Ask Dave 14: The Anatomy of a CW QSO

The Ask Dave series answers your questions about amateur radio, with emphasis on those posed by newcomers to the hobby. This video breaks down a typical CW QSO of the type encountered by a CW beginner. Be sure to subscribe for notification of future videos! You can pose a question either via a comment to this video or by using the form at www.ke0og.net/ask-dave/

[@boblewin7099]

I've been a CW op for 57 years. You did an excellent job explaining the anatomy of a CW qso. Very logical & easy to follow. Hope this generates even more enthusiasm into our very old but lovable mode. My compliments to you.

[@davecasler]

Thank you!

[@echo-hotel]

I’m 35 years old and only got my license this year. CW is the only mode that interests me. Love teaching my daughter morse code. I think CW will live on forever.

[@BryanGrigsby]

This is an older video now, but I have watched it a number of times to help in putting together a template for my CW QSOs. I appreciate it Dave. Great Channel.

[@dutchflodstrom5861]

I have been a HAM for a little over a year. I recently completed CW Academy Level 1 and have been discovering, the "language" of a CW QSO can be... a bit different due to it's prolific use of abbreviations, prosigns and slang terminology. Today, I came across this video discussing the "Anatomy of a CW QSO" and I found it very thought provoking and helpful. Dave, as always, I am thankful that you share your knowledge and hope to catch you on the airwaves. 73, KG5WXW, Dutch

[@ChrisGozzardThatPhysicsGuy]

Fantastic video. keep up the great work Dave. One of the best amateur radio channels on youtube! !

[@davecasler]

+Chris Gozzard (That Physics Guy) Thank you!

[@CassandraCarter]

Wow, this is the best explainer I've ever seen for CW QSOs. First time I think I got it. Hoping to get doing CW in the next year.

[@eJoseU]

Thanks Dave, Excellent video. This video provides the best explanation I've seen of how a CW conversation develops.

[@vampolascott36]

I only have 3 CW QSOs under my belt at the time I write this. Your video really helped David. Thanks!

[@samb2543]

Such a useful vid!

[@gravestonemyth]

Thanks, Dave! I’m a 30-yr ham that is learned enough CW to get my general. My early CW QSOs were memorable, but I did most of my early operating mobile, so phone took over, then the digital modes. Like many, I would come and go from the hobby every few years. I’m back, and this time I am head over heels with CW. I feel like a kid with a new train set. Thanks for helping me with QSO structure. I have made five since getting my necessary refresher practice, and you should be thankful you were not the first one, hi.

[@timelord1137]

Thank you Dave for the detailed CW QSO review. I can already quite well receive groups of random letters and numbers, and now I am learning to receive Q-codes and abbreviations as a whole, as one melody. My colleagues said that CW, like any language, is spoken in words and phrases and not in letters)

[@peredavi]

Excellent lesson. I was active in 1975-1984. Took a break for flying, skiing, ect until 2022! Getting back in with both feet now.

[@powellr3]

Great info. I was awarded my general license KO4WTM just this past Valentine's Day 2022 and have been learning CW. I learned it lo, these many years ago as a youngster for my signaling merit badge as a boy scout. Still have a smattering of it back in the cerebral cobwebs but I'm happy to delve back into it now. Your videos have helped a good bit. Many thanks!

[@ralphnunn3]

Thanks, Dave for this video. This was VERY instrumental in me getting on the air with CW. I realized after watching it that I could, in fact, carry on a QSO with someone, even though I was new at it. Fortunately, I've progressed to the point where I can now carry on somewhat of a conversation - other than just the basics - with other hams on CW, even though I've only been doing it for a couple of years.

[@ChristianAntonsen]

Thank you for providing such a clear and simple to follow overview of the anatomy of a qso. I'm learnng cw, so this was most helpful. Thank you.

[@user-ll5uq4if1h]

Thank you so much for the nice introduction on CW QSO.

[@wb6csh]

So Dave was raised in the Griffith Park Observatory (Los Angeles) Area, too? Me too! I knew the LA area like the back of my hand; knew where all the streets went, where all the good drive-in restaurants and cinemas were, et cetera. LA is not anything like what I knew in the 1950s -1960s, and I try to avoid driving through it whenever I visit relatives in SoCal. Thank you for all the great videos you do, Dave! Good video and audio quality! 73, Michael - wb6csh

[@KX4UL]

Terrific video demystifying the common format of a CW QSO. I think if new Hams were shown this right away, they would be more likely to try CW. They would be less confused by knowing what to expect when copying a QSO, thus LESS frustrated and nervous about working CW. This may very well give new Hams the confidence to get on the air and keep CW alive and well. Another great video Dave!

