[Elecraft] Elecraft CW Net Announcement

[kevinr]

Good Evening,

    The wind has been howling all day but the antennas are still up and 
the power is still on.  So I spent the day watching the Masters and 
practicing CW with my left hand.  After the first week or so it felt 
less strange.  The biggest problem I have is to remember how to send 
each character.  Over the years I have forgotten my lookup table.  It is 
much like typing.  I think about what I want to write and my fingers do 
the work.  I have to look at the keyboard to see where keys are but my 
fingers know where to go without me thinking.  Sending code with my 
right hand is like that.  I really need to think about each character 
when I send with my left hand.

    The paddles are wired oppositely from my working set of paddles so 
the thumb and forefinger are doing the same thing with either hand.  It 
is just there is no lookup table in my head telling me how to send.  So 
I have been working my way through the alphabet and sending random 
character groups; today I sent names from the leaderboard.  The first 
week was quite frustrating but I'm getting better, gaining strength and 
dexterity.  Sending too slowly confused me to no end so I set my 
WinKeyer to about 18 wpm or so.  Once I raised the speed sending became 
easier.  Now it is simply trying to remember how each character is 
formed.  In a few months of practice I should be able to get on the air 
with my non-dominant hand.  I am sure everyone will notice.


Please join us tomorrow on:

14050 kHz at 2200z Sunday (3 PM PDT Sunday)
   7045 kHz at 0000z Monday (5 PM PDT Sunday)

73,
Kevin. KD5ONS

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