CW? Morse Code? Why CW? Why Not FT-8? What Makes CW So Interesting? Here Are Some Interesting Facts!

This was sent to me via my PO Box, and i was almost immediately interested in sharing this with you guys.. This is an anonymous sender, but i like that. Check out all these facts from their letter, which is about CW operations.
If you want to send something to me to read on a video, send it to:
PO Box 666
Roseland, Florida 32957
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#morsecode #cw #hamradio

[@rickf97]

Radio manufacturers include a microphone with their radios, not a CW key. Because radio is meant for voice, both commercial and amateur. CW is for beacons and repeater ID'S. If CW was so great, the Constant Whiners, CW people wouldn't have to keep trying to shove it down our throats. Just because they are afraid one day they won't have anyone to talk to if no new users are using it.

[@HamRadioConcepts]

Cool. I will be using this comment as a follow up. 73

[@lizzyfan1986]

CW takes practice..once you start becoming fluent, you'll never want a mic...

[@lizzyfan1986]

Plus, no rude folks on the CW portion, nor running 5kc wide...definitely the Gentleman's portion of the band

[@michaelburdett9247]

Rick, you have proven the historical nickname for someone named Richard is Dick

[@kurttuttle1817]

Try using your radio if the microphone is bad, with CW you can use 2 wires to communicate,

[@outlaw6595]

I started learning CW back when you first said you were. I continued learning and am now fairly proficient. I’m still at the 12-15 wpm range, but an old Elmer once told me that it’s better to be understood, than to have speed. Because of apartment restrictions, I’m now mostly portable. I have a KX3, a 9:1 unun and a random wire. I live on the Space Coast. Last week I worked a station in Germany on 5 watts and the KX3 and the wire. I do SSB, but most of my contacts are CW. Glad you’re back in the game!

[@TheArtofEngineering]

In 1987/88 I went to the Australian Maritime College to become a ship's Radio officer. I had been a ham since early high school (when code was mandatory). I was told at college to quit the radio portion of the course and concentrate on electronics because radio officers would be a thing of the past. About 7 of the 30 students stuck with learning code (after the radio course guy said there is still some radio work about make hay while the sun shines)....well the lucky 7 made heaps of HAY!!! Eventually after 7 years at sea the run ended...$$$$. Fast forward 30 years later and I returned to ham expecting the bottom of the band to be silent when it comes to CW....it wasn't!! The synopsis of this video is, HAM radio is NOT JUST A HOBBY, it is a culture, a rich culture and CW is part of it. As for advances in tech, we have adopted these (as we should) because no culture is static BUT just because a machine can decode Morse doesn't mean it is a waste to learn the skill, after all machines can play music but people still learn to play the piano. I recently completed a QSO with a receiver in a chocolate box tin and a transmitter in a mooncake tin (400mW) all made by me (including the antenna and Morse key)...only 100km away but SOOOOO satisfying. Viva la difference but Morse will NEVER DIE! It is the Jedi art of ham....it is not for everybody but everybody cannot be a Jedi!! :)) ps I also do FT8, DSB, SSB, CW.....and I plan on living long enough to try and do it ALL! 73 de VK2AOE

[@MidlifeRenaissanceMan]

CW will be the number one social media platform for the coming zombie apocalypse. Don’t discount it

[@harpnant]

Made a lunchtime medium power CW contact from Utah to Vanuatu, to a retired RN officer, great fun!

[@o2bnov0307]

This past weekend I was at a local park with a group of hams (for POTA). The group included SSB, FT8, and CW operators. I was the lone CW operator. I started the day out with a mic in my hand, but tired of the difficulties associated with getting through a pileup of SSB operators. I was using a battery and a homebrew antenna. I was able to make one SSB QSO, then quickly moved to the CW portion of the band. I had a great time and made constant contact for four hours. The SSB and FT8 operators also had a great time. During a break, I went over to watch an FT8 operator. I was amazed. It was fun to watch. Will I give up my key? No. I like being able to put my QRP rig, key, 3aH battery, coax, and wire antenna into a shaving kit bag. It's easy to travel with my rig. I mostly get USA locations, but there have been a few Canadian and European QSOs, all with 4 watts. Enjoy your preferred mode.

[@Jesse-1956]

Thanks Eric. I studied just enough to get my 20 wpm for my Extra, then forgot about it. I'm getting back into it after listening to you. Catch you on the air sometime. 73 and thanks again. W5ky

[@gerardosullivan1642]

You never forget CW it is there in the back of the mind. It will come back in time a short time listening you will be back.

