[CQ-Contest] Learning Morse

[Art Boyars]

NA5TR says: "and trying to type without error which would create busted calls hasn't been any faster."

Rusty,

I'll add a comment, but realize that I operate almost entirely CW (lots of traffic net experience in the old days).  At some point in developing the skill, you get to where you are not consciously copying.  Your brain is just through-putting from your ears to the pencil or keyboard.  Rather than hearing "dahdidah" and realizing "Ah! Letter K", and then working out "Letter K is such and such a finger on the K key", you just go from "dahdidah" to finger on the K key.  (At the next level, part of your brain is translating from ear to keyboard, and another part of your brain is understanding what you are hearing.)  Maybe if you can visualize doing it that way you can get their more easily.

When I finally shifted to computer contest logging about five years ago it was at first harder than paper logging.  I never learned to touch type, so I was re-training my brain for translation to the keyboard.  OTOH, when I do get on 'phone (to make a few points for the Club), I think I am slower than on CW.  I have not yet gotten to the point of translating unconsciously from "KILO" to to "finger on the K key".

73 ES GL, Art K3KU