I always get a chuckle when I hear radio people talking about their code and saying "Dit" and "Duh" for Dot and Dash. I learned American Morse, over a telegraph sounder, almost 60 years ago. BTW, you are an effective presenter: You know right where you are going with your presentation, so there are no Uhuuuh's and Ahhhhhh's, and no "Gonna's." Nice presentation.
I just finished the CWA level one, but then promptly fell of the wagon with my practice. Your video was timely and a reminder that I need to continue practicing. As always, your videos make CW (and QRP) fun.
Just wanted to say that your channel was one of the ones that got me into radio this year. More content, please! 😇 I'd love to see a review of the QCX:)
And BTW, I agree wholeheartedly with your premise. As I have told the people I have taught American Morse, "The three most important things in sending are Spacing, Spacing and Spacing."
Sorry, I disagree on several points. I have been licensed since I was 15, 49 years ago, and used mostly CW. My opinion, for what it is worth, is everyone should start out with a straight key and not depend on a keyer to establish a skill the operator needs to LEARN. Once you have become proficient with a straight key, move on to a keyer, keyboard or even a bug. Speaking of bugs which are the oldest types of keyers, mechanical as they are, thye do NOT send perfect CW but once one becomes proficient on a bug, they are wonderful to listen to.. ANother reason to take your time and learn to use a straight key is so you will be ready to use it in the future for other straight key events. The best way to improve your sending, IMHO, is to get a magazine, even QST and send paragraphs to a recording device such as your computer or that old cassette recorder in your clausit. Record a paragraph or two, daily for 10 days and at a speed you believe you can copy. Then go back and listen to your own files as if they are coming in over the air. Listen for your consistent mistakes and learn. Then sit down with a key and oscillator and practice making your copy like you want it to be. Do this over and over for a few months and you WILL see your copy improving substantially. Once you believe your sending is good, then treat yourself to a nice paddle and keyer. And there are plenty of very nice units to choose from these days. I also disagree with making excuses to end a QSO because the other op is not sending well. If you try your best to make the best of the QSO, it is a win win situation. Let me explain; 1) You will become better at copying NON PERFECT CW. And face it lot of times we have QRN, QSB, QRM and or sloppy sent CW which makes the copy rough, This is a good time to hone your skills. 2) Consider the other op. Maybe he or she is handicapped with impairment with their dexterity. Perhaps a stroke, MS or other causes such as bad arthritis in their hands. Perhaps that person is way up in years and his/her hand is shakey. In all of these cases, a little effort on our part to copy may give that person a little pleasure to enjoy the hobby for a while. One mistake which we are and were guilty of is sending way faster than we can receive. Naturally, the other op will come back at about the same speed. Then what???? QRM. QSB, QRN on your 599 signal LOL.. Send at a speed you are sure to be able to copy and don't be afraid to ask the other op to QRS. Tell him/her your are out of practice or new and pse QRS. ANY decent op will be glad to accommodate you. We were ALL slow ops at one point. DO your part to be a good op and you will enjoy the hobby much more and so will the ops you work.. MY 2 cents worth. 73, de Glenn WA4AOS dit dit
Skimpy spacing is the bane of the new CW operator I can personally attest. Err on the generous side - you are absolutely right. Another helpful video Cliff. Thx! Scott kw4jm
Great video. I'm happy that CW is still a viable mode that seems to be growing. I managed to take my test in time to still be able to have to take the 5WPM code test. It was a goal that I set for myself.
There is a lot of bad sending but it doesn't bother me, There are a lot of new people and some older people with problems, especially spelling. maybe I don't copy everything but if I don't understand something I ask them to repeat it. most people make mistakes and are not perfect. there are a lot of new people that are trying hard to do it right. as far as using a paddle, people make many mistakes with those also.
Yes I agree. I wrote a Morse decode algorithm for my homebrew SDR receiver and badly spaced Morse is a real problem, particularly when the inter-character separation is 2 dits or less - a human might be able to read this but in the world of data communications, merging symbols together actually results in no communication at all !! 73, Tim G0ETP.
Thank you, Cliff. Another easy to understand video. For some strange reason, a few people have given this video a thumbs down. Must be some CW haters out there!
