[TenTec] Copying CW in your head

[Jess Young]

I suffer from the same problem myself, Peter.  I was an Army CW op back in the
early 60's...used to do CW nets at 35 wpm......problem is, they were all 5
letter code groups, and I copied on a Mill typewriter.  When I got involved
with ham radio, my typing skills had degenerated, so I went back to writing.

After I got the typing speed back up, I found I couldn't copy CW and type at
the same time any more....wasted several weeks trying.  I found taping QSO's
from computer programs at 35 -40 wpm helped a lot.  It really is easier to copy
code in your head when it is sent faster.

I can handle contest exchanges between 15 and 45 wpm, but am still struggling
with conversational QSOs....I can't send for long periods at high speeds (30
wpm +) without errors, and I have trouble copying in my head below 30 wpm.  I
keep listening to slower code QSO's now to try to improve, but Rome wasn't
built in a day.

Listening to QSOs between other hams lets you practice and keeps the pressure
off.  If anyone has any magic solutions, I am interested, too.

73, Jess, W8JY

"Peter A. Klein" wrote:

> This is more of a CW question than a Ten Tec question, but since the two
> are so closely related, why not?
>
> I've been operating a lot of PSK31 in the last few months, to the detriment
> of my CW.  I must also confess that most of my CW operation is DXing or
> jumping into a contest to work a new country here and there.  So I haven't
> done a lot of "conversational" CW in quite a while.
>
> Recently, I've again felt the pull of CW.  I've done a bit of listening and
> some CW QSOs, and observed the following:
>
> - I can do quick DX-style contacts at 25-30 wpm, but only in short bursts
> before my mind fogs.
>
> - I can lope along at about 18 wpm reasonably comfortably, writing down
> only the important words.  Much above 20 wpm, I can't write that fast. I
> could probably copy by typing on the PC, but that's a separate skill.
> Besides, one of the nice things about working CW is that you can turn the
> dammned computer off :-)
>
> - I can copy in my head up to a point.  I'm fine with words and
> abbreviations of up to 3 letters, but I have trouble with longer words.
> I've been closing my eyes and trying to visualize the words in my mind,
> with some limited success.
>
> - I find it impossible to act like a dumb modem.  My mind wants to
> recognize the word after the first couple of letters, and it wants to get
> the meaning of the words as they go by.  Also, I'm the kind of person who
> is always thinking about several things at once.  All this seems to get in
> the way of copy.
>
> - At higher speeds, the letter "e" gives me fits.  My mind recognizes it a
> bit too late, which often screws up the whole word.
>
> - I'm in my mid-forties, and I think that QRN bothers me more than it used
> to.  And that I am just a shade less good at picking a very weak signal out
> of the mud than I was in my twenties.  Thank goodness for non-ringy Ten Tec
> filters and quiet Ten Tec receivers. (see, now I'm on topic!)
>
> So, all you CW mavens, any tips?  Passing tests isn't an issue--I've had my
> Extra for years.  I'm interested in getting to the point where I can read
> CW in my head with pleasure.  Apart from just getting on the air and
> working people, are there any special techniques that would help?
>
> 73 from KD7MW
>
> --- Peter
> /\:     ________     __     =========     ,  ,  ,  ,   ,  ,  |'  ,      ,
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>                                 ~'                            =========
>
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