[@WJ6FRadio]

Outstanding video! I am trying to learn CW and this video has become invaluable. Also like the picture of Griffith Observatory. I was fortunate enough to get to view the Hale-Bopp comet through one of their telescopes. Keep the great videos coming!

[@wb6csh]

Dave screws up AGAIN! What he calls "BT" is really "=" (the equal sign)! Thanks for your efforts, Grandpaw Dave.

[@russ_vee_jr4199]

Good job, Dave. I enjoy all your videos. They always provide good info and are well presented. I'm diligently working on getting my CW skills back up to snuff. I'll be 80 next October, and my Short-Term memory suffers. (ARRRG) Regardless, your video refreshes memories that go back 40+ years when I could barely do 10WPM. I've been up and down the CW ladder several times but this time I mean it. Today, I can copy 50% of 20WPM and maybe 30% of 25WPM. I use LCWO, G4FON, CW streams on UTOOB and occasionally live QSOs and the ARRL practice sessions. I really should do the ARRL streams once or twice a day. My baby step is to first do CW exchanges with DX stations. I do a lot of Sideband DX exchanges. My long-term focus is for casual CW QSOs, or Gass-Bagging. HiHi Thanks again for the refresher.... 73 OM

[@johnwmacdonald994]

Greatly appreciate this particular video, Dave. Something about CW excites me a great deal. Maybe it's the linguistics I learned in college and later the languages I learned overseas. CW is great stuff. I've got to get busy though. I still have a bunch of letters to get through and then an awful lot of practice. But this was truly helpful. 73s de kc1diw

[@michaelhiggins7365]

A really excellent video, thank You. I am on my fourth attempt at becoming proficient in sending and receiving the Code. This video has done much to aid in my learning of the anatomy of a typical CW QSO. I'd like to learn even more ;)

[@davecasler]

Perseverance is the key!

[@warrennetherton6011]

Thanks Dave! This was so well presented and exactly what I needed.

[@carlosheckler3247]

Great video Dave! TKS for the excellent instructions about cw contacts.

[@jasonbrambach6957]

just stumbled on this YT video and I happen to be a new ham, ky9i. I have been learning cw with an iPhone app called morse mania. this video gave me some valuable info quite unexpectedly! thanks, dave! 73

[@dennispeake1877]

That's a great video for the cw starter. Thanks for sharing your great ideas and I'm fan of your channel. 73 ..

[@alzeNL]

what a lovely video - i really want to get on CW being on low power and also wanting to contact those further afield think that CW is the way to go for me ! your video is really inspiring, so thank you so much !

[@wb6csh]

Tip jar? HaHa... Thanks for good info Grandpaw Dave, I'll need it!

[@witzend]

Thanks for these excellent videos, Dave, and also for featuring one of my absolute favorite places on earth, the Griffith Park Observatory. I took many a field trip there as an elementary school student, and in later years would take dates there for laserium shows. If you've not been there recently, you should really check out the excellent remodel. They updated a lot of things while still maintaining the historic look and feel. A huge contributor to the museum there was the late Leonard Nimoy, and the 190 seat Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater is named in his honor.

[@davecasler]

+Jim Pallwitz (Witzend) Thanks for sharing your story! It's been several years since I last visited. My parents moved away from LA some years ago, and I haven't been back to the area since. I'll have to find an excuse to make a visit! 73, Dave, KEØOG

[@RackwitzG]

I just started learning code with the Koch Method. I've been wondering how common QSOs are run. Thanks for showing this.

[@TheHubblethebubble]

Enjoy learning "the code".

[@douglaswilliams6834]

CW is the most elegant of modes. Thanks for the vid.

[@DonDegidio]

Dave, Nice video and thanks for all the others. Liked the picture of Griffith Observatory. Some astronomy club members and myself made a trip out to LA in 10/2008 for a private tour of both Palomar and Griffith Observatories and then spent a night at Mt. Wilson observing through the 60" telescope. Also had an up close tour of the Hooker 100" telescope. Weather was perfect for the five days we were there. 73 WB3BJU

[@adelarsen9776]

This video is pretty good :-) Thank you Dave.

