CW - For Real this Time

[ToddDubya]

So how did you do in the end? There were a lot of opportunities for contacts this weekend although I know the speed at which contest exchanges move can be intimidating, but the format is simple for ARRL DX contest.

I had previously taken almost everything apart, including moving to a new shack computer, so I was stopping and making contacts in between working on feedlines, logging software, rig control, antenna rotator control interface, etc., etc. .
Just 104 contacts (71 multipliers) but it was fun to reapply myself to the hobby.

I hope you had fun, keep up the good work.

The CQ WW WPX (CW) is at the end of May and it is another chance to make a pile of contacts; although it is a bit more challenging as you must receive and issue sequential serial numbers.

I didn't do the contest, but I did listen a little. I understood it as DX stations looking for VE and W call signs and vice versa and I'm none of those.

I tried chasing POTA/SOTA activators a few times throughout the weekend with little success. But at least I finally found a SOTA site that lists spots, so I can start playing that. I'm still trying to work out the exchange. I listened to a bunch and usually only get one side of the QSO. I'm at the phase where I can mostly copy if people stick to a basic formula, but as soon as someone throws in something unexpected I get lost. And I can even copy some of the faster senders if they slow down by adding extra spacing. I'm getting there. It definitely feels like I'm accelerating.

Current snag: W. My brain initially goes to D, then my brain has a whole conversation about how it's not D, but what else could it be. Then I missed everything that follows. This is further complicated by people sending DE before their call. But like I said, I'm getting there.

 

[Parker Duofold]

ARRL DX CW Contest on this weekend all bands.

Simple exchanges

Might be worth a listen-

UJay

I did 443 QSOs in the ARRL DX CW. Fun part time effort.

 

[CatSnoutSoup]

I understood it as DX stations looking for VE and W call signs and vice versa and I'm none of those.

Of course you are, or at least I am assuming you are a licensed amateur in the U.S.

Are you thinking that because the rules say W or VE participants that your actual call has to have a W prefix?

This is further complicated by people sending DE before their call.

In time and if they are sending it correctly (with a slight increase in rate) you will naturally recognize that as an expression, this is [call].

 

[ToddDubya]

Of course you are, or at least I am assuming you are a licensed amateur in the U.S.

Are you thinking that because the rules say W or VE participants that your actual call has to have a W prefix?



In time and if they are sending it correctly (with a slight increase in rate) you will naturally recognize that as an expression, this is [call].

A. That is how I interpreted it, yes. Is "W" generic to USA? I still wouldn't have responded to any of the fast guys because I can't make out their calls and they could complete two QSOs before I could finish sending my call Damn 2x3

B. I just need to remember that some people send that. I am laser focused on trying to catch call signs because guys don't necessarily send them every time and asking for it would mean I have to go off script.

One last thing that throws me off is that on SSB people end with 73, but on CW I'll hear 73 and then a whole bunch more stuff. I gotta remember to keep listening after that. My guess is it's calls.

Being brand new I listen for the guys who are the most consistent and try to follow their QSOs for a bit. That seems to help, especially when they use something I'm not expecting, like GM, etc. I find I can copy faster when I know what sort of information is coming next.

 

[CatSnoutSoup]

A. That is how I interpreted it, yes. Is "W" generic to USA?

Yes ,it is used as a generic reference for the USA. However the call prefix blocks assigned to the USA are WAA-WZZ, KAA-KZZ, NAA-NZZ, and AAA-ALZ so when they say W it assumed that any of these in any format are domestic participants.
Although some FCC allocations within the blocks are considered DX in some contests, like this weekend where KP2 (US virgin Is.), KP3/4 (Puerto Rico), KH2 (Guam), KH6/7 (Hawaii), KH8 (American Samoa), KL (Alaska).

That reminds me that the CQ WPX contests are interesting in that the points multiplier is unique prefixes logged. I like to tell myself I am a bit of a rarity during that one, having a 2x1 A-series call there are statistically not a lot of us likely to be active for the contest.

 

[n1oty]

A. That is how I interpreted it, yes. Is "W" generic to USA? I still wouldn't have responded to any of the fast guys because I can't make out their calls and they could complete two QSOs before I could finish sending my call Damn 2x3

B. I just need to remember that some people send that. I am laser focused on trying to catch call signs because guys don't necessarily send them every time and asking for it would mean I have to go off script.

One last thing that throws me off is that on SSB people end with 73, but on CW I'll hear 73 and then a whole bunch more stuff. I gotta remember to keep listening after that. My guess is it's calls.

