Sending CW

[Paul Gates, KD3JF]

As we all know or should know character recognition is number1. My thinking is that none of us like sloppy sending. I made a contact last week with an operator that I had a terrible time copying. We were sending code at 20wpm. I did get his name and call and my report but everything else was just not intelligible. I would like to be able to copy 30-35 wpm in my head and then I figure I can copy most anyone.
 
Paul, KD3JF
Glen Burnie, MD
FM19qd (Map Grid Square)
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[Ron D'Eau Claire-2]

Paul, KD3JF wrote:

As we all know or should know character recognition is number1. My thinking
is that none of us like sloppy sending. I made a contact last week with an
operator that I had a terrible time copying. We were sending code at 20wpm.
I did get his name and call and my report but everything else was just not
intelligible. I would like to be able to copy 30-35 wpm in my head and then
I figure I can copy most anyone.

----------------------------------

I like to tell myself that copying a really rough fist is good practice.
Sometimes I believe myself. Sometimes I just get a headache <G>.

When that happens I try to remind myself that I used to sound that bad, and
I silently pray that I don't sound that bad today! At least when I made my
first shaky QSO's with a brand new license, an FCC examiner had listened to
my sending and pronounced it acceptable.

Since sending tests have not been given for years, more and more operators
are either truly unskilled or afraid they are too unskilled to get on CW.
That's sad, so I try to accommodate those whose fists leave a lot to be
desired and encourage them to keep at it and have fun.

Sometimes I recommend they try to send using the sidetone as a practice
oscillator (K2 in TEST mode) and have their computer copy their CW using a
software program like CW GET to decode their fist.

It's hard to do, especially using a bug or straight key. The best CW
decoding software is very, very picky compared to our brains, but it's a
good way to test one's fist with the toughest possible audience - the
computer.

I don't expect ops to post a perfect readout on the CW decoding software
before getting on the air, though. There's nothing like practicing in real
QSOs on the bands.

Ron AC7AC


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