I'm now at the point I feel there is no progress. It might be there but I don't feel it.
I still practice every day. But not only the same LCWO lessons which got boring. With the help of PE2V Vincent I found the CWops fundamental homework/lessons. I made a spreadsheet list to keep track of my efforts which I started the 9th of this month.
I also practice the short stories on the Fundamental Practice files page. According to Vincent you should do head copy with these stories. But that's one step too far for me. I tried it several times and got frustrated because I can't remember the first part when decoding the second part and get confused. So I type it now. Best reliability is at 8 wpm, on 10 wpm I loose track when I make a fault. Hopefully this will improve within time.
I'm also trying to make QSOs, but further as R TU 599 K is not yet possible. My wish is to make a decent QSO but till now it still is not possible for me. I listen a lot on CW but all the QSOs are way too fast for me. Besides that I have to get used to abbreviations they use in a QSO. Well, at least I make some QSOs. Some are with the automatic keyer, some are with the paddle. I keep on practicing the best I can and hope I will get it some time.
Good morning Bas, yes head copy can be a bit of fun. In the past I have found myself hearing the text, decoding the letter and then putting the letters into a word. By the time I did all that I was already behind and like you frustrated. This might sound odd but at this point I hear certain groups of code as a word and do not need to spell out letter by letter. But in a QSO there is info that is always going to change. For this I find my self combining word recognition and copying ahead. In my head I am figuring out the word (sometimes I just skip it and move on) while listening what is coming and storing it in my brain.
ReplyDeleteNow short story copying that is a whole different ball game. I have never done that as with a QSO it generally is close to the same info and at times there may be a conversation about other things which can be a challenge.
Keep at it Bas it sounds like you have hit one of the walls in learning. Soon the wall will crumble and also it sound like you are activating many new skills at the same time. But again the wall will come tumbling down in time.
73,
Mike
VE9KK
Hello Mike, at this time a try to practice a lot with short stories. So far I recognize THE, TO, IT all the short words. So there is progress. It is just a matter of time, but I'm a bit inpatient :-). Anyway I hope this wall will crumble down soon. Tnx for the nice comment. 73, Bas
DeleteThanks for the nice words Vincent. Indeed I shouldn't be negative and write about my frustration. But it is all to show that CW is not easy to learn for everyone. Btw, I don't use a skimmer or reader anymore. It was always something I didn't like at all. But the automatic keyer is very handy in shouting for a DX contact or in a contest. For a real QSO I will not use it. 73, Bas
ReplyDeleteHoi Bas, je gaat de goede kant op. Er komt veel oefenen bij, ik deed dat elke dag een jaar lang, toen zat ik op 12 wpm. Soms zakt de moed in de schoenen maar met volharding lukt dat uiteindelijk wel. Ik ben tegenwoordig weer alleen met CW on air. FT8 daar ben ik toch wel op uitgekeken. De good old mode CW blijft toch erg leuk.
ReplyDeleteHallo Paul, nou inderdaad ben ook een beetje uitgekeken op FT8. Maar DX zit er tegenwoordig alleen maar op lijkt het. Ik heb het nog niet geprobeerd maar 12/12 wpm is dat dan? Een jaar....nou ben al wat langer bezig. 17 maanden om precies te zijn. Maar goed ik ben ook geen 25 jaar meer, het gaat allemaal wat langzamer denk ik. De tekens weet ik wel, maar als ze te snel achter elkaar aan komen laat mijn brein me in de steek. 73, Bas
DeleteToen ik cw leerde was ik 27. ;-) In 2008 moest ik weer de boel ophalen, wegseinen lukt wel maar nemen was toch afgenomen. Die inhaalslag duurde iets langer. Trouwens weer terug naar PC4T.
ReplyDelete