Community Forums

woodworker414 · 02-23-2012, 06:15 PM

Hi all, this month I have been in the hobby for two years. What a great, fun, fantastic etc. hobby. I have made some really good friends, meet some really great people, and just have had a lot of good old fashion fun. I will be 68 in a couple of months, so I am getting close to the Old GGEEZZZEERRR territory, but I can handle it. I am a retired carpenter, so learning this hobby has been so much fun, learning about something I knew nothing about. Well I am starting on a new part for me, of the hobby. I am going to start to TRY and LEARN cw, have already started and that is why the brain is hurting, the brain says, You want to learn what? LOLOL I listen to code on the radio and I find it so neat, I hear it and wonder what are they saying, so I am going to try to learn cw. This should be a real interesting time for me. A friend suggested that I use a program called G4FON Koch Trainer, I have been using it for a little while and I can tell this is going to be a chore, but I am bound and determined to learn. If you all have any suggestions or ideas to help with the learning of cw, send this way. I would be very thankful. I was checking the ULS for my upgrade to General and saw the word VANITY, and thought what the heck is this, read about and decide since I am having so much fun with this hobby I would go for a vanity call sign and I got my initials. So cool.

Bill
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TXiceman · 02-23-2012, 07:11 PM

CW is a foreign language. G4FON is a great learning tool. All I can say is practice and practice some more.

Ken

Gary - K7GLD · 02-23-2012, 07:22 PM

YUP - welcome to the REAL world of Amateur Radio communication - and no more "10-4 good buddy"!

As to the "Vanity" bit, my call - K7GLD is a mix of the USA call district area - Oregon being part of the "7", and the GLD being my initials - been doing the Ham bit since 1959, and never need to lose track of your radio friends, no matter WHERE in the world they might be next!

dajudge · 02-23-2012, 07:38 PM

I was a professionsl radio operator in the US Navy and we were taught the morse code to music

Wayne M · 02-23-2012, 09:51 PM

And I was a US Marine communicator and my primary MOS was 2533 - Morse Code Operator. In 1962 I went aboard the USS Eldorado, a flag ship, and a communications ship. Within a year I had a speed key certificate from ComPhibPac which meant I could send and receive the International Morse Code at 30 WPM.

Now saying that - study. Study by looking at the morse code in writing, like A is Di Dah (. -). Pick up the code tapes and start at the slowest speed. Now here is the important part. Do that for 15 minutes every day. Come on now, you have the same 24 hour day 7 days a week that Picasso, Einstein, and other great people and look what they accomplished with their time. After going with the slowest speed and you feel like you are getting it, but just missing a letter or two, bump up to the next highest speed and repeat the 15 minutes a day and when you think you have it except for a few misses here and there, bump up to the next speed, and so on.

Within about 30 days you will be copying at 13 wpm or better if you stick to the regime.

Good luck

p.s., that is just receiving, now work on the sending. You will have to get with someone who knows what they are doing to show you the proper way to hold a J-key and to set the gap. It was a funny thing when I took my General HAM exam. The code test was 13 wpm. They took the extra class people in first and a group of os 13 worders were standing outside (Theory being my weakest part-not code) As the extras were copy there 20 wpm i was standing outside at the counter with a "stick" copying the 20wpm. (did I say theory was my downfall). When it was "our" turn, we went in and sat down and before each one was a J-Key for sending. We were told not to touch them yet. When it came to my turn I asked the Tester if I could adjust the key, and he said I could. well I closed it down to 1/8" gap, sent several series of "V's." I then sent the first two words and he told me to stop and said "You passed."

Just a story, but true.

Good luck - it really is not that difficult.

woodworker414 · 02-24-2012, 06:33 AM

Thanks everyone for your replies, maybe someday in the future I can get back on here and report that I made it.
73
Bill

wa8yxm · 02-24-2012, 10:59 AM

CW is not a foreign language, it is a foreign alphabet, one of sound rather than sight.

The ARRL code practice course is the one I recommend American Radio Relay League | ARRL - The national association for AMATEUR RADIO.

Oh, and welcome to the club.. Glad to have you.

Have you made QSL cards yet? (or do you home brew 'em like I do)

Avrey sells a post card blank that feeds into your printer, perfct for brew your own QSL cards, they also sell software (Label Wizard) well, "Sell" is perhaps not the right word, I downloaded it for free from their web site. (The sell a version that has more features though).

go to QRZ.COM and register, then enter the call KA0XTT and send Mr. Baxter a CARD.. You will get one back as soon as it can be signed.

You can catch that "Station" on your local ABC affilate at 8:00 pm Eastern time on Tuesday.

woodworker414 · 02-24-2012, 03:04 PM

Hi wa8yxm, I am a member of ARRL already, just renew my membership for the 2nd year. The site is huge, its AWESOME. So much info in one place. I have only spent a little time exploring the site, but I will spend more time there in the future. I am already register on QRZ and eHAM, but don't seen to get there often, and I should, both have so much info. I don't have a QSL card yet, I have an idea and will ask the son in law, he is a printer, if he will create it for me. I have never use a program to draw stuff, and sure don't want to screw up my idea. I have listen to the ARRL tapes in the archives of cw, and when I get better at cw I plan on using them a lot. I will look Mr. Baxter call and send a card when I get one created.
Thanks for the info
Bill
P.S. I like you signature quote: Home is where I park it.
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wa8yxm · 02-24-2012, 04:02 PM

"Home is where I park it" simply means We full time

Another site you can register at is eQSL.cc - The Electronic QSL Card Centre, This is an elecronic QSL service, however cards there do not count for ARRL awards (ARRL uses Logbook of the World)

But eQSL sends a JPG card.. Which I kind of like.

As I said (I think) till you get your cards ordered, go to Office Supplies - Office Products & Labels | Avery and see if you can find their free label wizard (I could not just now) or You can download the Avery "Print to edge" post card template for your favorite grapihcal word processor.

Then you go to Staples or Office ____ (max/depot) or whever and pick up some Avery "print to edge" post cards. Ink Jet Print-to-the-Edge Postcards

I run the cards through the printer twice, Front and back, Back side gets all the mailing info on the "right" and the contact info on the left, (Standard QSL card format)

NOTE< the product I cited, in many printers, you can print one card, seperate the card and run the remaining card through again for your next contact.

The do have a wizard that works with Microsoft Word ... I do not have that one.