Mark P Maybe so, Mark. I wish there was a requirement that "thumb's down" votes had to say why. That would give me a chance to learn something. On the internet you have to appreciate the positive comments, try to learn something from the negative (but constructive) comments,, and let the unhelpful negative comments not get to you. And, while it's not emotionally satisfying, you always have to take the high road, darn it! 😀 - Cliff
Cliff, Great advice, well taken. We are not in a speed contest. I think it is very intimidating to new or even old hams when they hear all the high speed CW on the air. You might have given out some of the slower speed hang out frequencies to help those really trying to learn the game. I like the QRP watering holes or the SKCC frequencies as they tend to be slower and I can copy them in the background while cleaning up the shack or building kits. Thanks for your help in this fun mode. Dave K8WPE
Excellent advice! There are two great free Windows(and Linux under Wine) learning programs I know of: G4FON and JustLearnMorseCode. Both use the Koch method. G4FON won't let you go lower than 15wpm char speed but can vary spacing. The other can work the same but can let you make bad choices in char speed(too slow). An android app by IZ2UUF(free)does the same.
Ha! I understand, George. Well, I will respond to anyone - unless it's truly terrible. If it's truly terrible, I figure it's going to be a lot of work to make heads/tails of what they're saying so I'll just pretend I can't hear them. This might seem cruel to some but it's going to be frustrating for both of us with me getting things wrong or having to ask them to repeat a number of things, etc. I really wish I'd remembered to suggest that hams try sending while a computer or mobile app is decoding their sending. If the computer/app can decode you, there is nothing to fear! If the computer/app can't decode your sending, some practice is required until you're consistently copyable. - Cliff
Perhaps this might seem cruel to someone, but... imagine how much difficult this can be to try to copy for a real newbie, like me! So , sometimes, there's no other solutiont than "SRI OM (truly sorry, because it's impossible for me to copy) QSB QSB 73...". I totally agree with your advice about beginner should start learning with paddles. Gaspar
The Importance of sending good code ! Of highest importance !! A fist is another word for bad sending ! A electronic keyer is a wonderful tool ! What do I say about a straight key ! I say you need to have it together ! As far a a bug ! I am not a very fan of the contraption and leave it there !
This is why I like old school cats, no disrespect. These guys knows things only they know or their time that is used today, but unless it's a text message, we are like whuuuuuuuut?
I do recommend that people start out with paddles instead of a straight key... HOWEVER, I love my Flame-Proof Navy Key. I'm a member of the Straight Key Century Club (member #12370) and enjoy using a straight key. But it's tough for a newbie to get send clean code on a straight key. Heck, it's tough for some old-timers to send clean code on a straight key! I regret that in this video I failed to mention that someone learning to send CW should use a CW Decoding App on their computer/smartphone/tablet to make sure that they code their sending is able to be decoded properly! - Cliff
In the military we use to say the guy was sending with his left testicle ;) If you work someone all the time you can get used to very poor morse but it's no fun.
Good video. I’m new back to CW and I appreciate the extra space between characters. The easiest copy I’ve done was from a guy who still has a Novice ticket. His characters were sent fast, like Farnsworth, with good spaces between. Easy to copy. I wonder if he was using a CW program on computer? 73
I transmit at 15 wpm and try to make a letter like M for instance, it comes back as TT. I am pressing down very quickly, less than .5 seconds in between presses and I still get TT. Help?
If you're getting TT instead of M, and you're using a straight key, you're probably not holding the dah's long enough relative to the spacing between them. You have to think of the elements based on the length of a dit. So, a "dah" is 3 "dits" long. The inter-element spacing is a "dit". Therefore, the timing of your "M" character should be a dah (that lasts for 3 dit's worth of time), a space (1 dit's worth of time), and another dah (that lasts for 3 dit's worth of time). Your TT vs. M is just caused by the timing being off. If you're using an electronic keyer to form the dahs and dits, someone listening to you send morse code would be able to hear how long the dahs (dash) are relative to the dits (dot). That would clue them in on the rhythm of the elemenets. Without preserving some sense of timing between the elements and between letters, code would just sound random... like a toddler playing with a straight key.
Hey Cliff, wonderful to talk to you at the FDIM vendor night. After watching all of your CW vids. I am jumping in. I am signed up for the CW Academy. I can't wait. de KD0FZT
Hello, Eric. Thanks for introducing yourself last week! It definitely takes a while to become comfortable with CW so be patient with yourself as you get up-to-speed. It's a long process but it's so worth it! - Cliff
I always cringe when old timers tell a CW trainee to use a straight key. I couldn't agree more with your advice, use a keyer. It's one less thing you have to think about. Focus on the sounds when they are made correctly. Also remember HW? Means it's your turn now. :-) when I was new I always was terrified I missed the question.
