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Acceptable QRS time frame

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ve3lyx:
Don't worry about it. Just get on the air and try and keep yourself calm. Do your best and when you are in qso with someone who goes from say 8 to 20wpm during the exchange move freq and call CQ again.
Don't give him a second thought. It is like speaking a foreign language. It is much easier if your are involved in the conversation and subject then if you are just listening and copying for practice. I am just OK at CW. Did pass my advanced and it was 100% or nothing here back then 15wpm but I am much more relaxed at 10 wpm and can enjoy that now.  Like any conversation it isn't how fast you talk that makes it. Some people are naturals. I wasn't and am not however that does not and will not stop me from enjoying it.
Or as my ancestor would have said "Angst nicht!"
don

KA5TJS:
Just saw your post. I am like you I guess, been doing this a long time and have to work at it. I got back on the air about 8 years ago and work 95% CW. I love it but have to work at it. I can copy 20 if they guy has a good fist but like 12 to 15 a lot better. No problem there brother!
I run the NAQCC QRS net in Texas on Monday nights and have a lot of fun. Work CW and don't worry about the other guy.

Allen KA5TJS

m0jha:
Some mixed advice there , First off if you can use morse WITHOUT a decoder at whatever speed , starting to use one is just bad advice.  if your going to use memory keyers and decoding software you may as well just use a dig mode.

Looking at a screen is NOT going to  make you "better ,in fact it will allow you to relax your brain and thus won't put the required effort in to decoding.

QRS for as long as you feel that's for you , the more you use code the faster you will become (to a degree) without thinking about it .

Like stated if you send at 10wpm and get answered at 15 it's just bad manners , ask them to qrs or ignore them .

Sit watching the decoder and you won't progress ..

GM0LVI:

--- Quote from: m0jha on February 22, 2014, 17:17:14 UTC ---Some mixed advice there , First off if you can use morse WITHOUT a decoder at whatever speed , starting to use one is just bad advice.  if your going to use memory keyers and decoding software you may as well just use a dig mode.

--- End quote ---
The above may perhaps be valid advice when LEARNING morse, but I can't really agree with all of
the last sentence. I'm perfectly proficient sloping along at 18 to 22 wpm without using a memory (other than my own!) but I do find that particularly when operating /P and using a hand written log being able to send my name and QTH from memory during the initial exchanges of a contact gives me time to write the other station's callsign and the RSTs. I also find a memory handy for CQ calls as it gives me time to grab a mouthful of coffee.
In the QRP context particularly I've not found decoding software all that good as signals can often be too weak or from homebrew equipment that drifts and wobbles and it's no use at all with poorly sent straight key cw. In these context the best software is that software between your ears. :)

KO7I:
My two bits are:
#1) Try to operate daily for 30 minutes. (emphasis on try, there are multiple days my CQ's go unanswered on an open band.)
#2) Stick with it, it will come. There are some local hams who keep a schedule (10M CW) on a weekly basis, they are not high speed op's they just get on and play radio.

This past weekend I worked a SOTA activation, he was down in the noise floor of the receiver, the CW reader programs would not have worked.

My 3rd bit  :) is to do as has been suggested already, load up some memories in your radio's CW Keyer and use them for DX/Pile-up style operations. You will be surprised that you can recognize your callsign and 5NN sent at higher speeds (20+ wpm). At home most logging programs have a CW keyboard interface. I use the K1EL WinKeyer USB, it provides an easy interface to the radio. They also operate as a stand alone. I have never used the memory keyer inside any of my HF rigs.

Bottom line, Thru steady use of CW you will break thru that 10/12 wpm barrier quickly and then you will bump up to 17/18 wpm pretty quickly. If you only have time to get on once a week, you will continue to struggle.

Vy 73, Don KO7i

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