Being brand new I listen for the guys who are the most consistent and try to follow their QSOs for a bit. That seems to help, especially when they use something I'm not expecting, like GM, etc. I find I can copy faster when I know what sort of information is coming next.

You will frequently hear a station send a short "T U" to end the exchange. Short and sweet. Literally.

 

[ToddDubya]

Just keeping this alive. I haven't been on air much the last few days. I listened to the ARRL practice code on Friday and copied very little. I think I came in around 18wpm, and only got some times because I picked up on EST, MST, etc., but I did learn commas. Then I was distracted by all the commas and would miss the next few words. I'm still having a hard time when I don't have any context. Like I tune into a QSO midstream and I can't follow at all until I hear a 5NN or 73 to figure out what's going on. But I'll get there.

I just got through the G lessons, so tomorrow I'll start on 7. At this point the 2-letter and 3-letter combos (20wpm, 10wpm spacing) are gimmes. I use those just to help burn in the characters, but unless I completely stop paying attention I'm at 100%. Even words are getting to be close to 100%. I've found that it is training me to only pay attention to up to four characters, so I'll have to unlearn that before too long.

I noticed that while I *know* all the characters (except '/') I instantly get lost when I hear one that I haven't *learned* yet. Or W. I canNOT get my brain to accept W. It even sounds like a W, but unless I get a few words in a row with it it's foreign. And forget about call signs starting with W. I miss everything that comes after it.



I don't know if I'd ever have any success on 2m, but my new Arrow yagi makes me want to climb a mountain and try it. I'd hate to have to schedule it with someone because then there's no reason to climb the mountain.

 

[ToddDubya]

Well look what was hanging in a plastic bag with a few back issues of QST magazine...



Do I restore it? I know there are a lot of these around but I don't know if I'd kill any collector value by cleaning it up and replacing parts. From what I can see it's just missing the binding post and the plate between the posts is broken. From what I can tell there's no harm in cleaning this up. I can't wait to see it shine.

 

[ToddDubya]

I didn't go to any extremes but I spent a few hours on it and I'm pleased with the results. Brass parts got a brief soak in ammonia, then a polish with Nu Finish. I used the Dremel and a buffing wheel on the main arm, whatever that's called. It's steel so it didn't want to polish up as easily. I also used the Dremel a little bit on the body, but not much. Then the two mounting screws got a quick touchup with some 1200 grit sandpaper just to clean up the top surfaces from whoever used the wrong screwdriver on it once.

I'll likely mount it to a nice piece of wood when I come across one that seems fitting. And I'd like to replace the missing post and the broken shorting plate.

Before:

After:

 

[ToddDubya]

I see the shorting bar is used for training. Your headset goes inline with the signal.

 

[ToddDubya]

Time for an update. I'm still plugging along and I'm starting to have a harder time again. Maybe I'm not being consistent enough, or I'm wicked stressed at work, or the characters are just getting more complicated. I just started B tonight. I already have a hard time with many-dit characters like 6 and H and 5 and now B.

I have been practicing sending a little more at night. While I'm watching TV I'll send a word, when that's done, I'll send the next one I hear, and repeat until I get tired. I've been using my homemade wooden paddles that are pretty good, but not great.

I'm still waiting on the springs for my American Morse paddles to get here. The guy emailed me on Monday and said he'd send them right out but they're coming from Cali so I guess it could be slow.

After B there are only 11 more sets of lessons if you count <BT> and <BK>. I think of the ones I have left 8 gives me the most trouble when I hear it. I'm ready to be done with all this. I expect learning will get faster as I use it more.

 

[ToddDubya]

Can't confirm...


View: https://twitter.com/M0NPT/status/1635646830749859841?s=20

 

[ToddDubya]

There's a CW contest this weekend so I thought I'd give it a go. Wrong-o, bucko. I thought it was a lowkey contest so there'd be some people at my speed giving just the basic exchanges. I gave up on that before I got one contact.

So I resorted back to POTA, which tends to have a scripted exchange. I got a few there and attempted to answer a call from KB6NU (the guy who writes the study guides for the ham exams). He immediately went off script and threw me for a loop. He slowed down to my speed right away, and I tried my best but I really had no idea what he was sending. He might have used my name somewhere. I recognized some question marks, so he was asking me something. I just gave him my QTH of MA and said 73. That was disappointing. I just occurred to me to send AGN?

