Greg Doughty wrote:

Wow! Thanks so much for the support. I thought I would get some negative
feedback but you guys are awesome. As far as setting up times, my daughter is
usually in bed by about 9pm. I get nervous though. That is what blew it the
first time I took the code. It's funny too, I find it difficult to send as
well, but I read a lot about how people find sending easier than receiving. I
actually have to write down what I want to send before I do it. Oh well,
practice makes perfect!!!

Sounds familiar, Greg! I'm a champion at "flying behind the plane", and
can really get frustrated if I make a mistake. That's my big problem, as
well as having trouble with bg noise - but I'm working on that too.

Yeah, we'll need to get together some evening. I'm good foro either 40
or 80.

- Mike KB3EIA -

"Greg Doughty" wrote in message
...
Wow! Thanks so much for the support. I thought I would get some negative
feedback but you guys are awesome. As far as setting up times, my
daughter is
usually in bed by about 9pm. I get nervous though. That is what blew it
the
first time I took the code. It's funny too, I find it difficult to send
as
well, but I read a lot about how people find sending easier than
receiving. I
actually have to write down what I want to send before I do it. Oh well,
practice makes perfect!!!


73
Greg


That's because we've all been there and done that. Early on I had a real
old-timer answer me and he must have been going at least 35wpm, probably
been doing code since radio began. After several requests, he got down to
what I could handle, about 10wpm, and stayed with me for a few minutes and
then gracefully said goodbye. I sensed that going so slow was a strain for
him but he still was willing to spend a few minutes with me.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE

"VA7LNX" wrote in message
news:mPrFb.774519$6C4.748277@pd7tw1no...
KØHB wrote:


"G. Doughty" wrote

Anyone out there that tried a contact
with me, sorry. I was forever putting out QRS
and still not getting it all. I will be back though as I
cannot use phone when the baby is sleeping. The light
*tick-ticking* on the straight key doesn't disturb her
as much as me talking.

Next time you get the courage to fire up on the air, go to a frequency
at
the lower part of most bands ending in "58" like 3558, 7058, 14058, or
21058. Usually you can find people there looking for slower Morse.

73, de Hans, K0HB

speaking of bands, what's a good band to start on for CW.

--
Donovan Hill
VA7LNX (Basic, Advanced)


Depends on the time of day and what areas you want to work but I would
suggest 40m or 80m at night and 15m or 20m for day.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE

"KØHB" wrote in message
k.net...

Whichever one sounds open at your location. I prefer 30 and 40 meters.


By the way Hans, I was working on QSL cards today and when I entered your
call in my computerized log I found not only the two relatively recent
contacts for which you sent me cards but a much older one too. It appears
that we worked back in January of 1993 during the "Minnesota Beach Party."
I had tested in May of 1992 and received the actual license at the end of
July 1992. I'd only been licensed a little over 5 months then. My Extra
class license arrived at the end of January 1993.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE

"Dee D. Flint" wrote

It appears that we worked back in January of
1993 during the "Minnesota Beach Party."

That was the "Frostbite Falls Beach Party" which was the old name for the
Minnesota QSO Party.

You can work us again soon, I think Feb 7th. Rules at http://www.w0aa.org

73, de Hans, K0HB

KØHB wrote:


"VA7LNX" wrote


speaking of bands, what's a good band to start on for CW.


Whichever one sounds open at your location. I prefer 30 and 40 meters.

73, Hans, K0HB

Hmmm... I'm going to build a 15m CW direct conversion transciever... maybe
I'll build it and make sure it's upgradable to 30m (frequency doubler on
the VFO and a 2nd input filter).

--
Donovan Hill
VA7LNX (Basic, Advanced)

ojunk (G. Doughty) wrote in message ...
Well, passed my element one with no problems yesterday and have been trying to
get some contacts on hf with cw. I love cw but 5wpm just isn't cutting it so I am back to Numorse to bring up my speed.

That's excellent but don't limit yourself to just the computer.

