Dyslexia is a disability inflicted by “progressive” reading
teachers upon their students. It did not exist in this country either
until the 1960s.
I trust, Walt, that you are qualified to make such comments.
IMHO, and not being a qualified educationalist, (but I know someone who is) those affected by dyslexia were labelled as ‘stupid’ ‘lazy’ or other epithets (using the word in its modern meaning), and left on one side. At least now teaching methods can help such people.
At the risk of taking this thread even further off-topic, perhaps Tom would like to add his two-penneth about those who appear to be in-numerate.
So far as poor spelling is concerned, I agree wholeheartedly. You only need to read some of the input to the reflector to see that, and that English grammar is also being abused. Dennis Neale (my English teacher at secondary school) must be turning in his grave!
CW? Having heard the mayhem that ensues when a CW activation is under way, why bother when a summit can be qualified on ssb?
Of course this is also why victims of the modern British education
system find it so difficult to learn Morse code. They cannot spell,
therefore they find it impossible to send words letter by letter in
code! Seemples!
Deary Deary me! Well, Walt, I’m a victim of the older British education system, I can spell very well thank you very much, but can’t use Morse code. No, it isn’t spelling is the problem as such, poor spelling is another symptom of the real problem as I see it, which is the de-emphasis of rote learning. You and I were taught to chant our tables, not just the multiplication tables but the money table too - you remember? Twelve pence, one shilling, eighteen pence, one and sixpence…and so on. English being a pretty irregular language spellings are memorised rather than worked out. In general I rather admire our modern education system having seen three kids through it, but I think they come out the other end of the system with a reduced ability to memorise data, compared with earlier generations.
On the other hand, dyslexia is very real. Just because it was hardly recognised before 1960 doesn’t make it any less real. However, it raises an interesting question - do dyslectics have trouble with morse code? Anybody know?
In reply to 2E0YYY:
If I might re-hijack the topic back to Esgeiriau Gwynion and the events of 28/03/2012:-
Thanks for the two S2S Rod, Vicky was struggling a bit with 2m on FM MW-030, however, it seemed she qualified it?
Mike,
That must refer to MW-039, I think. On that one we both qualified using 40m contacts; I think Vicki made one or two on 2m FM. I made the mistake of not using 40m, had no luck at all with 2m ssb on MW-019 and picked up Vicki’s contacts from 2m FM to add to the s2s with you.
I have added my suggested route for NW-031 to the tips as well as a new suggestion for MW-019 and also have a suggestion for MW-014 which I have not entered yet.
Unfortunately, I tried a new notebook on Tuesday. The results are virtually unreadable except with a bright light and much care. When we met on Shining Tor I did not notice what you use. It was shortsighted of me not to enquire how you cope with the huge number of contacts, but I expect the topic has already been covered here.
Well, Walt, I’m a victim of the older British education system, I can spell
very well thank you very much, but can’t use Morse code.
In that case, ITYM “won’t” rather than “can’t”.
In 1967, I spent a day at the Catterick Camp Royal Signals training unit and witnessed a class of young recruits being taught Morse code. Basically, they were shut in a room for 8 - 10 hours a day and only allowed out when they could send and receive Morse code at 12 wpm. The pass rate was 100%.
I will say no more about dyslexia. The very mention of the word never fails to raise certain people’s hackles in self-righteous indignation. (Especially those of progressive teachers! LOL!)
Michael Gove is continuing to make many sensible and worthwhile improvements to Britain’s education system … improvements which are long overdue.
I used to feel the same way, Mike, until one day I heard a guy playing them whilst I was rock climbing in Glen Nevis (Poldubh crags.) This guy in full highland gear was standing on top of a knoll playing his heart out, and somehow it sounded right. It is music for the wild places.
No, Walt, “can’t”. For short bursts I can often read 12+ wpm then my brain shuts down in some way. I could perhaps make one QSO as long as I don’t have to read the mail for too long, but then I would have to change modes. This is not a practical use of the mode, hence “can’t”.
No, Walt, “can’t”. For short bursts I can often read 12+ wpm
then my brain shuts down in some way.
I’m having pretty much exactly that trouble with trying to learn morse. A burst of thirty or forty seconds of mostly complete copy is about my limit. After that it all goes to pieces, with lots of missed characters and errors…
I’m not surprised that you found Esgeiriau Gwynion a slog, I’ve seen what you carry!!!
I think its a lovely hill and well worth the walk. When I did it with John (GW4BVE) just over a year ago we started from a parking spot at Nant-y-barcut (SH 883252)
We dismissed the way you went which does take you across some very boggy squelchy ground and tried the shorter sharp route using the tried and tested “Carolyn method” of navigation
If I do the hill again I would still start from the same spot but go up the way we came down and not try to follow the mapped footpath.
At the head of the valley are some disused sheep enclosures shown on the 1:25000 map (SH 882233) which are easily seen when you are on the way down. There is an easy crossing of the stream at this point which joins onto the farmers track on the other side of the valley. The track rejoins the main path at Cym-ffynnon.