[@sjoerdverhiel7215]

Thanks for the video and thanks for the person who wrote the letter. It was really inspiring. 73 from the Netherlands

[@GG-vx7gi]

CW, as all fans of the movie "evil roy slade" know, can result in a medical condition known as stubby index finger...FT8, however is not known to carry this risk. The remark about CW being a barrier is true, many years back, I tried several to pass ham test. The radio and electronics came easy, never could learn cw. I now know my learning method was not good (memorizing dit dahs) Now have passed General, and CW has changed from a have to do into a want to do, and modern methods and media have me starting to finally learn it. Without taking anything away from any other mode, it just feels like CW is the heartbeat of ham radio

[@user-rp4cw9jn3k]

The risk with FT8 is you'll become brain dead, as the brain muscle won't be used.

[@davidc5027]

I'm not sure why we compartmentalize different modes of ham radio. I've been in information technology for 20 years, and started this hobby as a general doing FT8/4 and love the mode. However, after 8 months I'm finding myself being a POTA hunter using SSB. I also have an absolutely beautiful Bengali key, and over time I've slowly been picking up cw here and there. Eventually I'm sure CW will be my primary mode. My point.. just because you are participating a particular mode now, doesn't mean you won't try something new like CW, SSB or FT8/4 in the future.

[@mikecricket113]

Hey Thanks so much. I was listening last night on I heart radio. My videos are never scripted. I enjoy your content very much. Thank you.

[@bolovanro]

couple of days a go I made a queso (YO to DL)...around 800 miles...with just 100mW (my KX3 on minimm power)...of course...in CW...and I got 569.One month a go I worked a US station...witn 10W (I was portable). Two weeks a go I made a SOTA activation with my KX3 with AA internal batteries (around 11 quesos around europe). My setup for portable: 1.3Kg (KX3+agena+CW key+paper and pen for logs)

[@procrusteus]

Cuando yo tengo hambre despues de muchas QSOs, queso es mi comida preferida entonces entendi su entusiasmo senor Bolovanro.

[@user-wg3fe3ij2o]

Mmm queso

[@keesvanoosbree5911]

I thought I would never enjoy CW until I tried it out. I am an 18-year-old new ham, and during the COVID pandemic, I started practicing receiving. Believe it or not, I can now copy callsigns at 70 WPM (I know, it doesn't sound real!). It is really fun during contesting! 73 de W0AAE

[@jonizornes5286]

Great video! Learning CW can be very hard for many of us and is very difficult to get above 18 wpm for some of us. The good news for us is that MOST QSO's are between 13 and 18 wpm!!! You don't have to be a high speed operator to be a great operator and have the time of your life! We're hams, not professionals, we don't need to be able to operate at 25 or even 20. 13 wpm was the test for most of us up through Advanced class and that was sufficient. Obviously practice will help to go faster and more importantly, a better fist and copying ability. Fall in love with CW! I fell in love with it because of its history and especially maritime history through the 1990's! Yes it was required on ships through that time and there was a reason it was. Because of it's simplicity and ability to have long range coverage when other modes couldn't. Find your own reason to fall in love with it and you will keep it forever! AA4WA, 48 years 99% CW @ 12 to 18 wpm.

[@45Unit]

Wow...what a letter. It was sent to you knowing you would do a video about it. Great old school ham radio that will never die.

[@ryanmall]

FT 8 is a pain to keep up and running when you are technologically challenged like me

[@MrRadiorobot]

Agreed.. interfacing radio with computer for digital modes is a complete pain in the a$$..too many hoops to jump through..give me a pump key any day of the week, encode/ decode using computer number one, the brain!!!

[@richardwrayfinney7403]

I made a contact yesterday from Ok to Ca. On less than one watt I think. Becuse I had forgot to ck my power settings on my IC 7300. I had it set to 0. BKIN on. Try that with your mike. 73

[@86casimir]

Hi Eric. To add a comment I would say: Whether in SSB, CW, AM, FM..... plus all the digital modes that exist, for me personally ONLY the HAM SPIRIT is essential. The rest is up to everyone to see what is best for themselves. Another great video. 73/F8MGW.

[@ksb2112]

What an interesting video! Thank you for sharing that.

