[Fists] Frustrated

[Ian Fulton]

As the UK National Hamfest gets closer, my frustration peaks about slow 
Morse and the 5wpm Morse test. To preserve Morse code, as a society 
should FISTS not concentrate on the ethics of learning Morse code and 
speak out against bad practices, especially to national societies who 
promote them.

In 1965 at the tender age of 18 I joined the RAF and was trained as a 
Wireless Operator Special and after 10 months passed out of the training 
school able to receive Morse at 20wpm and later upgrading to a Special 
Operator Telegraphy at 30wpm. /Please note the "receive" as I never 
touched a key till I was taking the Morse part of my amateur licence./

I have not taught Morse for years but when I did, I always taught the 
Koch Method, as this was the way I had been trained in the RAF and I had 
found it fairly easy. Today with computers when asked for advice I 
recommend Ray G4FON's Morse Trainer as it covers the Koch Method and I 
recommend a daily intake using it.

I have talked to a few M5's who took the 5wpm Morse test in the late 
80's who would really like to progress but have found it difficult to 
get away from counting dots and dashes so have not really progressed. My 
advice to them is to re-learn Morse Code using the Koch Method. /(I was 
a Morse examiner then and objected when they brought out the 5wpm test 
also David Finley agrees with my views)/

The extract below from the website of David Finley N1IRZ at 
http://www.qsl.net/n1irz/finley.morse.html"So You Want To Learn Morse" 
(/which is well worth a visit) /confirms my views.

/"I fell in love with radio in grade school, but was kept off the air 
for 30 years because I found traditional code training just too 
frustrating. During those decades, I tried several times to learn Morse, 
but every time gave up in frustration and disgust -- my progress was 
just too slow./

/In 1991, I became one of the first 500 people to enter ham radio by way 
of the no-code Technician license. After becoming bored with repeaters 
and HTs, I decided to make one last attempt to master the code. 
Fortunately, I stumbled on information about Koch's method, and found 
that it was the only thing that would work for me. In 1993, after 
diligent work at my computer, I took my first code test and passed the 
20 wpm exam on the first try."/

Although not an active member on air, I am always promoting Morse as it 
is my main mode of operation and I operate GB 2CWP and other special 
event stations and will also be taking my part in operating GB11NH at 
the National Hamfest as well as conducting Morse Assessmentsthere.

73's

Ian G4XFC
Webmaster www.g5fz.co.uk
Member of Fists #13276, CTC, RAOTA & RSGB
RSGB Registered Morse Code Assessor