[@sundownsigns]

Dave, Tnx for the explanation...I had many CW QSOs in the 60s and 70s...this was a great reminder and review... i hope to get back on CW soon...73...jim, WA7VVV

[@jameswebb80]

very interested in starting CW. hope you do a video series on CW. 73's JIM KC3EQP

[@aroc000]

Dave, in general, great congratulations for all your videos!. They're very clear and instructive. And, in addition, your speech is so clear that allows me to fully understand waht you're saying. Hoping to find you someday on the air, best 73 de iu0kwx

[@tilmar120]

Great videos Dave. Seasons Greetings from the UK

[@JosephAnthonyJosefius]

Thanks, great video. I use = for BT, I've seen that used a lot .

[@MikeWest_W]

Outstanding explanation

[@pandorasrevelations9873]

Thank you for this video! It's very helpful!

[@acestudioscouk-Ace-G0ACE]

Now I know what to look out for when I listen on air to morse QSOs. Thanks.

[@jensemmons642]

Dave, I am a newly minted extra with very little operating experience as an amateur operator. I would like to learn the code in a smooth rapid manner. It occurs to me that touch typing would ultimately be faster than trying to hand write messages. Do any of the code teaching programs offer a "code to keyboard" method of becoming proficient? Thanks for your great videos, and mentoring. Jon WG7WY 73

[@davecasler]

Hi Jon, I have run across (but don't remember the name of) some software in which you type what you heard into the computer in real time so it can check for accuracy. During WWII there were special typewriters for Morse operators that were uppercase only. They were called "mills." Some are still around but I've never seen one. I find it easiest to copy in lower-case longhand rather than printing--goes much faster. Good luck with learning CW! My favorite software for learning is G4FON, which you can find on Google.

[@TheHamNinja]

Best amateur radio instructional videos on the web. TU

[@jondoe2146]

Havnt done cw for 30+ yr. Just started doing the wb6noa code lessons again. Hope to acomplish his 28 wpm cd's... Pete

[@outlaw6595]

I'm learning CW. Great vid.

[@xraytonyb]

Dave, great informative video! 73's W3XTB

[@borischen5562]

I greatly appreciate the time Dave took to make this video, it actually helped me gain the confidence to try CW. I wish he could some day re-film it and do it without all the hyper-exaggerated hand movements. Those made it uncomfortable to watch and kept pulling my eyes to his hands and away from text on the screen.

[@johnrees44..G4EIJ]

Hi Dave..Great video..I’m noticing more and more now that CW ops tend to answer CQs with only their own callsign, not preceded by the call sign of the station calling CQ.. That said, even though those ops are not following accepted protocol, they still get answered, so maybe that’s the way the protocol will go.. Keep up the good work, Dave..73.. G4EIJ..

[@juliosanchez4512]

I am happy to know morse code comunication is still alive. All my life I Tried hard to find the way to transmite and recieve even to half a mile distanse. Do you know how to start in a very simple way? Here where I live is very hard to find equipment, but I have a pair of pliers and a screw driver.😊

[@sorinv68]

Amazing Guru job.

[@hansstoll1545]

Tks Dave for your great videos. 73

[@cr6925]

So useful! Thank you for taking the time to put these excellent videos together. 73 de M0OLO

[@nelxonmiranda]

They have a nice planetarium there. The looked through the telescope there. Used to go there a lot. Place isn’t what it used to be anymore.

[@garygregston3289]

hi dave a few months ago you were teaching a group cw and you mentioned a particular program that you liked..What was that program Thank you

[@tom_olofsson]

Dave, this is super helpful. Thanks

[@TravelBackroads]

Nicely done Dave. Thumbs up and subscribed. 73

[@florinzarnescu3682]

Thanks, your video helped me a lot getting into CW. Keep up the good work!

[@g00glian0]

Great video. So much more to it than just letters and numbers. All the abbreviations and shorthand. Crazy! But cool as shit.

[@hypercoffeedude]

Very nice explanation! Thx!

[@SkyWire88]

Great job Dave. New ops !!! >>> If you imitate this type of QSO, you are well on your way to good C.W. contacts and a lot of fun. See you on the air. 73 CUL de WB3EFE Earle

[@AussieAndyHardy]

Super good - many thanks Dave; just what I've been looking for...! I've just returned to AR following a 35yr hiatus... CW was never a strong point but I'm excited to get back into it... I was worried about QSO structure and abbreviations... this was just what I needed!!! Thx indeed :) ANDY / G1AJH

[@zappatx]

I want to get back into ham radio - used to do only CW up to 1990.. Back then QSL cards were regular. But I totally forgot the process. Do people still mail out QSL cards? Then it was about 14 cents or less to mail. Maybe 10 cents.

[@davecasler]

Paper QSL cards are getting rarer. I hardly ever get any. Much has moved online. See lotw.arrl.org/lotw-help/ for the ARRL version.