One day you will realise that light weight doesn’t mean inefficient :o)
Carolyn
edited as I have been informed we did not start from the same place as you :o)
In reply to M0LEP:
I’m glad I’m not the only one having trouble with attaining a useable standard. I can copy 15 - 20 wpm of computer-generated morse (I use G4FON), even with QRM and QSB enabled, but copying real morse off-air, with real noise and real QSB is a problem. Oh, and I’ve not been able to wean myself off writing it all down, which doesn’t help comprehension. BTW, I’ve not been able to find the RSGB morse practice sessions on 80M - are they still as mentioned on the RSGB website, or have they been discontinued?
I can copy 15 - 20 wpm of computer-generated morse (I use G4FON)
I can catch individual characters faster, but string them together and I’m soon down below 12wpm.
Oh, and I’ve not been able to wean myself off writing it all down, which
doesn’t help comprehension.
Same here, and it sure makes things slower too. I figured the fastest I might possibly take copy is about 18wpm (that’s the fastest I can write long-hand), but for practical purposes even 15wpm is probably optimistic.
BTW, I’ve not been able to find the RSGB morse practice sessions on 80M - are they
still as mentioned on the RSGB website, or have they been discontinued?
I can’t do rag chewing, just contest or SOTA exchanges. For my needs, I need to be able to pull a call out of the melee and copy “GA ANDY TKS FER REF = 579 73 TU” and that’s about it. Copying the computer is easy, lcwo.net’s callsign training is a boon for this. I start it about 18wpm and take it from there. Every call you get right increase the speed etc. Morserunner is good for simulating pile-ups. But they’re not like real chasers trying for there points!
Brian’s problem doesn’t sound unique or special, it sounds like the normal learning barrier people hit. Relentless bursts of practice it what it takes, but limited to 10min sessions followed by hours and hours of nothing.
Anyway, back to Mike’s visit… Mike, bog-trotting is essentially good for you as long as you don’t have to do it every day. It builds character and until you’ve been in up to the top of your thighs then you haven’t lived. One thing you may not have been told is that bog water/peat residues will rot boot leather and cotton stitching if you don’t wash everything with clean water when you get back. It’s important to do this as soon as you can and then let equipment dry naturally.
Myself and Gerald have some lovely 1 and 2 pt hills for you to come and try in Galloway, don’t we Gerald?
Myself and Gerald have some lovely 1 and 2 pt hills for you to come and try in Galloway, don’t we Gerald?
Yes, definitely! I have already introduced Paul G4MD to Galloway ground… and told him that he’s had it quite light so far. The tussocks were relatively widely spaced on our last round of hills. The ground that I love (not) is when the tussocks are so close together that you can’t tell whether you are putting your foot on top of them or whether your foot will go through the surface vegetation into stinking bog water that hasn’t seen the light of day for a century… and your knee is then level with the top of the vegetation.
Aye, there is much worse to come west of Dumfries!
In reply to M0DFA:
Martyn G3UKV does them around 0930 on Thursdays I think on 80m. His details are on QRZ.com. That’ll be by ground wave from Telford, Dave so reception ought to be strong. TDARS on the air is this next Wednesday 4 April on 144.600 fm sometime after 8-30pm so you can ask him then.
I agree with Andy on phonetic pronunciation of Welsh. Very straightforward and I enjoy teaching people I meet the alphabet and getting them to find placenames on an OS map which they start being able to say within 15mins. I would value the same tutorial with a Gaelic speaker. German is also a super straightforward phonetic language after one has mastered a few dipthongs and the diminuative ending ‘chen’. If you have the Welsh alphabet to hand you’ll find this and Danish pronunciation easier.
Es-geir-iau Gwyn-ion is easier once broken into syllables.
As a learner, I’d say that Rhosllanerchrhugog, Llanfihangel ym Muallt and Llanrhaedr ym Mochnant are much harder! The little village near Wrexham is called Rhos by everyone who lives there [I assume to avoid the ‘need to carry an umbrella Baldrick’]. One of my favourite bits of SOTA is having the whole QSO in Welsh and an S2S in Cymraeg is a rare thing. [Ardroddiad arwyddol = signal report]. Thanks to the proper Welsh people in SOTA for putting up with this Saes cymraeg.
Brian’s problem doesn’t sound unique or special, it sounds like the
normal learning barrier people hit.
There is something about learning morse that some people seem to pick up naturally. They talk about “instant recognition” and “copying behind” and being able to take copy while also doing something else. Some folks even say they find morse relaxing.
Relentless bursts of practice it what it takes, but limited to 10min sessions
followed by hours and hours of nothing.
This time round I’ve been hammering away in that sort of fashion for a year or more. I still have to catch every character and write it down before the next one comes or I’m lost, and I doubt I’m even a quarter of the way to being able to handle a basic SOTA QSO…
