W2LJ's Blog - QRP - Do More With Less.

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Spacing - the most important thing.

Posted: 15 Dec 2015 06:01 PM PST
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I don't know about you guys, but for me, "written" Morse is almost
impossible for me to decode. Someone posted this to one of the Amateur
Radio groups that I belong to in Facebook:


It took me a while to figure out that this said "Merry Christmas". At
first, I thought it was starting with a "g" - to me the spacing was off.
So. of course, I had to comment - which I shouldn't have done. I always get
in trouble when I comment. I posted, "Same to you, but your spacing is
off.". Which probably went over like a lead balloon.

So the person came back a little later with:


Which to my eye was a whole lot better. Morse is hard enough for me
to "read", but when it gets jumbled up, it makes it even harder. But then
someone posted this:
"It was great the first time also. A good CW operator can copy no matter
what the spacing of the characters. Thanks for sending."
Really? Wow - then I am definitely not as good a CW operator as I had
thought myself to be. To me, spacing is everything. If the Morse is "run
on", whether it's typed or pounded, then I can't read it and I can't copy
it aurally, either. I wonder .... am I alone in that?
So here's a question, a hypothesis for you, if you will. Feel free to
comment, The gentleman who posted that comment may have a very valid point.
Have we (I) gotten spoiled by keyers and paddles? Do we (I) expect
more "perfect" code than we used to get in the days when straight keys and
bugs dominated the landscape? Have our ears (at least maybe my ears)
gotten to the point where they're spoiled by perfectly produced electronic
dits and dahs?
Maybe back in the days when almost everyone was mechanically sending Morse
Code, it was easier to decode a fist that was less than perfect - because
less than perfect was the norm. Spacing as well as the length of dits and
dahs was all over the place and ears were used to copying Morse sent "all
over the place" - especially on the Novice bands In fact, this is how we
came up with the concept of someone's "fist". Do you think this is a
reasonable theory? That a really good CW operator should be able to copy a
variety of fists, even lousy (sorry!) ones?
I think I can do that, at least I used to think I could do that, but I have
to admit - when the spacing is terrible, and sometimes it is, I am at an
utter and complete loss. If I hear Morse that
soundsmorelikethis,allditsanddahsrunningonwithouta nyspaces - then it's as
hard for me to copy as it was for you to read that last little bit. And to
be honest with you, if it's that bad, than I simply would rather not even
try. I hope that's not perceived as uppity or condescending - it's probably
more of a lack of ability on my part. I marvel at the stories of the "pros"
who could copy Morse at 40 WPM while making coffee, eating breakfast,
walking the dog and chatting with the mailman. I'm lucky if I don't get
distracted by a mosquito or an itch or the urge to sneeze - all of which
can totally mess me up. I wish I was that good - sadly, I am not. Maybe I'm
just getting old, and my powers of concentration are not what they used to
be.
Anyway, skipping to a different topic, I had two nice short
little "ragchew" type conversations during lunch today. One was with Mike
WB0AGU near Kansas City, MO and the other was with David N4IVE in NC. The
QSO with David was 2X QRP. He was using an OHR homebuilt kit radio to a
full sized 20 Meter loop antenna. His 3 Watts was coming in like
gangbusters. I told David that I used to have the OHR 20/40 and thought it
to be an excellent radio. OHR offers good stuff.
Then David asked where my OHR went. Truth be told, it was sold to provide
financing for other radio purchases. Another point of wondering ..... I
wonder how many of us (if any of us) are lucky enough to have every radio
ever purchased? I think the norm is to buy, sell and buy up - at least
that's been my experience. How about you?
72 de Larry W2LJQRP - When you care to send the very least!