[@romankalinchuk2750]

A few questions, BT run together is basically an '=', so why write it as BT? Also, why not use a period? Why do I never hear a period used?

[@davecasler]

BT is actually used as a prosign (the B and T are run together). It's much easier to send with an electronic keyer than a period, so the period has gone out of fashion. BT is technically an em-dash and is used as a thought separator. Incidentally, the en-dash is dah-di-di-di-di-dah, and is almost never heard on the air. Keyboards often use the equals key to send the BT prosign.

[@1958johndeere620]

The BT pro sign is taught on keyboard as = but I am glad you explained what it actually means. Its like a comma I guess. Could a comma be used the same way? - - . . - - or - . . . -

[@davecasler]

+1958johndeere620 I've mostly seen BT as representing a dash--sort of separating thoughts--like this--or this. I've only seen a comma used where a comma would be used in normal English, usually to separate the city, state. If I hear a period, I know I'm dealing with a beginner. As time goes on, everyone adopts the dash as the thought separator. Since there is no keyboard character for the double-dash (--), keyboard Morse generators use the equals sign (=).

[@1958johndeere620]

+David Casler Thanks for the reply.

[@jmmj123]

Dave, thanks for the cw logic. I often see a * in cw QSO's. What is the meaning/ use? Thanks for your time

[@davecasler]

It depends on your decoder. It could mean a dropped character or it could be a prosign. You’ll have to check the instructions that came with your decoder.

[@pietrogazzera5733]

Great job, Dave!

[@peters5562]

Outstanding. Thank you

[@Themanonmoon]

Is there any official spec like RFC973 for TCP protocol for Morse Code wording ?

[@3melendr]

Where did you live and work in California and what did you do for a living?

[@hosseinpersian6444]

thank you very much , very useful video . 73!

[@Etherionix]

I love your had gestures! You should be a conductor :-D

[@richardbutterfoss2353]

Thanks

[@stargazer7644]

The BT prosign is "Break". BK is back to you. I would never send BK as the first part of my transmission.

[@dermucki3384]

Thank you. 73 from Germany

[@ejmakela7525]

Hi there. Nice videos. I’m considering getting back in AR after letting it expire, and I think your channel could be a good supplement to the books. Just a little feedback re this video. Your first slide showing Nancy’s code would be better if it began with [listen] instead of QRL. You made the point verbally to listen first, but the slide suggests otherwise. 73

[@TheBrassCaster]

So R is for both Roger and Repeat at the same time????

[@NamasenITN]

Repeat should be "RPT" and not "R", if I am not mistaken - see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morse_code_abbreviations

[@havefun2952]

Hi Dave, why do hams tell people their age? What if I don't feel comfortable to tell?

[@josephcronin4209]

new tech about to use cw what is a skcc number how do you get one 73 kd2tip

[@davecasler]

www.skccgroup.com/

[@josephcronin4209]

thank you for the info 73

[@BasicPoke]

Thanks Dave. Start by defining QSO. I don't know what it means.....ah you define it about 7:30

[@avaughan585]

I've only been licenced for 3 years. I got largely frustrated with SSB and FM due to inability to be heard and scarcity of people using 2m. Where I live, I can count on one hand the number of unique calls I've heard on 2m FM (including repeaters) and I know by experiment that my range on 2m is at least 50 miles in all directions. I became downright bored with digital modes such as FT8 due to sheer repetitiveness and many other digital modes such as Olivia are simply just so seldom used! Admit it, they are; one needs to arrange a sked to achieve QSO in some of these digital modes like Domino or Thor. I've called CQ for hours in SSB and digi and not got a reply. Yes I was using TXID. Yes, I have checked and there IS something wrong with my antenna! It's not good enough because I'm heavily restricted. Enter CW: it opened up a whole new world to me!! I was making QSOs relatively easily with very little power and people were actually answering my CQ!! It was very pleasant refreshing and I will never turn back. I cannot stress enough: learn this mode!! I'm a relatively younger radio amateur if it is true that the average age in the hobby is 65-70. I don't know any other hams my age who have taken the time to learn the code, but if you haven't already, you really should!! CW has got punch, it gets through where other modes cannot. Only FT8 and maybe Olivia is more effective, but FT8 is boring for me and Olivia is like drawing blood from a stone.

[@kevinkeppler7220]

Idea for a video: The role of CW in bringing kids with limited English skills into the hobby by working dx. The outline of a cw qso makes this possible. I have worked dx who were not in pileups, but did not wish to continue past the basic items, It may have been the language.

