob McGraw K4TAX <rmcgraw at blomand.net>
wrote:

> I started in ham radio as a Novice in 1959.  That required 5 WPM, crystal
> control, 75 watts and only CW.   Finally up to 13 WPM and a General license
> and later to an Extra class license which I hold today.    Over the 58
> years that are now behind me,  I drifted away from CW to a much easier SSB
> mode.  Now at 75 years of age I find the mind is not nearly as sharp, as
> keen and as fast as it was 50 or so years ago.    In order to stimulate the
> thinking process, hopefully in an effort to delay dementia and other mind
> altering age related issues, I've returned to CW.    I'm being reminded of
> my H.S. math teacher when asked "why do we study algebra?", he responded
> "It's mental gymnastic training". That's the way I view and approach CW
> today.
>
> 73
>
> Bob, K4TAX
>
>
>
> On 10/31/2017 6:39 PM, greenacres113 at charter.net wrote:
>
>>
>>         The main & I mean main thing is desire. If learning CW is a job or
>> task you'll probably drop out eventually. In my 57yr.s on CW that's
>> what I've heard most often. It's too hard, it takes too long or I can
>> never learn it.
>>
>>         When you learned to ride a bike, get your drivers license or met
>> your
>> mate it was something you really wanted. The desire was there.
>>
>>         It's only 26 letters, 10 numbers & a few other symbols. You
>> probably
>> have more PC passwords with a mix of numbers & letters and characters
>> than what CW requires. Bet you know the passwords by heart.
>>
>>         My Dad [SK W4YAD] passed his 13 WPM code test at age 55 after a
>> mild
>> stroke. He saw me on CW & wanted to learn. That ole' desire again.
>>
>>         Try what ever method to learn that you are comfortable with. If
>> you
>> can find a partner that's much better. I was lucky that at age 13 my
>> best friend & me learned together. We talked in Morse. It was our
>> secret language. He became K9UFO [SK].
>>
>>         Another motivation you might consider is CW is another language.
>> You
>> can become bilingual ! Just as playing music or speaking Spanish is a
>> different language you will have a new world to explore. A language
>> only spoken by people with that desire.
>>
>>         Desire is everything!
>>
>>         K9IL
>>
>>
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>
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-- 
73 de Ted Edwards, W3TB and GØPWW

and thinking about operating CW:
"Do today what others won't,
so you can do tomorrow what others can't."