Apologies for the mangled attempts at Morse I’ve perpetrated on-air in the last few days; Morse seems to be getting harder each time I try to have a QSO. Off-air my fingers co-operate. On-air I get a finger tremor which plays complete havoc with my keying…
73, Rick M0LEP
In reply to M0LEP:
Hi Rick;
After being off cw for over 25 years I have found it difficult to come back to cw , when I first started using a paddle I was ok within a day or so but that was when I was 25 !!!
I now find that I can send fault free off line but as soon as I go on air the keyer speed seems to be 2wpm faster and the mistakes appear, it is getting better so keep on making rubber stamp contacts and eventually it will come right.
73 de Ken G3XQE
In reply to M0LEP:
No problem Rick.
The art of reading Morse is not to read what the activator sends, but what the activator INTENDED to send.
The chasers want you in their log. So long as they can recognise their own call the rest can be implied by the letters that ARE correct.
Chasers are very forgiving and appreciate the difficulties at the other end of the QSO.
73
Roy
G4SSH, or SSS or HHH or 555
In reply to G4SSH:
I wholly agree with Roy’s comments. Sending perfect morse is not a pre-requisite for a QSO and you certainly won’t get it from me when I’m frozen stiff on a summit… or indeed when I am relaxed and warm in the shack! 
I’ve never progressed (if that is the correct turn of phrase) from a straight key and at my time of life I don’t intend to, so my morse is what it is - sent with a Nottinghamshire dialect, right slovenly like!
Stick at it Rick and enjoy the activations.
73, Gerald G4OIG
In reply to M0LEP:
Rick, I would echo the comments of Roy & Gerald.
I came back to CW about 2 years ago after a 15 year break and have noticed a few things: 1st the old CW etiquette and language that I was used to has all but disappeared, 2nd high speed computer generated morse appears to be on the increase , & 3rd as a result of this a lot of operators cannot or don’t use the Mk1 human ear to decode thus loosing the ability to be able to cope with anything other than perfect morse.
When I am activating there are times when either my hand or brain or BOTH freeze resulting in some strange characters being sent so stick at it - it can only get better or even (ts e m e en)
73
Victor GI4ONL
I havn’t got as far as trying to activate a summit using Morse yet, so it’s activators who’ve been subjected to my mangled morse. Morse activation is my goal, but I’m a fair few dits short yet. I think I managed to miss-send my callsign as M0REEP, M0FEP, and M0RIP in the course of one QSO this morning. Hate to think what shivvering with cold would do when combined with the nervous tremors.
…and my typing also seems to have suffered; “fot” indeed… 
73, Rick M0LEP
In reply to M0LEP:
…and my typing also seems to have suffered; “fot” indeed…
I thought that was most appropriate Rick. 
I can confirm that shivering can play havoc with sending morse, probably moreso than actually having cold hands. Mind you, once my hands get past a certain stage (Reynauds), my fingers lack feeling anyway and I end up with a very clunky sending style indeed.
All I can say is get out there and give it a go. I would suggest a higher band band than 40m for a start until you are comfortable with the mode as the barrage of sound on 7.032MHz can be quite daunting. I find that and I’ve a fair few years experience behind me!
73, Gerald G4OIG
In reply to GI4ONL:
When I am activating there are times when either my hand or brain or
BOTH freeze resulting in some strange characters being sent so stick
at it - it can only get better or even (ts e m e en)73
Victor GI4ONL
I was struggling today on both Mynyndd Troed and Mynyndd Llangorse.
My thermometer was showing -5C and there was a gentle 30mph wind to chill things down!
My paddle fingers lost all feeling and took on a life of their own.
Apologies to those at the receiving end.
Pete
GW4ISJ/p today.
In reply to G4ISJ:
Your morse sounded okay to me Pete. You were loud from Troed, but an absolutely blistering signal from Llangorse - put the double + up on the FT-857D which few SOTA portables do given my dipole is only at 4m above ground. Must have been a near perfect NVIS path between us. Thanks for the contacts from both summits.
I must say that when I looked at your alerts in the morning I shook my head. Knowing you would inevitably be working a pile up on 7MHz CW, I just couldn’t see how you could get to Llangorse 2 hours after Troed and then Sugar Loaf another 2 after that. Achievable if you were planning a smash and grab, but that’s not your style. Well done sticking with it in the difficult conditions - must be another ton to add to the database!
