Guest post, part two: CW

This is the second of six posts from an anonymous operator on amateur radio principles. 
 - KD0TLS

CW, MORSE CODE, CHARLIE WHISKEY

There are three subjects which always seem to start heated discussions on the air and on the online services. POLITICS – RELIGION – CW (MORSE CODE).

For our own sanity we will just skip the first two subjects and jump right into the third since it is the only one associated with radio. CW. Now, I’m not going to go into the basics of CW. If you don’t already know the basics of CW then pull up the old Google search box and read up on it. When you are on the air, on the social networks, or ham radio web sites and spotting nets you’re going to hear some phrases that are going make you scratch your head. These terms are: “know code (insert license class here)” and “no code (insert license class here)” and they are both offensive to any intelligent ham. So what if you had to take a code test to get your license? Does it make you a better operator than those who are licensed without the code requirements? I doubt it. In fact, I know it from some of the “know-code” ops I have heard and worked. So let’s agree to dispense with the “know code / no code” childishness for these posts. Your license class doesn’t matter to me or to the receiver on the other end of your QSO’s. If another operator’s license class does make a difference to make a difference to you then that’s something for you and your therapist to deal with.

Now then, several things come up that a beginning CW op (operator) needs to learn about CW. One of these is that it’s going to take time and practice to get your code speed up. Transmit or receive. Let me challenge you to not be one of those keyboard CW ops. Learn to send and receive CW manually. Not to sound like a survivalist but what good are computer based CW skills when you’re out in the field with nothing but you, your rig, and your vehicle? Having completed thousands of CW contacts myself I can honestly say that on the air QSO’s are the best trainers. Working with training files and software programs really are great. But you need to develop an ear for CW reception. QRN (static), QSB (fading signals), QRM from signals close to your own, and propagation changes. These are really your best teachers for CW. Tough? Yes, but you can do it.

CODE SPEED

Don’t let code speed intimidate you! By all means work to build your code speed but don’t drive it into the ground. With much practice and patience you will be copying whole words in your head. Not only will you copy CW in your head but you will learn to copy CW without writing it down. A good CW op (and there a bunch of them out there) will automatically QRS for you. QRS is the code used for when you want the other station to slow their sending speed down. If someone hassles you over your speed change frequencies! Don’t let the old fart intimidate you. He’s probably sitting in front of a computer monitor with Ham Radio Deluxe running so he can work CW. Punching a function key on a keyboard and watching CW decode on your computer screen is NOT how you use CW.

PLATEAUS

Code speed is like a muscle in some ways. When you are training, physically speaking, you can get to a point where you won’t notice any muscle or strength improvement. This is called a plateau. In order to get off the plateau you must train harder. In CW you will reach plateaus where you think you will never get onto the next code speed. When I first started listening to code tapes back in the 70’s I thought I’d never get it. When I took my first FCC test I failed it. Some say I wasn’t ready and they were partially right. Once you miss a character your instinct is to try to recover it. Problem is, the code is progressing onward. So you have to train yourself to simply ignore any characters you miss. Barriers I encountered were at three speeds, 5WPM, 10WPM, and 15WPM. The 5WPM plateau was simply because I was so new at CW, once I mastered ignoring mixed characters I aced the 5WPM FCC test. As I studied for my General test at 13WPM I found I had a hard time breaking the 10WPM barrier. Once I broke that, I found 13WPM a breeze (even though others thought 13WPM was harder). I never made Extra class. Why? Lazy I guess; never saw a use for the Extra class license. But I did work towards it. This time I found my plateau at 15WPM instead of at 20WPM. As with before, once I mastered the plateau 20WPM was a breeze. For nearly ten years now I have pretty much stopped writing down code (no, I do not use computers for CW send/receive). I write the call, QRG, date/time and that’s all. When it comes to receiving I hear the words instead of the characters. When you get to where you are copying words instead of the characters you will actually enjoy CW more. A hint about hearing words in CW, you will grow to anticipate what the other station will send and many times you will be right before long your brain will have enough letters of the word that you will figure it out. Hearing words on CW has helped me increase my CW speed to 35-38WPM so it will help you also.

ZERO BEAT

Learn what it means and learn how to do it. First the definition according to Merriam-Webster: a condition in which two radio frequencies are adjusted to equality by first producing beats between them and then reducing the beat frequency to zero. In other words, put your radio on the frequency where the other station can hear you. Remember these filters in today’s radios will prevent the other station from even hearing you. So the next time you keep calling and calling and the other station doesn’t reply? ZERO BEAT! Anything else is sheer laziness. For a really good explanation of zero beat take a run over to N3EF’s page about ZERO BEAT. Another link you can make use of for CW is the Straight Key Century Club (link). A great group of ops who are always willing to help out. Good training materials on there as well. And no, I will not give you my SKCC number. Nice try though.