Did you not read the bit where he says
?
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No . Anyway the test is only 5wpm. You could do that using your left foot whilst your left leg was dosed up on Lidocaine. For sinistrals swap left foot/leg for right.
More seriously, learn to RX to 15wpm first. Then learn to send with a paddle, because seriously that is what you’ll use out portable. For the 5wpm test, borrow a key from a friend 3 weeks before the test and practice from there. You will already know the alphabet and more importantly what it should sound like. Excepting physical disabilities, if you know the code you can get to 5wpm sending ability in a couple of weeks with one to practice.
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As far as I can see you do not need to pass the morse test to transmit CW. The only reason to pass the morse test is to get a shorter callsign. Both classes of Irish licence count for CEPT T/R 61-01.
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20 EUR for the shorter callsign flex though is enough to spur me on to learn it! 
It’s not a big part of the HAREC syllabus anyway. I don’t even recall there being any questions on CW in the exam?
Hopefully I’ll have this boxed off before the end of 2024 with enough study and practice.
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[quote=“MM0FMF, post:62, topic:24536, full:true”] learn to send with a paddle, because seriously that is what you’ll use out portable.
[/quote]
I Don’'t - I use a straight key… 
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Yes I know. Paddles and keyers sound better. Better than straight keys and so much better than those awful mechanical bug keys.
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Oh dear. 
That’s a matter of opinion. Some people would say that paddles can be rather soulless. 
As for bugs - well, they are only “awful” if the operator cannot use one properly. Thats like any key of course. Here’s Denise Stoops - an American ex commercial operator using one. If you can’t read this…
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I can listen to this recording of Denise Stoops endlessly, and still enjoy it. Sending well with a mechanical bug key is a skill few ever master to the standard of her keying. She is so good at it that she makes a mechanical bug sound like paddle key - few can achieve that.
73’s
David
G4ZAO
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Hi Ian,
That may work, depending on the options for hand keys in the radio. It is only because the 3.5mm plugs and sockets are so universal that a stereo plug is a better option than anything else. The standard wiring for the key is to use the tip for dots, ring for dashes and sleeve for the common connection. For a hand key you only need the tip and the sleeve as you don’t need the ring connection, your hand key only needs two connections.
So if you wire your straight key wth the tip and sleeve using a mono plug, there is no dash wire and no ring connection on the plug. This means if you plug that into a radio that is set to auto keyer, the ring connection appears to be shorted to earth and the radio will transmit dashes continuously. Don’t be alarmed by that, it is normal. Just find the option for key type in the menu, set it to hand key. Some radios use the hand key option to detect whether the key plugged in is a hand key or an auto key (a paddle). Knowing these options and where to find them in the menus is handy some time when you have summit brain and can’t figure out why your keying isn’t working.
It’s actually better in my view to use stereo cables and plugs for all keys, it avoids most of these complications. And if you have to buy a new cable already wired, get shielded cable rather than an open two conductor cable. Some types of antennas allow some RF from the antenna to be present in all this wiring. For the same reason keep the key wire short rather than using a 2m long audio cable. I use both commercial cables and home made ones.
If you wire the cable directly to the terminals on the bottom side of the key then it’s connected permanently, the wire then trails when the key is stored in your pack, etc, I find it’s better to have a 3.5mm socket mounted on your key or paddle, then you have a bidirectional cable that can be plugged into the radio and the key. The key and cable can travel together and replacements are available from supermarkets with no rewiring needed. However such matters can be dealt with as they arise.
Good luck and enjoy the CW trip.
73 Andrew VK1DA/VK2DA
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This is top tier information. Thanks a bunch. Lots to mull over now. I might hold off on a straight key until this Ali Express paddle arrives. If it’s any use I might just stick with that for a while.
Still putting the time in every day. I’ll get there eventually!
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Most can be set to 0.0 watts output, what can help.
73, DIZ
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She can use a bug key properly for sure Dave, like G3GGS, (SK) who inspired me using one the first time I sat beside him in an Ifor Williams trailer taking part in CW NFD in 1983. Denise is a true expert but the mechanical clicks from the key itself on the recording are drowning out the actual sidetone. Not nice to listen to, so after 30 seconds I hit the stop key. The racket from the key is enough to put anyone unfamiliar with Morse off and to say “If thats how it sounds I’m out!” I’m glad my iambic Vibroplex twin doesn’t sound like that!
73 Phil G4OBK
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Ah, not just me then. Yes, she can maintain rhythm that most bug users don’t seem to have. But the mechanical noise is so loud she doesn’t need a TX, her QSO partners can just open a window and listen for the clicks. And the sidetone is a bit pish. I must admit to being spoilt as I never have experience the range of chirpy, squaggy, or down right unpleasant tones that many TXs had in the 50-70s. I’ve had nice clean tones most of the time.
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Yes, oddly enough you rarely hear a SOTA activator with a nasty CW tone - which one would think could come about if their battery went low. On SSB you hear plenty with rough sounding audio though, usually due to the battery going low. Most times I mention it and hope the activator isn’t offended when I do!
73 Phil G4OBK
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The sidetone on my TS-520S is a rather watery burble!
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It’s broken then! TS-520s on Youtube have a lovely sidetone.
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Probably, but I can’t be bothered to fix it as I am going to retire it.
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Hand sent morse using bugs and straight keys along with those "chirpy, squaggy or 'down right unpleasant tones``gave the airwaves a bit of character then… 
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You’re quite right David. There is less character than there was. But being a squeaky newcomer to the fine arts of bashing brass, I grew up and learnt against nice tones and squaggy tones distract me too much. I’m always surprised how you can still tell fists even when people are using modern electronic keyers and paddles.
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I’m not sure its so easy any more. The one ham on SOTA who has really distinctive morse and may use a paddle is Manuel/EA2DT. There are a couple of others, be he stands out quite clearly - I’d know it was Manuel even if he just sent one letter of his call. 
Sometimes the different sounds of transmitters helped you distinguish - and concentrate on the operator/sound of the transmitter/ship you were trying to listen to when one was transmitting on, or close to the other. 500khz, the international calling and distress frequency was hugely crowded with many stations calling on top of each other.
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