Hi CliffThanks for another great and informative video. Glad to see you back on the air (in this medium) was worried you'd dropped off thereHow's the SOTA going? (You're always welcome out here in VK land ,if you find yourself out here)Phil VK2JDL
I recommend adding to your video some actual examples of bad spacing. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes to find a few of them on the air. During the recent ARRL DX CW contest, I was horrified at the large amount of really terrible CW.
That's a good question! I've got more videos to make but I'm busy running my business and playing with a couple of other hobbies. Expect to see me back here by Spring. Thanks for noticing that I'm AWOL... - Cliff
Need to mention....matching the speed of the other person. If I send out 15wpm and they come back with 25wpm, I can't hear you.
I LOL'd at the "yeah, you do...(awkward pause)..."!
I always get a chuckle when I hear radio people talking about their code and saying "Dit" and "Duh" for Dot and Dash. I learned American Morse, over a telegraph sounder, almost 60 years ago. BTW, you are an effective presenter: You know right where you are going with your presentation, so there are no Uhuuuh's and Ahhhhhh's, and no "Gonna's." Nice presentation.
I just finished the CWA level one, but then promptly fell of the wagon with my practice. Your video was timely and a reminder that I need to continue practicing. As always, your videos make CW (and QRP) fun.
Just wanted to say that your channel was one of the ones that got me into radio this year.
More content, please! 😇
I'd love to see a review of the QCX:)
And BTW, I agree wholeheartedly with your premise. As I have told the people I have taught American Morse, "The three most important things in sending are Spacing, Spacing and Spacing."
Sorry, I disagree on several points. I have been licensed since I was 15, 49 years ago, and used mostly CW. My opinion, for what it is worth, is everyone should start out with a straight key and not depend on a keyer to establish a skill the operator needs to LEARN. Once you have become proficient with a straight key, move on to a keyer, keyboard or even a bug. Speaking of bugs which are the oldest types of keyers, mechanical as they are, thye do NOT send perfect CW but once one becomes proficient on a bug, they are wonderful to listen to..
ANother reason to take your time and learn to use a straight key is so you will be ready to use it in the future for other straight key events.
The best way to improve your sending, IMHO, is to get a magazine, even QST and send paragraphs to a recording device such as your computer or that old cassette recorder in your clausit. Record a paragraph or two, daily for 10 days and at a speed you believe you can copy. Then go back and listen to your own files as if they are coming in over the air. Listen for your consistent mistakes and learn. Then sit down with a key and oscillator and practice making your copy like you want it to be. Do this over and over for a few months and you WILL see your copy improving substantially.
Once you believe your sending is good, then treat yourself to a nice paddle and keyer. And there are plenty of very nice units to choose from these days.
I also disagree with making excuses to end a QSO because the other op is not sending well. If you try your best to make the best of the QSO, it is a win win situation.
Let me explain;
1) You will become better at copying NON PERFECT CW. And face it lot of times we have QRN, QSB, QRM and or sloppy sent CW which makes the copy rough, This is a good time to hone your skills.
2) Consider the other op. Maybe he or she is handicapped with impairment with their dexterity. Perhaps a stroke, MS or other causes such as bad arthritis in their hands. Perhaps that person is way up in years and his/her hand is shakey. In all of these cases, a little effort on our part to copy may give that person a little pleasure to enjoy the hobby for a while.
One mistake which we are and were guilty of is sending way faster than we can receive. Naturally, the other op will come back at about the same speed. Then what???? QRM. QSB, QRN on your 599 signal LOL.. Send at a speed you are sure to be able to copy and don't be afraid to ask the other op to QRS. Tell him/her your are out of practice or new and pse QRS. ANY decent op will be glad to accommodate you. We were ALL slow ops at one point.
DO your part to be a good op and you will enjoy the hobby much more and so will the ops you work..
MY 2 cents worth.
73, de Glenn WA4AOS dit dit
Skimpy spacing is the bane of the new CW operator I can personally attest. Err on the generous side - you are absolutely right. Another helpful video Cliff. Thx! Scott kw4jm
Great video. I'm happy that CW is still a viable mode that seems to be growing. I managed to take my test in time to still be able to have to take the 5WPM code test. It was a goal that I set for myself.
