Rock-Mite 30, it's alive!

[gil]

Hello,

Success on the Rock-Mite 30! 700mW output with a 2SC799 with a 2.2 Ohm resistor. The only problem is with the Pico keyer (again). My last RM had the same issue, until I reverted to the original keyer. I like the Pico chip's features, but sometimes when I send, say a C -.-. I get ---  :o It's a sporadic problem.. If I find the solution, I will post it here. I can't imagine being the only one with that problem, twice.

Gil.

[cockpitbob]

Nice.  What frequency did you get?

I was thinking $50 was a little steep but I see it comes with the switch and all connectors.  They add up.

Be sure to tell us about your first QSO and if you broke the 1,000 miles/watt barrier with it. 8)

[K7JLJ]

Cool! Someday when my CW is strong I hope to play with stuff like this. 

Seems odd having a TXCVR  smaller than a key :)


- Jim

[gil]

Hello Bob,

The crystals are 10116kHz. The two frequencies I get are of course a bit lower at 10114.4 and 10114.8kHz.

The original Rock-Mite was $29, but the connectors kit was $16, so $45 total. Not much of an increase. I wish the Pico keyer worked though, because it's nice to have two 100-character message memories.

Jim, you don't have to wait for your Morse code to get better, just jump in 8)

Gil.

[K7JLJ]

I'm practicing but I've decided I'm a very very slow learner.  I try to do 2-4 (5min) sessions a day on the morse machine and when I get a chance I tune in  on 20M but I'm stuck in the learn letters mode. I have about 90% copy at 4-7WPM but I'm trying to learn the dits-dahs instead of just reacting to the character sound so I can send them.

Not sure if that hurting me or helping but I figure I'll need to know the dit-dit-dah-dah-dit-dit of a "?" In order to send it, not just hear that sequence and write a "?" And automatically be able to tap it out without thinking about t at first, or is that hoe it works?

Do you get to a point where your hand will tap it out without knowing the beat starting off?

Anyway, I'm dedicated just exceptionally slow it seems.

My goal is to be on the air at 5wpm by Dec


- Jim

[cockpitbob]

Hi Jim,
I disagree with your approach.  My experience, and everything I've read says to learn it like you are learning music by ear, or a new language by ear.  Each letter should sound like a syllable, guitar rif or other sound pattern, not a counted sequence of dots and dashes.

The reason is that if you learn the dits and dahs and count them, when copying you use a look-up table in your head to convert them to letters.  That look-up table falls down by 10wpm which is why the FCC had the 2nd level Morse test at 13wpm.  By 20wpm you need to recognize common words (de, 599, CQ, tnx, 73, etc) by ear just the way you automatically piece the syllables of a word together into one item.  I learned it the way you are and it did a lot of damage I'm still trying to undo.  Even though I've been at it for 4 years (part time) and have moments where I can copy 20wpm, there are times where I fall back to counting dits and dahs for certain characters and everything falls apart when that happens.

Lastly, the way the brain works, most people can send much faster than they can copy (until they get up to 15wpm or more).  I think the look-up table works much faster in reverse.  A common problem for new CW operators is they will send faster than they can copy.  A good operator will reply matching your sending speed so you can't copy them.

[gil]

I'm trying to learn the dits-dahs instead of just reacting to the character sound so I can send them.

Bob is right. I was hoping you meant the other way around... Do not picture dits and dahs in your head! I would also suggest that you should learn the letters at least at 15wpm. At 7wpm you are forced to see dits and dahs, and that's very bad. Learn the letters by sound at 15, or even better, 20wpm. At 15 you can still write letters down, at 20, it's in your head. At the beginning you can just space the letters apart to make it easier, but your character speed should be 15wpm minimum.

I learned like you at 7wpm first... Probably lost a whole year unlearning it to get to 20wpm, and I still miss many words because my bad habit hasn't been entirely eradicated.

It will be harder at the beginning at 15wpm, but stick to it, you'll learn much better and faster later.

Gil.

[K7JLJ]

I've hear what you are saying and was afraid I was starting a bad habit (initially I did not count dit/dah) but I find it hard to believe I will be able to just tap it out by sound.  Sounds like you are saying that if I get to a copy of 20WPM, without ever having sent at all, my hand will repeat what I've heard all those sessions without conscious thought?

I'm going to go back to just hearing and writing for now and hope the latter is true.

Appreciate the advice, I'd heard not to memorize a chart but of dots and dashes but thought memorizing dits/dahs was OK.


- Jim

[gil]

my hand will repeat what I've heard all those sessions without conscious thought?

Yes, don't worry about sending, that's the easy part. I never even thought about sending, just started doing it..

You will sometimes inadvertently see dits and dahs, that's inevitable, but just try not to. You kind of have to in the very beginning, but get used to the sound of the letters as soon as possible. Practice picturing the letter in your head while hearing the sound, without picturing dits and dahs.

Bottom line is, don't sweat it. It's not rocket science. You'll get better eventually. Listen on the radio as much as possible.

BTW a good app on iOS is "Ham Morse." Best five bucks I've ever spent... (Well, except maybe that time in Tijuana.. :o ... Just kidding ;) )

Gil.

[cockpitbob]

It's just like whistling a tune you heard.  You don't need to see the sheet music to repeat the tune.  Consider the key a musical instrument.  Your hand will figure out the rhythm your head wants to play.