[UK-CONTEST] Improving CW Capability

[G3SXW]

Stewart,
The 'rhythm method' is a contraceptive device. HA! No, it's funny you should 
mention this. Do you get CQ Magazine? I've just read (Apr 2007, page 95, 
'Contesting' column by K1AR) an item entitled "Morse Code and Short-Term 
Memory". Here's a summary:

### 'Verbal working memory' is our ability to keep information on-line for a 
short period of time that we can then access later. An everyday example 
would be looking up a phone number, closing the phone book and dialling the 
number. When we hear spoken language we recruit something called 'echoic 
storage', or a virtual tape recorder in the brain. A fluent Morse operator 
uses echoic storage to support his performance. There may be considerable 
individual variability and it may partly depend on how often a person uses 
Morse. If you write down copy as you receive, the use of the brain's echoic 
store may not be utilised in the same way as listening to Morse while it is 
being transmitted and internally processing it. ###

[SXW comment] Perhaps this helps to describe the problem of accurately 
transferring a call-sign into the log-book and our multi-tasking ability.  I 
suspect that Dr Fiez is right that there's considerable variability in the 
ability of CW operators in this way. This article doesn't suggest how to 
improve our 'echoic storage' ability, merely to understand it. Maybe it's a 
brain-training issue, but perhaps Morse could help as a brain-training tool.
73 de Roger/G3SXW.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Cooper, Stewart" <coopers at odl.co.uk>
To: <uk-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Friday, March 30, 2007 11:14 AM
Subject: [UK-CONTEST] Improving CW Capability


>
> I recall seeing a thread some time ago about improving ones CW. Might not 
> have been on UK Contesting. I find that I am limited by what seems like my 
> inability to get beyond reading single letters and concatenating them 
> together in my head when I copy CW and I need to move to the next level 
> (if there is one) but don't know how. Apart from RUFZ, MorseRunner, etc. 
> there was mention of using a 'rhythm method' or something like that. What 
> is it? Anyone have more info?
> Thanks,
> Stewart
> GM4AFF
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Offshore Design Ltd
> Buchanan House
> 63 Summer Street
> Aberdeen
> AB10 1SJ
> Registered in Scotland No SC 63080
> Registered Office: John Wood House
> Greenwell Road, Aberdeen, AB12 3AX
> VAT No 296 6488 90
>
> www.odl.co.uk
>
> This email is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may 
> contain confidential
> and privileged information. You should not disclose its contents to any 
> other person. Any
> unauthorised review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you 
> are not the
> intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately.
> _______________________________________________
> UK-Contest mailing list
> UK-Contest at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/uk-contest
>