[QCWA] FCC Drops Morse

[Paul L Schmidt, K9PS]

B Roske wrote:
> That being said, I encourage the VECs add a section to the question pool
> that tests knowledge about this mode like they have for the other modes.
>         What is the ratio in time units between a dit and a dah?
>         How many time units are there:
>               between characters?
>               between words?
>        Why does CW get through when most other modes can't?
>        How do you measure how fast someone is sending?
>        How many characters does the number 5 count for when measuring
> sending speed?  Why?

Interesting questions, but I'm not sure they're very good exam
questions.  A good ham exam question hits the balance between the
theoretical and practical, and must not be subjective.

I wonder how many CW ops can give the technically-correct answer to
them :)

I know dit:dah is 1:3, but for the rest of the ratios, I know what
sounds right.  The actual timing? I don't know.  And listening to
all the keyer- and keyboard-generated CW these days, there are times
I'd really like to hear CW where the ratios are NOT perfect.

Why *does* CW get through when most other modes can't?  What is
"most"?  If I'm in the CW/data portion of the band, I'm probably
tuned into MT63, Olivia or PSK31, so in my case, "most" modes
work better than CW.

Why do I need to know how fast someone is sending?  If it's too
fast, I send QRS.  If it's too slow, I send QRQ.  If I can't figure
out what they're sending, I send QLF (stop sending with your left
foot).

And I think 5 counts as two characters, since it's a number... but
that also depends on which speed-measuring standard you use (the
one based on clock rate or dit-duration, the one based on standard
text, etc.).

While I don't think they should be on the license exam, I'd
certainly encourage coming up with a set of questions like this
for a local ham club activity.  These are more discussion starters
than pass/fail questions.  Discussion is a good thing... it might
even result in some no-code members wanting to learn the code.

Here are a few more:

What is Lake Erie Swing?

Which way do you slide the weight on your bug to send faster?

Why do Vibroplex bugs cost so much on eBay?

What is so different about a J-36 compared to a J-37 or J-38?

What company known for making model trains made morse keys?

And, of course, What is the difference between a Wouff Hong
and a Rettysnitch?


73,

Paul / K9PS