2)Please don’t build a decoder! They are just an excuse for not
learning to copy in your head! They are soooo tempting and you will
use them!
… and anyway as Andy says they are rubbish - particularly for copying hand sent morse - all you get are loads of e’s and t’s.
Thumbs up for the G4FON CW trainer! Set it to 15WPM and start.
Spacing no less then 12WPM, otherwise you have too much time to
think… Everyday 10minutes minimum.
Agreed - G4FON rules!
Sorry Rick for stealing your frequency yesterday…
not a problem Lars.
Cracking signals booming into West Yorkshire tonight. Couldn’t resist listening in to G6DTN in QSO with G3ANV and G3MCK and even managed a quick one with G0AZS myself.
In reply to M0RCP: I quite agree with you. The best decoder is the thing between the ears. It’s free, doesn’t need any power and is portable.
Tonight didn’t start off too well. I tried to work DL5WW/P on DM/NW-253, but my request to QRS didn’t seem to get through.
Later I was calling CQ on 3558 and got sat on by F6HFX. I was using 20W at the time and could have gone up to 100W, but could also have lost the battle of the watts. Took the gentlemanly way out and QSYd to 3557. Anyway, my command of French is even worse than my command of CW, as anyone listening would have heard. Lost count of the number of times I sent 8 dits. HI!
Long QSOs with G0ANV (Daryl, Camberley, who QRS’d on request) and G3MCK (Gerald, Rutland and a Fists member who came back at my speed) but the concentration flagged in the end.
Now heading for a bottle of Cabernet/Merlot. This will affect the decoder, but what the heck. Decorating tomorrow, but will try to get on to 80 about 20:00 UTC.
The straight key strengthens the wrist for raising a glass.
In reply to M0RCP: Hope my Morse wasn’t too eratic.And thanks fer the upgrade to G3 hi.And to Dave thanks fer the nice QSO, i find that some form of Liquid refreshment can help too.
cheers.
73 de Daryl. G0ANV
Participants in the SOTA CW net should be aware that the FISTS Club and European CW clubs will be holding their QRS Party around the FISTS calling frequencies (including 3558 KHz) from 0001 UTC Monday 27th April until 2359 UTC the following Friday, 1st May.
The maximum speed allowed is 14wpm, using any type of key or keyer, but the exchange must take place at the speed of the slowest sender.
This is not a contest but members of the above clubs will ask for your name, QTH and club number (or NM for non members). Stations can be worked once per day, per band.
Members are encouraged to work any station. This should be an excellent chance to practice your CW.
FB Roy. Thanks for the information. I’m sure all the SMN ops will be keen
to get some new call signs in their logs. We have already had a number of FISTS
members calling in and they are of course extremely welcome.
The SMN centre of activity seems gradually to be moving down the band and
3.556 might be a good place for newcomers to monitor.
I hope to be on again tomorrow night from 2000UTC on or around that QRG
Morse enthusiasts may like to access the Google site today which is printed out in Morse code - click on the Morse to access 543,000 entries to celebrate the birthday of Samual Morse, born 27th April 1791
Thumbs up for the G4FON CW trainer! Set it to 15WPM and start.
Spacing no less then 12WPM, otherwise you have too much time to
think… Everyday 10minutes minimum.
Agreed - G4FON rules!
Hi Rick,
Fully agree about the G4FON (Koch) method of learning morse, but I
found that having to check my scribbled jottings at the end of the
session against what was on the screen very irritating, and it did
not really let you ‘score’ yourself. I am useless at morse (I still
find it hard to believe that I passed at Portishead), and have never
had a CW QSO, but still have hopes of operating the key one day!!
I have found that the following website gives you all the benefits
of the G4FON System, but as you type the characters you have read
rather than write them, you get an instant score and error report
after the end of the session. Although not a good example myself,
I would recommend trying the code groups. The website is www.lcwo.net.
keep meaning to explore the lcwo.net site. Have you tried setting the
G4FON to send QSOs? much easier than trying to copy random text and no
need to score yourself.
Tonight’s bag at this QTH: Ray G0EML (Fists 3778), David G4HYY, Den
G4FQZ and Mike LA5SAA.
keep meaning to explore the lcwo.net site. Have you tried setting the
G4FON to send QSOs? much easier than trying to copy random text and no
need to score yourself.
Hi Rick,
I haven’t, but I will try that one today, many thanks for the suggestion.