It is almost a year ago I started learn CW seriously. I knew it would take a long time.
It's a fun slow journey. I will try to take another way after I finished the 28/12 wpm lessons. I'm already at lesson 40 and my guess is that it will take another few days before I reach a 100% score. However I'm not on the right path learning to decode daily QSOs on the bands. An old wise man told me that I better learn same speeds like 12/12 wpm and so on. So I already adopted that for the "plain text training" part of the course. He also gave me the advice to learn and train abbreviations like they use in QSOs, I do that in the "word training". I also continue with the call training and figures (number, both normal as shortened) training for use in contests.
Close!
6 comments:
Morning Bas, you are doing SO VERY WELL!! On the other hand, I have been pathetic in my resolve to learn CW and compared to you, I have put no REAL effort in.
I was with my wife in a delicatessen last weekend and out of the blue, she said “Why don’t we learn a new language together”? I jokingly suggested that we learn CW together and to my surprise she said yes! So I’m guessing that it’s going to be a lot easier to stick to a learning-schedule when you’ve got a learning partner in the house. We’ll see LOL.
I continue to watch your journey with interest - I find it motivational.
Thanks,
Tom, M7MCQ.
Good morning Bas, that is a tall order to learn CW QSO and contesting at the same time. As I move along in my CW journey it does slow, frustrating and a few steps back and then one forward. My wife quilts and sews as a hobby and sometimes I catch her getting frustrated. I tell her "relax and enjoy its a hobby". The other day I was talking to her about me being stuck with the code and going backwards...I must of sounded frustrated...she told me with a smile..."relax and enjoy it's a hobby". It's natural to get in a pickle when working hard at something. But I want to continue to see it as a hobby, a great exercise for my mind to keep me sharp and as Tom said a language.
73,
Mike
VE9KK
Hello Tom, well it looks like I make progress. But today I still struggle to key my callsign :-).
Well good to hear your XYL wants to learn it as wel. In that case it will be easier I guess. You can make a little conversation in morse which will make the progress faster. I've been trying to make a QSO on 10m CW but till now I've not found a station who send code slow enough to copy.
Good luck with learning and I hope to read some update on your blog.
73, Bas
Hello Mike, yes it is still a hobby and I should relax. But if possible I will practice code every day. I try to enjoy it and so far most of it learning it is very enjoyable. The only frustrating thing is that I really like to make some QSOs with CW. I've been listening on 10m CW today but cannot find a station that sends slow morse so I would be able to make anything out of it. So I still decode with computer and try to "recognize" some letters before the computer decodes it. But complete QSOs is not yet possible. 73, Bas
Let's make a deal. If we make a CW QSO, the Belgian beer is on me. Or other drink if you want.
I'm serious. I've sent off CW multiplier compensation to Oregon USA :o)
PS if someone calls me slow(er), I just throttle back to accommodate the speed. Only fair and normal.
NEVER GIVE UP!
Would be great to make a CW QSO with you Frankie, so far I only did one QSO which went not that good with AE5X when he was visiting Iceland. Tnx for the belgian beer offer ;-).
I'm always afraid someone is not slowing down when I reply to a CQ. But I can always send QRS or ? of course. I have to stop worrying and get on the air.
73, Bas
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