[@tomnapier3910]

Great video bud! Got novice my license in 1966 then general in 67. Once I was a general I went 100% SSB only. I too learned code the wrong way and I sucked at copying it. I've been re-learning it now for almost a year and trying to break my old habits of learning it by counting dits and dahs. I'm 69 now and learning things is not nearly as easy as it once was. FYI - the Xeigu 6100 has a training mode...check it out.

[@CliffFoxKU4GW]

I'm glad you have such a great KZbin channel Eric! I used to watch Ham Radio Crash Course and was a long time subscriber until recently when I tried to join the Facebook group I was denied membership with no reason given as far as why and I still have no idea why, but I figured if being an elected member of the ARRL A-1 Operators Club wasn't good enough for me to be accepted I certainly wasn't about to support the guy's KZbin channel! He can shove it as far as I care! "Very 73 de Cliff, KU4GW"

[@mikecricket113]

Cw I would love to learn. Maybe a winter time project. Dude you rock. You do you. Thanks for the videos.

[@DAVIDGREGORYKERR]

CW uses a very narrow bandwidth which can be 20Hz or less where voice has a bandwidth between 30Hz and 3Khz.

[@gerardosullivan1642]

A very good presentation on C.W. The letter stands up for CW. Communications. Everyone should enjoy CW no matter what speed you use. 73 Ei3ea

[@gerardosullivan1642]

Tks

[@abperiasamy]

"I did not pick that 666, but nobody wanted it." #respect

[@Bleys1973]

I have the Gordon West cw cassette tapes from the novice voice class. I got them like 30 years ago. I should probably listen to them for longer than 10 minutes. I'm happy for not having a code requirement, but totally understand why a little bit of code is a good thing.

[@davidbertz3198]

Another great video!

[@lieutenantcolonelnicholson9228]

Nice video Eric, keep up the good work. CW is king! Relearn Morse code at a minimum character speed of 20 WPM with a Farnsworth speed down around 5 WPM. Also check out the Morse Code Ninja and get involved with CW academy. 73

[@MidlifeRenaissanceMan]

Morse Ninja rocks. His videos have done more for getting my over the 12WPM hump than anything else. That said, though I’m doing single words at 30WPM, when I get on the air, I’m still only 15-17WPM copy. Still good enough to enjoy a QSO or 3

[@alanpfahler1707]

After listening to you raddled of the beginning of a qso I think all you need is to get on the air. What are you afraid of. Remember, you can always turn the dial or hit the off switch.

[@Pittsburghestatesale]

a few hours ragchew on CW is akin to Zen Meditation .. .

[@rickmckee6698]

CW is far better than FT8 because you can actually communicate messages rather than just exchange signal reports and grid squares!

[@GadgeteerZA]

Which is why there is JS8Call for actual communication ;-)

[@dl4qb-andre938]

@@GadgeteerZA Tooooo slow...

[@joekrepps]

When I got my Novice in 1977, it was CW only! When I got my General in ‘79, it wasn’t until 2006 that I spent any time on SSB. My speed is 20wpm because of the way I was taught so I’m actually limited to 20wpm, for now. I only started SSB because I started driving a lot and doing CW while driving…ehhh I’m working on it. Anyway, I passed on voice for 27 years because CW was best for me. No foreign accents to decipher and always person to person. WB3CFN …dit dit

[@seanfoley7097]

In CW the person does the communicating in FT8 two computers communicate

[@singletona082]

I'm trying to learn Morse. Not because some elitist 'it is the soul of radio' or other nonsense. It's purely 'five watts on CW can go a hell of a lot further than five watts voice,' and when I (re)get my tech license I'll have HF band access, that's CW.

[@W4EMB]

LICW is absolutely the way to go. They have just revamped some teaching and it is absolutely spot on. I am loving my tiny 5 watts QRP rigs.

[@EricWS4K]

I could add reasons to that letter. Ham radio should be fun and educational. There is always something new to learn. I have been an LICW instructor for a couple years. Eric you have given us so much. I would be happy to teach you CW. I am just up the street in Palm Bay but there is always ZOOM! ERIC WS4K LICW#575

[@W2QH]

The case for CW are because; CW proficiency achievements are like mountains to climb, because climbing mountains can be a challenge and each mountain climbed, an achievement. Same with antennas, DXCC, WAS, WAS 50, etc, etc. Ascertaining CW proficiency, first 5wpm, then 13wpm, 20wpm and eventual onto 30+ wpm CW mountains, is for the thrill of the victory and for those who fail, at 5wpm or less, is the agony of defeat. lol. In short because CW is there and a challenge.

