[Elecraft] Copying CW at high speeds

[Rose]

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Rose <elecraftcovers at gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Dec 29, 2019, 17:42
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Copying CW at high speeds
To: K8TE <billamader at gmail.com>, Rose <elecraftcovers at gmail.com>


Your post reminded me of the day in October, 1951 when the FCC Engineer
from Denver named Neeb had me send for him and he said; "Son, that's mighty
fine CW".

I had been driven to OKC by my "Elmer"
Reedy Booker, W5ADC (now a SK).  I had been studying for the then once a
year visit to OKC by the FCC.  Was so happy to pass, and out of that was
issued one of the first Novice Class calls (WN5TKI). See my QRZ page.

Years later went back "home" to visit Reedy.  Found him in a nursing home,
tied in a wheelchair.  He didn't know me or even that I was there.  His
hands were cold as I held them.  GAWD how I cried then and again as I write
this email.  Such a blunder I'd made!

Don't make the same mistake.  Take time to thank your "Elmer".

73

Ken Kopp - K0PP


On Sun, Dec 29, 2019, 16:54 K8TE <billamader at gmail.com> wrote:

> CW scared me to death after my traumatic experience with the FCC in
> Syracuse
> NY in 1960.  I had only several weeks to practice since I had been in HK4
> as
> an exchange student for a long Summer where I operated SSB on a friend's
> DX-100 and HQ-170.  I passed the General, but probably with one or no
> characters to spare.  At 14 years old, that made a lasting impression!
>
> With the advent of vanity calls, I chose to dump WA8WWM for K8TE in the
> mid-1970s.  I also passed  the 1st Class Radiotelephone in Detroit and the
> 2nd Class Radiotelegraph exam in Lubbock a couple years later.  I though
> the
> plain text for the latter was 22 wpm and cypher groups at 18.  It was a
> long
> time ago.
>
> CW for me went by the wayside until FD 2012 when I had to fill-in an empty
> two-hour CW slot, I the SSB Team captain.  With trepidation, I started
> running.  With about 150 calls in the log, I decided it was possible to
> operate CW and not achieve a higher heart beat than QSO rate.
>
> Since then, I have used LCWO.net for callsign practice.  I can copy at 75%
> accuracy above 40 wpm now.  I have a friend who listens to CW at the gym or
> on the road and has improved his speed significantly.  I have yet to feel a
> desire to rag chew.  But I can easily copy my callsign in DX pileups well
> above the infrequent 35 wpm speed.  I am proof that practice matters a lot!
>
> My purpose is to encourage the synapses to transfer callsigns and exchanges
> from sound to the keyboard.  I don't have time to rag chew in CW and rarely
> find time for extended SSB QSO's.  Still, I really enjoy chasing DX, POTA,
> SOTA, Counties, contesting, etc., especially on CW where contacts (usually)
> are brief and to the point, to say nothing of the difference in FD (no
> "Please Copy", Bill, AE6JV).
>
> Happy New Year and 73, Bill, K8TE
>
>
>
> --
> Sent from: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/
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