[CQ-Contest] Learning Morse

[Robert Chudek - K0RC]

Rick,

Those are good questions and I'm sure you'll get a variety of answers. 
Here's mine...

In most CW contests I find fellows operate around 27 ~ 29 wpm, a few faster 
in the 31 ~ 33 wpm range. On the other hand there are many fellows that 
operate in the 21 ~ 25 wpm range. I slow down or speed up to match their 
speed when I am in S&P mode. I will drop below 20 wpm if that's the speed I 
hear.

The ARRL Sweepstakes CW contest tends to run at a slightly higher rate, 
especially after the fellows get "warmed up on Saturday evening". So it's a 
mad house of pileups at the beginning and then speed demons if you show up 
on Sunday!

If you're contesting, you are (should be) using a keyboard for logging. So I 
wouldn't waste time trying to write with pen and paper. If you insist 
though, most people can write in cursive faster than printing, so writing 
will give a speed advantage. I switched styles in the early days when I hit 
the 20 wpm mark because I couldn't print any faster.

I believe the Farnsworth method allows characters to be sent at one speed 
(say 27 wpm) and the element spacing set at a slower speed (say 22 wpm). 
This is the option I would use if it was a choice. You will learn the sound 
of the higher speed elements.

In a contest, sometimes I will listen to a QSO and "load" my logging program 
with the information even before I attempt a contact (in S&P mode). If you 
are in run mode, you can set your speed to your comfort level. Most 
operators will slow down for you.

73 de Bob - KØRC in MN


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rick Kiessig" <kiessig at gmail.com>
To: <cq-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, November 09, 2008 5:02 PM
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Learning Morse


> I've decided to learn Morse, mainly with an eye toward contesting.  I 
> tried
> and failed many times years ago, using the approach recommended to me at 
> the
> time - cassette tapes.  I recently discovered the Koch method, and have 
> been
> using the G4FON software, but I have some questions:
>
> -- Since the Koch technique has you learning at full-speed from the
> beginning, what's a reasonable speed to aim for?  What's the range that 
> you
> might see in a typical contest?
> -- I've started at 22 wpm, and find that the speed of my handwriting is
> often not fast enough to keep up, and keyboarding is even worse.  The only
> way I could imagine going faster is to copy entirely in my head.  How did 
> do
> you get past that hurdle?
> -- Are there any other approaches to learning that I should consider, or
> perhaps better implementations of the Koch technique?
>
> Thanks,
> 73, Rick ZL2HAM
>
>
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