MORSE TEST - NO
LUCK
It took me a solid ONE year to learn
Morse. Because there was no computer nor class, I started to learn sending
instead of hearing. That was not the proper procedure. Those were the days of
tape and cassette coders. I savaged a small transistor radio to turn it into an
oscillator. Using merely two wires touching each other, I recorded the signals
into the small tape and carried it with me everywhere. I listened to it, my own
recording and my own sending.
The ship-to-shore frequency had helped
me. I listened to it everyday, trying to copy the group of characters and all
what I heard. I didn't know whether they were correct or wrong, until one day
the copied codes began to shown senses 'ALL SHIPS AND VESSEL MUST AVOID (
latitude and longitude ) AS THERE WILL BE A MILITARY EXERCISE...' Then I knew my
reading was almost perfect. When there were no announcement, group of words and
characters were sent.
Before RAE I already mastered about 12
wpm.
It is possible for a person to pass RAE
even without understanding the components and the theory. A one month test
drilling could pass him. The element of luck is very great and bright. There is
no such thing as luck in mastering CW. You either know it or not. You can't
guess. No luck. The only luck you have is that the guy still pass you even
though you can't copy and send. It is a very remote chance.
If someone claimed that he only studied
it in a month or two, I would really take my hat off. He has to be an extra
ordinary person. Special people are rare. A big majority will flop. A three
month of intensive and internal drive to success can help. But you have to put
your mind to it and the positive attitude may be a pushing factor. For the 2nd
September candidates, by now you must be able to send 100% without error and
copy above 92%. You have to find a way to know your progress.
I believe a person has to put an effort,
a lot of it. Acquiring a skill is much more difficult than talking or buying or
reading. You have to organize yourself, set a system, set up your mind and tell
yourself to be patient.
I do not recommend you to listen to ham
CW QSO for several reasons. Firstly you need to have a radio to be able to go to
HF where people work CW. 7 MHZ is full of QRM from pirates. You need to go to 14
MHZ. Secondly the sending is too fast. I don't understand why people seldom send
12 wpm nowadays. The minimum speed is 25 wpm. Mostly between 30 -
45.
Sorry right now I can't tell you who are
really good in Morse in your area. In Kuala Lumpur there are CWers like 9M2YP
and 9M2ZA. These people had worked a few thousand stations on Morse. In Penang
9M2FK. In Perlis 9M2PZ and 9M2GET. The rest I can't say because either they
stopped working CW with me or either they worked less than 5 times with me. I
can't assess them.
Get a group and discuss the plan and
program is another method. I think this is a good method. But the 2nd September
test is too soon. You can start thinking about it now.
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