Operating High Speed CW
by Robert Underwood - KØRU
(aka-K0RU)
FISTS # 7436 - FOG # 6
"The
first step in learning the code is to memorize the dot and dash
combinations representing the letters. They must not be visualized as dots and
dashes, however, but rather should be "auralized" as sounds.
There is no such word as auralized, but if there were it would express the
correct method of grasping the code. The sound dit-dah (meaning a dot
followed by a dash) in the head telephones must impress your mind directly
as being the letter A , for instance, without causing black dots and dashes
to float before your eyes for an instant ... This is a point that always
troubles beginners, but if you learn from the first to recognize the sounds
as letters immediately without reverting to dots and dashes, you will make
much better progress..."
More
succinctly: "Don't try to teach the Ears through the Eyes."
(Wireless Press 1922)
"The
second mistake, even in learning by hearing, is in hearing the characters
sent so slowly that the learner tends to analyze each one into dits and
dahs, and even counts them mentally. (It is wise indeed for the beginner
never to hear code characters sent at speeds below about 13 wpm.) These two
errors largely account for getting stuck at higher speeds also -- they mean
we have not really learned the characters. " - N0HFF, William G.
Pierpont
Before you
begin, lets define what High Speed CW is within the context of this
website. High Speed CW is the ability of an individual to copy CW in
their HEAD at speeds greater then 40 wpm. The speed window varies
from person to person, but generally speaking the ability to copy CW (Morse
Code) mentally without the aid of computers, paper, pens, or any other
device except your mental ability to hear, interrupt and comprehend the
communication aspects of operating CW at high speeds.
I've chosen
40 wpm as the starting point, because usually once you've reached this
speed it becomes very difficult to write, print, or type the code as it is
being heard. This is often referred to as the Brick Wall, or
Barrier. Every high speed cw operator will tell you it was 40, 50 or
even 60 wpm before they slammed into the brick wall. The speed is
really irrelevant other then the fact you feel you have come to what you
believe is the highest potential you can obtain. This is not
so.
Myself... I
started learning CW at a very young age. I learned CW in Cub Scouts
at the age of 8. I played with it with my brothers, and family, and
my dad who was also a ham radio operator. When I turned 10 years old
I took my General Test at the FCC District office in Detroit, Michigan
and passed. At the time I didn't realize it, but I was now on a life
long dream of adventure and discovery of the wonderful world of Ham Radio
more specific (Morse Code).
Currently I
operate primarily CW, rarely will I get on HF Phone. I occasionally
get on 2 meters on the local repeaters and work my friends. But for
the most part I'm on CW just about ever day somewhere usually around 40
meters. Did you notice I said I operate Every Day... That is
the key, its called practice, and practice. You'll get the idea
later from others that have done the same thing.
I operate
mobile CW, and yes I do operate while I'm driving. While driving and
operating I can operate upwards 50 wpm, anything above that speed and my
fingers get all twisted up with the key. I use a bencher iambic key, the key is not the
secret. I can operate high speed with any key that is functioning
properly and adjusted to my comfort. I use many different keys
including bugs to operate high speed CW I find it challenging to be able to
operate using many different types of keys.
When in the
comfort of my shack, I can operate at speeds of 70 wpm or better. Its
an emotional thing depending upon how I'm feeling at the time.
However, my typical ragchewing speed is around 40 to 50 wpm. I'm a
member of FOG (Fast Operators Group) typically you will hear us on 7.032
running high speed CW. When operating on that net, we typically DO
NOT - QRS below 50 wpm. You will hear mobiles running slower, or
faster but for the most part everyone runs upwards of 50 wpm or better
while in the QSO's. It's not that we don't want to talk to you, its
because our mind is in a different world when were running at those speeds
and I'll explain shortly. Most High Speed operators love to teach CW,
and they love to get the attention of a good operator (even at 2 wpm) and
teach them the techniques of obtaining high speed CW once they have
mastered the basics.
The first
step into mastering CW, is first and foremost learning to send and receive
it correctly. You've probably heard this over and over again.
But it is simply TRUE. One thing you must remember about CW is its
NOT A MODE, it truly is a language, just as any other language like
Spanish, French, German, or English. When you went to school in
kindergarten, or first grade you learned the letters of the alphabet by
seeing, printing, writing and reading them. Remember the flash cards
(C)at, (B)oy, (L)yon. Well CW is no different. Before you can
even imagine running high speed cw, you must learn the language and learn
it correctly. If your on the air long enough your going to work an operator
that sends like this
Samples:
The machine gun man.
Poor timing, and spacing. Like
music the silence is just as important as the note.
Impatient, wants to say everything all at
once.
Poor timing with a bug, take your time,
nobody is in a race, its better to say it once, then have to repeat
yourself.
After you have listened
to the samples you get the idea, its kind of like trying to understand what
someone is saying when they speak to you very quickly and it all sounds
like gibberish. These operators don't realize it yet, but they could all be
excellent high speed operators if they would just take the time to SLOW
down and master the timing of their sending. Once you've mastered the
TIMING, then begin to increase your speed.
You will
often hear CW operator refer to the RHYTHM, or the MUSIC of the code.
Let me provide you with an example you might be able to relate to
when their speaking of this. Say for example you have a Piano, maybe
you had played one in church, school or another location at one time.