There is a lot of bad sending but it doesn't bother me, There are a lot of new people and some older people with problems, especially spelling. maybe I don't copy everything but if I don't understand something I ask them to repeat it. most people make mistakes and are not perfect. there are a lot of new people that are trying hard to do it right. as far as using a paddle, people make many mistakes with those also.
Thanks for another great video. Your videos are always a pleasure to watch and very informative! Hope to see more!
Oh I live and die by a keyer and paddles. Love it.
The spaces can be the difference between “low” and “enemy”
lots of poor cw now, tip....download a cw reader app, practice and get instant feedback. the APS are not perfect but do give an idea of your sending
Love the Sarah Palin picture appearing on the screen!!
Yes I agree. I wrote a Morse decode algorithm for my homebrew SDR receiver and badly spaced Morse is a real problem, particularly when the inter-character separation is 2 dits or less - a human might be able to read this but in the world of data communications, merging symbols together actually results in no communication at all !! 73, Tim G0ETP.
Refreshing honesty without rancor. HI HI
Thank you, Cliff. Another easy to understand video. For some strange reason, a few people have given this video a thumbs down. Must be some CW haters out there!
Mark P Maybe so, Mark. I wish there was a requirement that "thumb's down" votes had to say why. That would give me a chance to learn something.
On the internet you have to appreciate the positive comments, try to learn something from the negative (but constructive) comments,, and let the unhelpful negative comments not get to you. And, while it's not emotionally satisfying, you always have to take the high road, darn it! 😀 - Cliff
Cliff,
Great advice, well taken. We are not in a speed contest. I think it is very intimidating to new or even old hams when they hear all the high speed CW on the air. You might have given out some of the slower speed hang out frequencies to help those really trying to learn the game. I like the QRP watering holes or the SKCC frequencies as they tend to be slower and I can copy them in the background while cleaning up the shack or building kits. Thanks for your help in this fun mode.
Dave K8WPE
Good and much needed video. Thanks!
Excellent advice!
There are two great free Windows(and Linux under Wine) learning programs I know of: G4FON and JustLearnMorseCode. Both use the Koch method. G4FON won't let you go lower than 15wpm char speed but can vary spacing. The other can work the same but can let you make bad choices in char speed(too slow). An android app by IZ2UUF(free)does the same.
You described the reasons I no longer call CQ on CW. I'm afraid of who might answer, lol.
Ha! I understand, George. Well, I will respond to anyone - unless it's truly terrible. If it's truly terrible, I figure it's going to be a lot of work to make heads/tails of what they're saying so I'll just pretend I can't hear them. This might seem cruel to some but it's going to be frustrating for both of us with me getting things wrong or having to ask them to repeat a number of things, etc. I really wish I'd remembered to suggest that hams try sending while a computer or mobile app is decoding their sending. If the computer/app can decode you, there is nothing to fear! If the computer/app can't decode your sending, some practice is required until you're consistently copyable. - Cliff
Perhaps this might seem cruel to someone, but... imagine how much difficult this can be to try to copy for a real newbie, like me! So , sometimes, there's no other solutiont than "SRI OM (truly sorry, because it's impossible for me to copy) QSB QSB 73...". I totally agree with your advice about beginner should start learning with paddles. Gaspar
I learned CW on a straight key but fell in love with an I2RTF Begali paddle. Will never go back to a straight key again.
Begali keys are wonderful! I have 3 of them. -Cliff
I'm learning morse code. I'm having fun
All wonderful videos for hams. Very well done. Thank you.
The Importance of sending good code ! Of highest importance !! A fist is another word for bad sending ! A electronic keyer is a wonderful tool ! What do I say about a straight key ! I say you need to have it together ! As far a a bug ! I am not a very fan of the contraption and leave it there !
I’m on self quarantine and learning these hehe
This is why I like old school cats, no disrespect. These guys knows things only they know or their time that is used today, but unless it's a text message, we are like whuuuuuuuut?
This makes Vibroplex operators a little insane :D
I do recommend that people start out with paddles instead of a straight key... HOWEVER, I love my Flame-Proof Navy Key. I'm a member of the Straight Key Century Club (member #12370) and enjoy using a straight key. But it's tough for a newbie to get send clean code on a straight key. Heck, it's tough for some old-timers to send clean code on a straight key! I regret that in this video I failed to mention that someone learning to send CW should use a CW Decoding App on their computer/smartphone/tablet to make sure that they code their sending is able to be decoded properly! - Cliff
Hey Cliff... where are you man? We missing your lessons
In the military we use to say the guy was sending with his left testicle ;) If you work someone all the time you can get used to very poor morse but it's no fun.