Listen around the bands too. Part of what you may be experience is not
being skilled (yet) at both running the rig and copying code. The way
to cure that is to use your rig to listen to real live code.

W1AW sends code practice on a regular schedule and should be very
strong at your location on 80 and 40 meters in the evenings. Check

http://www.arrl.org

for the current schedule.

Also, don't limit yourself to 5 wpm or whatever speed you can copy.
Spend some time at higher speeds. Even if you only get 1 letter out of
every 3, it will sharpen your reflexes and when you listen to 5 wpm it
will sound much slower. Try a range of speeds, up to the point where
you only get maybe 10-20% of what's being sent.


Anyone out there that tried a contact
with me, sorry. I was forever putting out QRS and still not getting it all.

No problem. We were all beginners once.


I
will be back though as I cannot use phone when the baby is sleeping. The
light
*tick-ticking* on the straight key doesn't disturb her as much as me talking.

Just another advantage of the mode!

73 es GL de Jim, N2EY

ojunk (Greg Doughty) wrote in message ...
I get nervous though.

That's normal!

That is what blew it the
first time I took the code. It's funny too, I find it difficult to send as
well, but I read a lot about how people find sending easier than receiving.

Try this:

Disable the transmit part of your rig so that it doesn't put out a
signal, or use a code practice oscillator. Tune around for a CQ that
you can copy and have a "pretend" QSO, with you sending just to
yourself. Gets you used to doing the various things without actually
being on the air.

I
actually have to write down what I want to send before I do it. Oh well,
practice makes perfect!!!

Absolutely!

Remember that CW operating involves a whole set of skills, but Element
1 only tests one of them. The rest are left "as an exercise for the
reader".

73 es GL de Jim, N2EY

"Dee D. Flint" wrote in message
gy.com...

"Greg Doughty" wrote in message
...
Wow! Thanks so much for the support. I thought I would get some
negative
feedback but you guys are awesome. As far as setting up times, my
daughter is
usually in bed by about 9pm. I get nervous though. That is what blew
it
the
first time I took the code. It's funny too, I find it difficult to send
as
well, but I read a lot about how people find sending easier than
receiving. I
actually have to write down what I want to send before I do it. Oh
well,
practice makes perfect!!!


73
Greg


That's because we've all been there and done that. Early on I had a real
old-timer answer me and he must have been going at least 35wpm, probably
been doing code since radio began. After several requests, he got down to
what I could handle, about 10wpm, and stayed with me for a few minutes and
then gracefully said goodbye. I sensed that going so slow was a strain
for
him but he still was willing to spend a few minutes with me.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE


It really is difficult for those able to copy above 30 wpm to slow down to
ten. Its not a macho thing, really.

Also now a days many folks use puters to send and readers to copy. Ive been
answered by someone going 20 when I called at 40 and they copied just fine,
and no ask for a QRS.

But, what I do is slow down if answered by someone slower than I was
sending. I feel that is courtesy and good operating practice.

Also be aware that this time of year the low bands are skipping out like
crazy. If your too close together you may not hear each other at night.

Dan/W4NTI

"VA7LNX" wrote in message
news:mPrFb.774519$6C4.748277@pd7tw1no...
KØHB wrote:


"G. Doughty" wrote

Anyone out there that tried a contact
with me, sorry. I was forever putting out QRS
and still not getting it all. I will be back though as I
cannot use phone when the baby is sleeping. The light
*tick-ticking* on the straight key doesn't disturb her
as much as me talking.

Next time you get the courage to fire up on the air, go to a frequency
at
the lower part of most bands ending in "58" like 3558, 7058, 14058, or
21058. Usually you can find people there looking for slower Morse.

73, de Hans, K0HB

speaking of bands, what's a good band to start on for CW.

--
Donovan Hill
VA7LNX (Basic, Advanced)

40 is decent during the day, with 80 good at night, especially in the
winter months.

20 can be good, but you will run into dxers and such more often.

Dan/W4NTI