SOTA CW for beginners

M0LEP 2017-05-13 07:58:48 UTC #41

I find chasing stresses my Morse ability quite a lot more (sometimes to breaking point) than activating does, but listening to activations is quite instructive, if only because you find out just how different various activators' styles are.

ct1dbs 2017-05-13 23:33:38 UTC #42

Hi Konrad

Today I listen to Michael, G0POT and others slowing down their speed to cope with HB9UAG/p who asked QRS in his spot.
The example of Raffaele, HB9UAG, should be an inspiration for those who are afraid of going on the air without mastering CW like a pro. (@HB9UAG).

Go ahead and like Tom, M1EYP stated:

73 ES GL de Pedro, CT1DBS

SQ6GIT 2017-05-19 23:04:35 UTC #43

OK. It happened. PA/PA-006 today. It was not easy - my brain melted and I could copy only some callsigns - of course I messed up with the plan and by mistake started at 7 MHz, and received a pretty pileup. But the chasers were great indeed - slowed down (however it is not the speed but my head buffer to train, so repetitions help much better) and repeated patiently. I recorded for my own learning, so listening to this revealed I inevitably made some mistakes, but the chasers were very kind (and forgiving, I hope... )

I would like to apologize some chasers I did not copy, esp. Phil G4OBK and Jan OK2PDT who patiently tried to contact me, but since I was pretty petrified with this first activation, my brain stopped cooperation with me... I was listening to the recording and I cannot really explain how I missed copying you - partly no experience with the etiquette, partly stress factor.

So apologies to those whom I missed, I will do a second attempt today in the morning on SP/PO-004, maybe the missed chasers witll forgive me and try again.

Wholeheartedly, thank you all and hugs!

Toddler CW op = SQ6GIT

G4OBK 2017-05-20 00:10:21 UTC #44

Good job Konrad - no bother me not getting a chaser QSO and if I am in later this morning you will recognise my callsign I am sure. I hope it was nice on PA-006 - in the national park. I am going to activate there myself on September 2nd or 3rd when I am in Arnhem with my XYL on holiday.

Keep up the good work - it will become easier once you recall the procedure as you operate, you will retain memory of callsigns also - your own in the head "Super Check Partial" brain file will kick in and the stress over the next few activations will simply dissipate...

73 Phil G4OBK

PS It is a long way from PA/PA-006 to SP/PO-004!

SQ6GIT 2017-05-20 07:17:47 UTC #45

Phil, thanks for your understanding. Well, I still feel embarrassed, though...

For PA/PA-006 - it is a nice place to go, although I couldn't find how to get to the very spot (the summit seems to be surrounded by a fence), so I just jumped on a bench within the AZ. Also, it was perhaps a stress factor not only from first CW activation but also because I was supposed to drive back ~900km after it and it was already afternoon 1430 local time. So I estimated it will be risky to stretch my driving in one day to get back home, thus stopped in a hotel and I noticed I am less than 1 hour away from SP/PO-004. Is this just my sickness to check SOTA summits nearby whenever I check in a location?

Thanks and hopefully I will redeem today or some days later.

M1EYP 2017-05-20 07:53:44 UTC #46

Well done Konrad. By using real SOTA activations as your CW training method, your rate of improvement will be very fast. Now that you have done the first one, you have done the hardest part. Enjoy - you will have a lot of fun.

M1BUU 2017-05-20 07:57:09 UTC #47

Congratulations Konrad!

Hopefully as well as being a little bit scary, your first CW activation was also a little bit exciting! Strangely enough, I was listening to a recording of one of my (historic) SOTA activations yesterday, I was working Phil G4OBK and I just couldn't send his call! Phil was great and took control of the QSO, guiding me through.

I found that it's definitely hard work at first doing SOTA with CW, but also it's very exciting. There will come a point when the CW is no longer hard work and then activations are just enormous fun - it's definitely worth all of the effort.

Keep up the good work!

73, Colin

SQ6GIT 2017-05-20 16:29:39 UTC #48

Thank you all! After those two short activations I must say - pushing me forward to give it a try was the best piece of advice I could get.

I also listen to the recordings and hear obvious mistakes either in copying or in sending, I hope they will go away with time.

Thank you all again.

G4OBK 2017-05-20 21:23:45 UTC #49

You did great today Konrad - the only way is up. Great fun eh?

73 Phil G4OBK

SQ6GIT 2017-05-20 21:33:12 UTC #50

Phil, so far this is fun, but blended with a bit of sweat and embarrassment when listening to the recordings afterwards...

But seriously - it is fun indeed. I shared with a few friends today - why haven't I started cw learning 20 years ago?

AC7P 2017-07-23 19:36:46 UTC #51

Konrad

I worked you today as W5/SQ6GIT on W5T/NT-039. Your CW sending and receiving operations were great. You are a fast learner.

73, Don AC7P

SQ6GIT 2017-07-24 17:08:12 UTC #52

Don, it has been pleasure to have a little swarm of chasers as a warm welcome by US hams in Texas. I much appreciated and enjoyed it.

I perhaps missed some, as I did not have any internet reception on the summit, and I relied on RBN and my APRS2SOTA. I started at one frequency, but another station started to call their CQ shortly after me and I had to move to another place. I hope it did not mess up much though.

For the sending, I was struggling, as this time I was holding the Mini Paddle in my left hand, which still sometimes did not provide enough support to transmit clearly - sometimes extra sounds would sneak in or miss here and there. But the chasers were very patient and understanding for what I thank you wholeheartedly!

I am not so happy to leave US now with just 3 activations with limited hiking, but still happy I could make them at all. The weather was mostly generous to me as well, which is not always the case statistically...

Anyway, thanks and 73 - it has been a pleasure to meet you all in the air!

But to stay within the root of the topic - I am glad to have received so much support, understanding and patience from SOTA community. Going on the air regardless early stage of my learning was the best advice I could get. Thank you all who encouraged me to do it, and I recommend it to anyone who still hesitates. First sweat and mistakes are inevitable, and the sooner they happen, the sooner you go to your next stages.

That is the piece of advice I can give now with even limited "experience" in morse code sending/receiving..