After that I just listened and tried to make out what I could from other people's QSOs.

I send at 17-18 and can copy at least at that speed if I can hear it and if the person sending doesn't have some real swing. I have a real hard time sending any slower, and trying to copy slower is equally hard. Even writing it down I can't even figure out where words begin/end. So around 20wpm is a good speed, but I'm not quite at the instant recognition point yet.

Kind of discouraging, to be honest.

 

[ToddDubya]

Not that anybody is following this anymore but me, but last night I emailed the guy I had the botched QSO with and he had some encouraging words. He also sent me a copy of his book on CW that I won't share because he sells them. A lot I already knew, but he had some good info on QSO formats, general courtesy, and good practices. It turns out I was wrong from the very first thing I sent. There's a lot to it, a lot of shorthand, abbreviations, traditions, etc.; almost enough to discourage the casual operator from trying.

For now I think I'll stick to the simple SOTA/POTA exchanges until I'm good enough for more formal QSOs.

From SKCC, can confirm...

Truth be known, far too many Amateurs dive into their first on air CW experience without adequate preparation. They get frustrated from the experience and end up missing out on the joys of the original Ham communications mode

SKCC has this primer, which has a lot of the same info as his book.

http://www.tmrahamradio.org/files/CW1%20SKCC%20Beginner.pdf

CW Geek's Guide to Having Fun With Morse Code (PDF) - KB6NU's Ham Radio Blog

Also available on Audible as an audiobook or available in print on Amazon The CW Geek’s Guide to Having Fun with Morse Code is full of practical information that will help you have fun learning and using Morse Code. Chapters include: Learning the Code. This chapter gives advice on how to learn...

www.kb6nu.com

 

[UJay]

We are still keeping an eye one you here! (If they don't keep messing with the damn unread message tags of these forums... so annoying.)
Yeah please do not get too discouraged... the thing is that once you 'get it' it just clicks and you don't even think about it any more.
The more on-the-air listening and practice you get the better.
Try not to go too much slower than 18-20 wpm.

UJay

 

[ToddDubya]

We are still keeping an eye one you here! (If they don't keep messing with the damn unread message tags of these forums... so annoying.)
Yeah please do not get too discouraged... the thing is that once you 'get it' it just clicks and you don't even think about it any more.
The more on-the-air listening and practice you get the better.
Try not to go too much slower than 18-20 wpm.

UJay

Thanks. I'm learning characters at 20wpm, and that's a comfortable speed. I just can't copy more than one word in a row. For simple exchanges I can handle faster speeds, so that's good. I practice sending at 20, but on the air I slow it down so I don't get blasted out of the water.

I'm closing in on the 260-lesson Morse Code Ninja program, currently on about 215. I skip some lessons in each character group like one letter at a time. That was useful early on, but now I feel like I'd benefit from more like 5+ characters at a time. I spend a lot of time on call signs, which is a bit of a drudgery. I like the ones with words.

I've started looking for videos/podcasts/whatever to practice longer words, maybe phrases, stuff like that. I try to listen to QSOs and maybe I'll do better now that I know there's somewhat of a script. Lastly I should probably be listening to the ARRL practice sessions at night. I'm just usually so cooked after work I can't sit and focus that hard.

I know I'm really only about 3-ish months in, but I thought I'd be able to do better than call sign, 599, and state by now.

 

[JDL]

I use a Vibroplex single lever paddle. This way the keyer in the radio does the spacing. You just have to get the feel of how long you hold the left right position. I just can't seem to get spacing with a streight key.i have lots of straight keys. I recondition anteque brass keys for ham radio use. This gives the keys a new life from telegraph to ham radio. It is too bad I just can't seem to get the hang of using them. However I have sold many of my reconditioned keys to other ham radio cw operators.

 

[ToddDubya]

I use a Vibroplex single lever paddle. This way the keyer in the radio does the spacing. You just have to get the feel of how long you hold the left right position. I just can't seem to get spacing with a streight key.i have lots of straight keys. I recondition anteque brass keys for ham radio use. This gives the keys a new life from telegraph to ham radio. It is too bad I just can't seem to get the hang of using them. However I have sold many of my reconditioned keys to other ham radio cw operators.

Same problem here. I've been looking for something that gives a visual of spacing, like a digital chart recorder. Whenever I try to use the straight key I sound like all the guys I complain about. But I don't practice much, so there's that. Only 9 months left until SKN so I have to get myself in order.

