I try to do a little CW practice every day, even if I only have 10 minutes here and there to work on it. Every evening, I've been finishing up by using the "Ham Morse" app on iPhone to copy 5-letter groups. Tonight, I did a whole page of 5 letter groups at 10WPM with no errors! I know it's still pretty slow, but for me it's a major breakthrough and I just wanted to brag a little bit. :) :) :)
Excellent, you're 2wpm ahead of me, now I need to catch up ;)
Gil.
Actually - that is tremendous! Clear text in context is so much easier to copy than groups - really. Ray (hmmmm , that name sounds familiar) , go forth a conquer. Go enjoy some short QSO's on the air! That will make is more enjoyable and also give you a reward for your copy (or at least hearing loss...) :o
>de RadioRay ..._ ._
Quote from: gil on October 09, 2012, 09:16:02 PM
Excellent, you're 2wpm ahead of me, now I need to catch up ;)
Gil.
Nah, you're there. ;)
Congrats Ray. Anyone on one of the SKCC's "Elmer" frequencies would be tickled to pick you up and have a nice QSO with you. You'd be surprised at the people that can contest at a pretty good clip but, when pressed, will tell you that their favorite conversational speed is in the area of something like 12-16wpm (maybe 18 for those who have no brakes on an old bug).
As Ray said (no, the other one): Go forth, enjoy.
FWIW, in the big MIL random group WPM ratings were* the norm because of the inherent need to have no-BS 100% copy when lives depended on it. Straight English is too easily "filled in" by our brain.
Great job, drive on!
* I say "were" because I believe, sadly, none of the big-4 teach it anymore. I think the only place it's still a real requirement is for licensed maritime radio signal officers as their license category progresses and these are commerical merchant marine folks. Begs the question, who's on the distant-end...? More info welcome.
Maybe better back in '89. LINK to the MS Prinsendam rescue sound files (http://www.qsl.net/n1ea/) Scroll down to the little square on the left (SOS DE PJTA) and listen to what ocean, hearing alot of weather for a 15,000 mile area, and a CW SOS sounds like. You think you hear weather & junk on 40m.... Pretty good read of a story too.
;D
Nice to hear. I am doing something similar with a computer - not phone app. One night went really well. 20 wpm, 3 and 4 minute runs. Some errors, but not too many. Only two letters though. :-\