[HCRA] Learning Code - sending helps?

[Daniel Sullivan]

We had a nice chat about this recently at the Vienna Wireless Club meeting. 
I recall that when I was studying for my code tests I would sit and use an 
oscillator to send the place names off of National Geographic maps. The best 
map is that of China if you can get one big enough. All hard letters are 
there. Maps of other large countries will complete the alphabet. That leaves 
punctuation and numbers. Numbers are pretty easy (1-5 count the dots 5-0 
count the dashes). Thus you are left with pro-signs and punctuation as the 
only really challenging things to test. Maybe someone on MCW (or since you 
have the ability 6/2/440 cw) can help.

Dan S.
KO1D

----Original Message Follows----
From: "Kevin F. Berrien" <kberrien at comcast.net>
To: HCRA Maillist <hcra at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: [HCRA] Learning Code - sending helps?
Date: Mon, 03 Jan 2005 21:45:48 -0500

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-------Hampden County Radio Association-------
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I've decided to earn my general by going via element 3 (written) first, 
thereby getting my study habits back before the harder code test.  While I 
actively study the written element, I'm trying to get my code 
regiment/methods ready.  In my initial studying, I found Ham University & 
G4FON Koch with KochRX, as I can respond via keyboard (my carpel tunnel 
hands have trouble with lots of writing), seem to be the best for me.

I'm looking at learning code as being a lot like learning to type.  You just 
keep doing mundane practice and it slowly clicks.  While learning to type, 
besides learning finger placement its a lot of hands on, muscle/mind 
training.  Its as much a mental activity as a training physical one, where 
mind and fingers work as one.  Its that "physical memory" thing.

Do you think its all that helpful to practice sending code while in the 
process of learning.  Ie, help the mind learn the code through the "physical 
memory" type effect?  Or, as one learns the sounds of letters, does one 
while sending, perhaps, focus more on the components of the sound (dot/dash) 
and get caught in the "counting" effect?

Kevin N1VMJ
------Hampden County Radio Association-------
An ARRL Special Services Club for over 50 years
------------http://www.hcra.org------------
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