My last few practice sessions with the PortaPaddle have not been great. Maybe I'm not paying enough attention since I'm just watching videos and sending words I hear. I'll be going along great then the dit gremlin sneaks in and just starts stealing dits from some characters and throwing them into others.

 

[JDL]

I am not sure what the PortaPaddle is however you may want to get a Vibroplex single lever paddle it made a big change for me. Also set your radios keyer to a speed that you are comfortable with. The Vibroplex is a little expensive around $100.00 used up to $300.00 new but I think they are worth it at least it was for me.

 

[ToddDubya]

It's a small-ish iambic paddle intended to be portable. It's not a whole lot smaller than my Bencher once I have it mounted to something, but it's light and less delicate. I don't blame the paddle for my mis-keying; it's just the one I keep in the living room that I practice with at night.

For practice I run at 20wpm (that's the speed I'm learning to copy as well), but on the air I slow down to 17wpm, which does take some getting used to. But it's about as slow as I can go before I start making mistakes that come from being too fast for the keyer.

I picked up the iambic thing quicker than I expected. Probably that part of my brain that's always trying to figure out how to save a step here and there. I see a lot of people use the iambic paddles like single lever paddles, but I figured since I was brand new I might as well start off trying to use them as intended.

Some picture I found online of the Porta Paddle II ...

In general I think I just need more on air practice. I got really discouraged last weekend and need to get back in the seat.

 

[ToddDubya]

This might help with those plagued with terrible straight key fists. Every 1st of the month from 00:00 UTC to 23:59 UTC.

I don't know what speed he's sending, but I'm not sure I could copy any faster than that. One word, yes. Several words I just get lost. I could likely do that same Farnsworth speed at 20wpm character speed.


View: https://twitter.com/wa1gov/status/1641764958814838784?s=20

SKCC - Slow Speed Saunter

The SKCC Group is the world's fastest growing group of straight-key morse code enthusiasts from around the globe. The group hosts an extensive list of morse code resources; a forum for members to share ideas, experiences and techniques, and active mailing list are a few of the services offered.

www.skccgroup.com

 

[ToddDubya]

Sheeeittt, I think this whole time I misunderstood the lessons I was doing. I thought when he sent random characters, they were 20wpm character with 10wpm spacing, but then when he sent words/callsigns they were 20/20. Nope, I think the words/callsigns were 20/10 and the random characters were something slower.

Last night I started listening to his 15wpm QSO practice. He sends one part, speaks it, then sends again. I might be able to follow the second time as long as he's not giving some QTH like San Francisco. My brain gives up after a couple words.

I tried the 20wpm version thinking maybe I'd do better since that's the character speed I'm used to. Not a chance.

I'm going to try and pick my way through a 20wpm (full speed) lesson of the 100 most common English words. He sends a word 3x, says it, then sends once more. I can get most words on the 2nd or 3rd send, and one here or there on the 1st, but some I can't get.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgnU1roq53Q&list=PL6jaK1F2bhkB9OupBX_LvMZoY_Ek7ymNi&index=46

 

[ToddDubya]

I moved from the above to just sending the words once, answer, repeat, and that was much easier after having gone through all 2+ hours of the above. For giggles I started this one just to see what it was about:

This series starts out at 1.5x the base speed and sends 4x, each slower until it reaches your base speed. So for 20wpm he starts at 30wpm, maybe 27, 23, then 20. I'm surprised how many I can get at 30. Some credit has to go to familiarity with the words from hours of practice with the top 100, but still.


View: https://youtu.be/ByqCcsd2GW0?list=PL6jaK1F2bhkB9OupBX_LvMZoY_Ek7ymNi


I'm still looking for a good one that sends phrases or short sentences. I really struggle with multiple words.

 

[ToddDubya]

I got on tonight with a friend. He just sent me a couple words, then we'd text back and forth and make sure I got it. He was using a straight key, and I was really surprised how much more difficult it was to copy when it wasn't perfect (keyer) code and perfect audio. He was also sending slower than I'm used to, so maybe that had something to do with it. I know listening to the ARRL broadcasts I really struggle with the lower speeds. The first one was tough, then I did much better.

Last night I worked a few POTA activators. I can do the basic stuff, but one guy was having trouble with my call and I was able to follow along and make the contact. You could even hear his excitement when he finally got it. That was pretty cool.

 

[ToddDubya]

Not much of an update, but I brought my FT-818 up to the super secret squirrel location and played POTA for a bit today. My homemade paddles made their first appearance on the air and did well. I made it a point to answer any(POTA)one I could hear, which was not a ton. Even fewer could hear me. But I got CO, TX, and IN. CO is usually a tough state for me.