73, Gerald G4OIG
In reply to M0LEP:
Lots of useful comments for you Rick from others. Roy G4SSH was the catalyst in getting me to actually start using CW on the air. Slightly different in that I was activating and not chasing so that meant chasers had to slow down and cope with my skills. As Roy said, chasers want the QSO and points and nearly all will slow down to my speed (now around 18-20wpm). Some keep the character speed fixed and insert longer gaps, Tom M1EYP does that and his 28wpm character speed is fine with me. Others slow the character. I find fast with bigger gaps is better for me. You’ll always get someone who sends at 35+wpm and doesn’t slow down. Foolish waste of time with me. I can only assume they send so fast and don’t slow down because they are trying to make amends for being lacking in the “family jewels” department!
For a chaser, especially if you’re not so fast yet at sending, waiting till the pileup has declined a bit is the best action. I’d be only too glad to have a QSO with you. Call at whatever speed you feel happy with.
On Deuchary Hill this last Sunday I had another QSO with Dave in his G6DTN guise. Having encouraged Dave a lot I’m ever so pleased to hear him having a go on the air. Also Barry MW0IML called me. I didn’t know Barry had been learning brass bashing so that came as nice surprise.
But keep at it Rick. The only way to get better is to practice.
Andy, MM0FMF
(A CW convert, but not a very good one)
In reply to MM0FMF:
Ricky MW6GWR also heard in the CW pileups, well done.
73 de Ken G3XQE
In reply to MM0FMF:
For a chaser, especially if you’re not so fast yet at sending, waiting
till the pileup has declined a bit is the best action.
Aye, it usually takes me that long to be sure I know who’s calling and from where anyway, though often I catch a QSY or QRT and realise I’ve left it too late… 
73, Rick M0LEP
For a chaser, especially if you’re not so fast yet at sending, waiting
till the pileup has declined a bit is the best action.
Aye, it usually takes me that long to be sure I know who’s calling and
from where anyway, though often I catch a QSY or QRT and realise I’ve
left it too late…
I agree with Andy. It is also the best action for me with my low power TX (12W) and modest antenna. If I can not make qso before pileup start, I usually wait some 15 or 20 minutes, before trying again. And yes, sometimes I am supprised by QRT, but overall result is quite OK! Morse speed or style is not so important, yet we all want to improve both, and as Andy said, the only way to do it is to listen, listen and practice.
GL and 73, Mirko S52CU
In reply to S52CU:
Please to contact you Mirko… Yes waiting is the better but yes a lot of time it is QRT…
I am very sorry for my intensive calling for S2S yesterday but I must QRT and in the big pile-up with 4 or 5 W I can’t stay more on the summit…
Sorry for this…
I ‘ve trying to made brake for S2S… And that have working fine… Maybe do that for QRP… But at 100W that also QRP for someone… :’(
So perseverence is the better way…
Bye and please…
Tof
In reply to F5UBH:
I 've trying to made brake for S2S… And that have working fine…
The way pile-ups go, it must be tricky making that sort of break. If callers leave the activator long enough for a trailing “?” then I gues you could slip in “S2S?” instead, but it seems QSOs often go:
TU 73
immediate wall of signal
…which doesn’t leave any much gap in which to signal such a break.
73, Rick M0LEP
In reply to M0LEP:
Hi Rick
thanks for the QSO yesterday, so you fumbled your Callsign - don’t worry , we have all had to start from the beginning and suffered from nerves, wondering if we will ever get it right. It will come, so please stick at it and you will suddenly find things fall into place.
73 Dave/G4ASA
In reply to M0LEP:
TU 73 immediate wall of signal
The trick is to alter what you send at the end of the contact. My usual sign-off is something like RR FB 73 TU E E. Change that to something like RR 73 NW PSE QRX S2S ONLY S2S ONLY PSE K and most, if not all will notice the change of message by length even if they are not actually reading what is sent and will usually stand by. Failing that, a long string of dots usually gets everyone’s attention!
From experience it is not impossible bring the pack to order and I have been known to throw the proverbial rattle out of the pram on occasion. It is quite satisfying when people actually listen and respond.
So it’s 21.062-cw for you next outing then Rick?
73, Gerald G4OIG
In reply to G4OIG:
I think an activation on 15 or 17m would be a good start. Spot with a message about 1st CW activation and go from there.
Here’s the bit that’s important. Nobody, absolutely nobody is going to laugh at you or any mistakes you may make. Nobody is going to lose patience if you ask for repeats or people QRS. There’ll be some who wont slow down, ignore them and work all the people who will slow down and will be cheering you on everytime they hear you make another QSO.
Andy
MM0FMF
Thanks for your advice, folks. I’ll keep at it. 
73, Rick M0LEP
Activating on CW is the business - because YOU are the DX, so to speak. So everyone on frequency is (or should be) dancing to YOUR tune. I certainly found it the best form of practice for CW - actual live activating!
Tom M1EYP
