[Hallicrafters] CW training?

[Chris Kepus]

Howard's right on...whether family or a friend, a great way to learn the
code is to have a buddy learning with you.

Bruce, my friend, and I were in the 8th grade when we were studying for our
Novice licenses. By this time we each had a receiver (his SW-54, mine S-40A)
so we would get together at one or the other's house and listen to code and
attempt to copy it.  Since we were both in the Boy Scouts, we also had the
motivation to earn our merit badge(s) but our burning desire was to get on
the air. We constructed a buzzer and our Elmer gave us a key that allowed us
to practice sending...one would send...the other would copy...back and
forth...etc.
  
Finally, our Elmer, Chuck, W8CHO, pronounced us ready and administered the
Novice test to us. Despite all the practice, that 5 WPM sounded like 20
WPM...but, once our copy was graded, both of us passed the code with flying
colors and each passed the written...

Fast forward about six months to the point where we both had several months
of on the air experience. We decided to buy bugs. (I had a paper
route...Bruce's parents got his for him).  Since we lived only a mile and
half apart, we practiced sending with our bugs to each other at least once a
night.  Naturally, the spirit of competition caused a continuing escalation
in sent code speed.  Wasn't too long before we were able to send and receive
comfortably somewhere over 25 WPM.
  
If there hadn't been this friendship and partnering going on, it's quite
likely both of us would have eventually conquered the various code speed
requirements, but the encouragement and competition got us there lot's
quicker as we graduated from Novice to General to Advanced to Extra.

The buddy system sure worked for us.  BTW...I still use the same Vibroplex
Original that I used in 1955. :-)

Fun thread, nice to read other's stories and reminisce.  

73 and CW forever!

Chris
W7JPG