Using the simple song of "Mary had a little lamb" you may have
even tried to play it. But as you played it, you know it just didn't
sound right, but it was fun and you made music.. Well, that is what
CW is like, you might be able to Send it, but you know it just doesn't
sound right, but you are talking and you feel good about it. Now
there is Slow Musical Rhythm's and Fast Musical Rhythm's. (a Waltz
for example would be a sample of Slow, and Rock-N-Roll a sample of Fast)
each is very pleasing to the ear when heard by a professional singer
playing a piano. Just as music, CW is about the same to a high speed
operator, it comes across as MUSIC, it doesn't matter if its FAST or SLOW
only that is makes beautiful melodies to the ear and mind.
If you have
been learning CW for some time, you know your SWEET spot, you know that
SPEED that just makes you feel good. Well, once you master high speed
CW, you learn that it isn't the SPEED, its the Quality, and Mental ability
to comprehend and enjoy Beautiful Music.
Does that
mean you must be a musician to send high speed CW or copy high speed CW...
Of course not, I would say that most of the operators probably
couldn't play "Mary had a little lamb" even on a flute, let alone
any other type of instrument for that matter. But what they have
mastered is the ability to truly Speak and Comprehend a different language.
Here are a
couple examples of what most high speed operators refer to as Beautiful
Music, as you listen to them don't try and copy the letters or message,
just simply listen for the rhythm of the music within the code itself
you'll know when you hear it, it will make you feel comfortable and
relaxed... Sorry for the poor audio quality, I made them all 8-bit mono to
reduce the download size for dialup users.
Samples:
These were done using my bencher iambic key up to 50 WPM.
15 WPM
20 WPM
30 WPM
40 WPM
50 WPM
50 wpm is my top
speed for using a key without making so many mistakes. Anything over
50 wpm I use a keyboard for, the following are speeds above 50 wpm.
Samples:
60 WPM
70 WPM
70 to 75 wpm
is my maximum copy speed. Sustaining any speeds greater then 75 wpm
is very hard for me, like a fine tuned race car I can run speeds above 75,
but only for very short burst of time like during a contest or
something. I'm not able to sustain those speeds above 75 for a
conversation or ragchew.
The following
is the way I learned to copy high speed CW, it maybe different for each
person you run into but usually when you talk to a high speed operator in
person they will typically explain it in the same fashion, just using
different wording.
When I
started coping high speed CW I would probably say was purely by mistake,
and I mean that literally because I don't know exactly when it happened, it
just did. One day I noticed that I was only writing down the
gentlemen's Call, Name, maybe city, state, or even radio, but I noticed I
was no longer writing down everything. Here is what I mean.
Actual
message sent,
K0RU DE N4YX FB ROB, UR
SIG IS SUR STRNG TODAY I BOUGHT A NEW RIG A YAESU FT990 IT SURE DOES A
WNDRFUL JOB I'M SUR IMPRESSD WID IT'S PERFORMANCE SO FAR
What I wrote
down,
N4YX - NEW RIG YAESU FT990 GREAT
Hmmm, how did
that happen. Well the mind seen the words, not letters and realized
it was a part of the conversation but it was (chit chat) just like if you
were talking VERBALLY with someone you don't pay attention to the words of
"IS, THE, FB, SUR," etc. You pay attention to the MEAT of
the conversation. Wow, I'm no longer writing down every letter, of
every word I heard. I had been coping like this for sometime, but
never really noticed it, until one day the light bulb came on.
As time went
on, now I typically only write down the call and name. Even when
driving, sometimes if the call is a short one, I don't bother writing that
down. If its someone I've work many, many times I don't writing
anything down. Just like when you walk up to your High School buddy
you've know for years, you recognize them, you know them inside and out,
and you don't need to constantly remind yourself his name, and what he
looks like.
I don't know
how many times I've been asked, how in the world do you copy CW that fast.
Its no big secret, its simply practice, and practice. Earlier
I stated I'm on the air about every day. This is true, speak to my
friends and they will all tell you, oh he's on 40 CW probably.
Typically I
get on around 7 pm CST, and operate until about 10 PM when I go to
bed. Oh did I mention, you better have a very good relationship with
your WIFE, GIRLFRIEND, because before you attempt operating like most high
speed CW ops, you better have things worked out with the XYL about your
playing times.
Amateur Radio
is not a hobby for me, it has become a life long challenge and pleasure.
I've constantly heard newcomers, and old farts talk about the hobby
as going down hill, or needs updating.
Typically
what I've discovered is they themselves have become burnt out, or just
can't find the challenge of the experience anymore and maybe need a break
from the same old routine. It always amazes me when I work another
fellow High Speed Operator, they always have the same story.
"Yup Rob, I'm like you I used to operate Fone all the time, I got
tired of the same old Signal Check, Qth, Name, Rig, Audio Check QSO and
discovered my love for CW" Why is that? Because they
found themselves challenged by the ability to accomplish something very few
operators get to experience. I've know old timers that swore once
they got their General ticket, they would NEVER touch a Code Key
again. Only after years of playing with Phone, they realized what
they've been missing over the years and that was the challenge and
excitement of operating CW.
Below you will find opinions of other High
Speed CW operators and hopefully find some helpful information.