Last year I took a CWI course to help improve my CW — and it did. During the process I had a couple of code buddies and I got involved with straight key stuff — which was fun. However, I discovered a flaw in my thinking.
When I started with CW it was back in the 90’s. We had cassette tapes to listen to and to advance your license you had to pass a code test. I read somewhere that you should start with whatever sending device you plan on using. I chose paddles. I used the Ultimatic mode for a while but eventually settled on Iambic B. I became pretty proficient with squeeze keying. Most of of my CW career was with paddles. Over the past year I was not operating CW as much for different reasons and allowed myself to get a little rusty. I love the mode and thought it was time to get back into it.
The other day I got on the air to try a few POTA contacts. It was a bit of a mess. My brain had trouble wrapping around sideswiper cootie keying and squeeze keying. You can’t do both at once. I fumbled through a few contacts and then did some off line practice. I am getting it worked out. When I am in full practice I can send at close to 30 wpm and copy an exchange at about 25 or so. Conversational CW is a bit slower at 18 to 20 wpm.
Fortunately, I can train myself out of this. First I am going back to 100% Iambic B mode. Then it’s practice both offline and online. A few minutes warmup offline and a minimum of 5 CW contacts a day. My goal is to get myself really comfortable above 25 wpm. Life’s an adventure and is more so when we are having fun living it. 73 de Scott
As a part of my homework for the CW Innovations class, I (we) have to head send, that is, send code from our head without reading it or using items that we see. This treats the code more like a language. We check our practice by recording and then listening to what we sent. This helps identify if we have issues such as improper character or word spacing. This is a short post and video to help get you set up to record your CW. I know that there are many out there that already know how to do this. This is for those that may not.
Equipment is simple, you need a radio or a keyer, plus a key or paddles to send CW, a couple of 3.5 mm (1/8”) stereo cables, a 1/4” to 1/8” adapter if your radio has 1/4” headphone plug, a recorder, and either headphones/earbuds or a powered speaker. For those that need a 1/4” to 1/8” adapter, here is what I use: Millso 1/4 to 1/8 stereo adapter
The recorders need not be expensive. Look for one that has 2 channels (stereo) and an external mike/line in jack. There are some on Amazon for about $30. You plug the radio (headphone jack)into the ext. mic/line jack on the recorder. Then from the headphone jack on the recorder to the speaker/headphones.
Alternatively, you can record to your cell by placing the cell phone’s microphone close to the radio’s speakers. You will probably pick up more ambient noise this way.
Hopefully you can adjust an input levels on the recorder. On some recorders you have to “arm” the recorder before you can adjust the levels. On mine the first press of the record button arms it, and the second press begins recording (YMMV). Looking at the recorder’s meters, you want the recorded signal to peak around -12 dB (about 3/4 of the meter scale). If you can’t adjust the input level at the recorder, adjust the volume of the radio. Adjust the volume of line out (headphone) of the recorder and/or the level of the speaker if you are using one, to a comfortable level, and you are good to go. One additional thought. Record in MP3 rather than WAV, it is a much smaller file size and you probably won’t notice any difference in quality.
Hit record and start sending. Whatever comes to mind. Have a conversation with yourself, send your call, QTH, WX, the alphabet, numbers, pro signs; anything other than things you read or see. When you’re done, play it back and see how you did. Sometimes it is beneficial to wait a day before you review. Pay attention to character and word spacing. Could you copy your own sending? A common error is to mush characters and words together, When you do that, you are not sending code, but gibberish. Most of all, have fun and don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself. Unless you share, no one will hear this but you.
A final tidbit not related to recording audio. A lot of times during a day activation, I am logging with a pencil and paper. I use a mechanical pencil (0.5 or 0.7mm lead) and a Rite-in-the-Rain notebook. I’ve been using Rite-in-the-Rain (RitR) products for over 40 years. On thing I noticed about RitR products is it has more tooth than other papers. Tooth is the roughness of a paper. Pencil leads come in different hardnesses. They are graded by a number and a letter. The letter “H” stands for hard and the letter “B” stands for black. B is soft and H is hard. Right in the middle of the range is grade HB. This is the most common lead and is included with most pencils you buy. On either side of HB is H to the left and B to the right followed by 2H to the left of H and 2B to the right of B and on up the scale. What I have found is HB leaves too much graphite on RitR paper. It makes it difficult to erase and more readily smudges. My handwriting is already sloppy enough. I have recently switched to either H or 2H leads. It writes a little lighter and smudges less. For many years I have used 0.5mm leads but, I think I am starting to like 0.7mm more. It is less prone to breaking. Like anything else, Your milage may vary. I hope this helps. 72 — Scott
KK4Z 