Thanks Cliff! As always, enjoy your videos and advice. 73!
Good video. I’m new back to CW and I appreciate the extra space between characters. The easiest copy I’ve done was from a guy who still has a Novice ticket. His characters were sent fast, like Farnsworth, with good spaces between. Easy to copy. I wonder if he was using a CW program on computer?
73
Always great advice, Cliff. Thanks for sharing your videos with us; I've learned a lot.
~Sam KK4RSK
I transmit at 15 wpm and try to make a letter like M for instance, it comes back as TT. I am pressing down very quickly, less than .5 seconds in between presses and I still get TT. Help?
If you're getting TT instead of M, and you're using a straight key, you're probably not holding the dah's long enough relative to the spacing between them.
You have to think of the elements based on the length of a dit. So, a "dah" is 3 "dits" long. The inter-element spacing is a "dit". Therefore, the timing of your "M" character should be a dah (that lasts for 3 dit's worth of time), a space (1 dit's worth of time), and another dah (that lasts for 3 dit's worth of time). Your TT vs. M is just caused by the timing being off.
If you're using an electronic keyer to form the dahs and dits, someone listening to you send morse code would be able to hear how long the dahs (dash) are relative to the dits (dot). That would clue them in on the rhythm of the elemenets.
Without preserving some sense of timing between the elements and between letters, code would just sound random... like a toddler playing with a straight key.
Great video .
Hey Cliff, where are you man? Missing your videos
Bruno - I'm having to invest a lot of time in my work right now. It's not fun. I'll be back! :-)
QRP School great to hear you're doing fine. Hope you back soon . Be strong!😉
Thank for these videos. Good info.
Hello Cliff, ¿why not more videos? ... ten month since the last video... wait for more !!! best 73 from TI3ATS
Hey Cliff, wonderful to talk to you at the FDIM vendor night. After watching all of your CW vids. I am jumping in. I am signed up for the CW Academy. I can't wait. de KD0FZT
Hello, Eric. Thanks for introducing yourself last week! It definitely takes a while to become comfortable with CW so be patient with yourself as you get up-to-speed. It's a long process but it's so worth it! - Cliff
Cliff been watching for a short time and I really want to learn QRP. I'm I too old to start....69. Love your easy instructional methods.
Cliff, we haven't heard from you for 6 months or so. I hope you are well. --Mark, KE6BB
I always cringe when old timers tell a CW trainee to use a straight key. I couldn't agree more with your advice, use a keyer. It's one less thing you have to think about. Focus on the sounds when they are made correctly.
Also remember HW? Means it's your turn now. :-) when I was new I always was terrified I missed the question.
Hi CliffThanks for another great and informative video. Glad to see you back on the air (in this medium) was worried you'd dropped off thereHow's the SOTA going? (You're always welcome out here in VK land ,if you find yourself out here)Phil VK2JDL
Another good video...Thanks
I still have difficult to receive and understand messages, but I'm improving my transmission since I'm a beginner in cw.
Tried to post a long post describing a few resources to learn cw but it keeps disappearing??
I recommend adding to your video some actual examples of bad spacing. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes to find a few of them on the air. During the recent ARRL DX CW contest, I was horrified at the large amount of really terrible CW.
Thanks for sharing all these vids. Please keep it up. New ham. KN4DJR.
2023 fantastic 73 from VK7 land Tasmania
My sending is good but I struggle with listening and decoding.. any tips? 73 from ZS1CDG
downloading ARRL morse MP3s now.. :)
Good video lead out ok but really confusing to understand?
Haven't seen you on your channel for a while. Hope you and your family are well.
73
wd4dda
-- --- .-. ... . / -.-. --- -.. . / --. .-. .- -- -- .- .-. / -. .- --.. .. / haha 😂
Thanks for the video. Always lots of good information on your channel.
Haven't seen any resent videos and you are well.
73
wd4dda
Is Cliff going to make any more videos?
That's a good question! I've got more videos to make but I'm busy running my business and playing with a couple of other hobbies. Expect to see me back here by Spring. Thanks for noticing that I'm AWOL... - Cliff
QRP School Glad to hear you'll be coming back!
I just type a long comment and I don’t see it…is there a limit to the number of words?
I don’t know.
Just posted it again and it disappeared!!