[@smartapeproductions2139]

Dave I am learning CW and enjoy it so far I use a program called Just Learn Morse Code at first i did not understand the program after tinkering with it for a while I noticed you can make it do some of the Alphabet ABCDEFGHIJKLM As i looked around a lot of hams recommend not to use a paper method to learn the code So what this program allows me to do is lesson to the code one at a time 5/10 words per min for 5 min I did this for about 30 min at 5 min per round so i could learn the code here it and know what letter it randomly put up in a sequence each round was different so this helped and as i lesson i become familiar with these letters and there sounds or patterns of sound. So what do you think do you think if i keep doing this for about 30 min a day for about a month i would be be able to copy these letters the reason it does it random keeps you guessing what will come next this will in turn turn to words later on and then sentences but I am jumping way to far I need to learn the letters first A-Z 0-9 and then work on the abbreviation codes !?@#%&. I am not so great at proper grammar but i want to learn so i can get this done in the next 3 months or so it may take longer depending on the learning curve or it may take less if i do it and practice practice practice my goal is about 20 words a min I dunno if i could ever need to reach this fast of copy anything under 30 should be fine business but tats why I started at 5-10 words and later once i learn them i will speed up to 10-15 then 15-20 I downloaded the G4fon software as well to use thanks for that tip i like how you can use it to cause interference and high static this will be helpful later on as i go from there to the main radio 6m,2m, 10m, 15m, 20m 40m, 80m. I plan to also buy a key and learn to send as well so i may have to come back and reference some of them code signs If you get the chance to do a video on them and others that kind of run together that would be helpful well that's all for now it has turned into a novel HIHI 73 DE KG5CUO

[@davecasler]

Good luck with your CW efforts! Once you get up to about 8 wpm, get on the air using the frequencies recommended by SKCC. You will improve faster that way. 15 to 18 wpm is a good conversational speed, but you can still have lots of fun at lower speeds.

[@K1BG]

I've been teaching code off and on for 50 years. I typically love Dave's work, but this description unnecessarily complicates the QSO and confuses new CW operators. I don't endorse it for newbies....

[@mrbelat]

KE0OG de DW2AWN thank you for this post. its helping me a lot on my first attempt at my first cw qso. 73!

[@davecasler]

I'm delighted my videos are useful! Good to hear from the Philippines. I was last there in 1973. 73, Dave, KEØOG

[@johnlaurin7022]

Thanks Dave. I really appreciate all your work and efforts. It has helped me greatly. I like the Griffith picture and the associated stories. Thanks again. kg7shc

[@WalterdaLima]

your video are well done, very helpful. and your english is completely understandable for people like me are not mother language. 73 IU7KRA

[@mabo4848]

Tnx! Great help

[@rodneyjohnson4794]

i know cw (~7wpm). i want to increase my speed through a cd course. i looked at gordon west's offerings, but the info doesn't indicate how i will record what i hear, i.e. keyboard or pencil. i'm a pencil guy. i KNOW where the letters are on a pencil. mostly.....

[@matts7975]

This dude's a pro

[@dalemyers9265]

#David Casler thanks for the posting. 73's kf4dcy.

[@1boortzfan]

You did a great job of explaining everything, thanks. KE4VBB

[@alexramos2568]

So cool.

[@deltafour1212]

Is there a reason why they don't teach the alphabet in alphabetical order for Morse Code?

[@billdomb]

why do hams conventionally BS each other with 579 signal reports?

[@wb6csh]

@William Domb - for the same reason that people ask "How are you doing?" when you pass them on the street! They don't wait for a reply; they just keep on walking by! YOU do NOT have to follow their BS; you can give a real or "estimated" RST report, based on what you hear. Good question, though!

[@timequest9802]

As much as I would like to learn CW, this is just way to complicated for an old guy like me. At 17 years old, the World is your oyster.

[@nofear8822]

cw mode is very ranaissance of radio,i m 35 and for me cw mode is only true radio today,too much tecnology,digital,clusters,and internet.Cw simple the best using radio forever!

[@davecasler]

Amateur radio is very rich hobby, full of possibilities for many and varied interests. Even though CW is no longer required for license, I see lots of it on the waterfall.

[@nickfish03]

Good video. Thanks. KK4VYS

[@trevorsmith8566]

me after tonite my 1st QSO 11111

[@elcomode]

KE0OG de DF2EAN = FB Dave = TNX fer video = Name hr Frank Frank = ur RST is 599 599 on YT = hp to hr u on HF = vy 73 en gd dx = KE0OG de DF2EAN SK . .

[@jamilsouzagodoisouzagodoy1099]

Que cara mais cansado!!! Haja saco!!