My linked end fed half wave performed okay, I guess. I built it for 10, 12, 15, 17, 20 and somehow 10 and 12 lost their tune. I don't know if they're coupling to the next segment or what. I used K6ARK's technique and it makes for a nice setup, but something went haywire. Much disappoint.

I need to get something built for when the Mountain Topper gets here on Monday!


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlFXs5kk_8w

 

[n1oty]

Not much of an update, but I brought my FT-818 up to the super secret squirrel location and played POTA for a bit today. My homemade paddles made their first appearance on the air and did well. I made it a point to answer any(POTA)one I could hear, which was not a ton. Even fewer could hear me. But I got CO, TX, and IN. CO is usually a tough state for me.

My linked end fed half wave performed okay, I guess. I built it for 10, 12, 15, 17, 20 and somehow 10 and 12 lost their tune. I don't know if they're coupling to the next segment or what. I used K6ARK's technique and it makes for a nice setup, but something went haywire. Much disappoint.

I need to get something built for when the Mountain Topper gets here on Monday!


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlFXs5kk_8w

I have never been satisfied with the performance of any flavors of the "end fed" antennas, whether half wave or random length. I've concluded that those who love them and are satisfied with them view them favorably because of the ease of deployment. Personally, for wire antennas, I always come back to the dipole, the off center fed dipole or a dipole fed with ladder line and matched with an external tuner.

 

[ToddDubya]

I had really good performance out of another EFHW. It was in a prototype state for a long time and then I put it in a nice protective package and it hasn't been the same. Perhaps the wire stretched and it just needs to be trimmed again. It was winter so I didn't look into it.

But yeah, I mostly like them for the ease of setup. When I'm in the woods it's hard enough finding a suitable branch, let alone two suitable branches the correct distance apart, with a good place in between to sit.

I got a 20' length of RG-316 for this summer's QRP adventures. With a dipole setup as a sloper I should be able to get it reasonably high, at least as high as I ever setup the EFHW.

 

[ToddDubya]

Gonna have to be sure to get at least one CW contact today.

 

[ToddDubya]

I listened to the ARRL slow code last night and got some, but had trouble even figuring out the speed when they sent it. I think I maxed out at 10 wpm based on the mp3s they have on their site. I do better when they send words vs abbreviations.

Tonight I tried a few mp3s and had to keep going to slower and slower speeds, which was very discouraging. Then I tried the proverbs on LWCO.net and found I did better at 20wpm character speed (vs 15 wpm character speed), 10 wpm effective speed. Whole sentences helps, but recognizing proverbs makes it a little like cheating. I'll keep trying those for a bit and see if it helps. I would really like to move past callsign/rst/state/73 but it seems like a huge jump to sending sentences. Throw in shorthand, prosigns, protocols, etc and it's very daunting. I've put a ton of time into this but it doesn't seem like it's going anywhere.

Anyway, just frustrated.

 

[ToddDubya]

I tuned into the ARRL slow code two nights in a row now. I'd say tonight I copied 100% at 5 and 7.5 wpm, maybe 90% at 10 wpm, maybe 80% at 13 wpm, and 50% at 15 wpm. Some of my trouble was static crashes on 40m. Thankfully the Asian radio station that came in didn't last too long. I could mostly work around that, but it was very distracting. Now that I have some idea of the format, I can at least tell when one speed ends, the new speed begins, and what they're saying at the beginning ("QST February 2022 page 40" was tonight) so that's been a big improvement.

I switched over to 20m briefly where the static crashes weren't a problem, but it was fading pretty bad.

I've been trying to get more POTA contacts, at least a few per day. I also listened in on some ragchews and am able to get a decent amount. I don't know what speed they are sending when I can copy, probably 13wpm if I had to guess. Jargon and prosigns throw me off a lot. I can at least recognize the prosigns, but I'm not fluent so I don't know what they mean other than BT and BK. Not without stopping to think about them anyway.

Listening to the slow code is probably going to get me over the hump of being able to consistently copy at some speed anyway.

In related news I made a new cable for my straight key that my radio will accept (TRS vs TS that was originally on it) and spent some time with that last night. That's gonna take some practice before I'm ready to put that on the air. My brain knows what sounds it wants to make, but my hand doesn't cooperate. For a lifelong finger/toe tapper, I thought that would come more naturally. I'll get it.