[@Tvill]

Thanks!

[@HamRadioConcepts]

Thank you so much my friend!!

[@chrisharrison2552]

Nice when I made certain contact in South Pole German research station and Japan from Cambridge mass with a dipole ( home brew ant) inside a house, 100 watts,cw is great to blast though jamming and other interference. Went to army signal school 1987 great mode also with a Manuel ant tuner

[@MadGoat]

I am learning CW and preparing to go for my amateur license in the spring. I have no intention of picking up a Mic any time soon(maybe I'll try it, most likely I won't, maybe I'll only use a Mic for local 2M repeaters), and want to strictly work through CW on an Elecraft KX2 or KX3 with an AX1 or end fed half wave where space permits. I have absolutely no interest in FT8, I work on computers all day, I need to get away from them. If I want to use computers for DX, I'll use Discord, whatsapp, messenger, or IRC. It's hard, but I feel it will be far more rewarding.

[@davidsradioroom9678]

Some interesting thoughts!

[@rickf97]

Radio manufacturers include a microphone for a reason with their radios, not a Morse code key! If CW was so great the Constant Whiners CW people wouldn't keep trying to shove it down our throats. CW is for beacons and repeater I'd. Radio is for voice communications!

[@HamRadioConcepts]

Love this comment. I pinned it for you.

[@jayceew2j202]

Ft8 is a background thing for me

[@alvintarrer6914]

like to,need to learn cw

[@rickf97]

A Lot of current CW. Operators are using computer interfaces to send and receive!

[@dougearnest7590]

Also, when the aliens invaded and smart computer guy and the smart-ass pilot guy were able to upload a virus into the bad alien guy's computer and they figured out how to "bring those (SOB's) down" the message went out to all the world via CW. Why?

[@jmdavis45]

How did it go in the past year? I hope you were successful.

[@ehayes5217]

No need to choose between the two, becuz they're NOT the same; I've been all-CW on HF for decades, being QRQ as much as possible; ...CW goes back to the very beginnings of Amateur Radio & I can QSO with anyone in the world that uses it; in fact, with CW, I can even have limited QSOs with non-English speaking hams using some of CW's very basic & routine exchanges; to me at least, it just feels more personal, more intimate, compared to digital communications; 73 de WA4ELW in TN 🇺🇸 dit dit 🤓

[@kurttuttle1817]

Great letter. Still think that for the Extra Class should have a 5wpm cw requirement. I tried FT8 and it is computer to computer and boring. With cw you can have an actual conversation with the other ham. My opinion de K8YZK

[@rickf97]

I think the Extra Class. Should know how to work amateur satellite and know how to work moon bounce! CW is just another node of ham radio. There's nothing special about it, it is antiquated, maybe that's why the US military dropped it?

[@kurttuttle1817]

Well, I hope you don't need code, because when the mic is broke, or you don't have the antennas to work sat's or the moon, and oh the computer is dead, cells are out, in those times when you need to know cw that you don't need it. Yes, CW is just another MODE, On the Military, yes the Army does not teach it anymore (one of the many wrong things they have done), but the Navy still does, so your statement on the military is not correct.

[@adventureguy4119]

Po box 666 looks like the Devil is into Ham radio

[@HamRadioConcepts]

I didn't pick it, geez...

[@kenluning909]

Awesome video. I too have to make time to get back into CW. thanks de W5KAL

[@kc8tyk86]

Nothing wrong with CW or any mode for that matter but for the most part I prefer Voice. For me it has a personal connection when your speaking to someone. With Morse I feel it's a contact and nothing more. I can't get a impression of the person i'm replying to. With voice it's like we all got front porches again to sit and talk on. Just my view point, others may disagree but that's the great thing about it with the diverse community.

[@OnAirVoice]

CW was not that hard to learn. I wanted my extra so I got to 20wpm. Right now I don’t think I could do much with CW. LOL

[@robcarnaroli269]

Do you mind saying why Josh didn't want to do a video with you?

[@HamRadioConcepts]

I seem to recall it was that I was in "bad form" on KZbin towards this hobby. Due to a video I made a while ago.

[@muddyexport5639]

Amateur Radio sounds so much better through a 200 KC filter.

[@richardharris1183]

Your videos suck??? Screw those people,please keep making video’s cause I am trying to get licensed and remodel a house and work 10 hour’s a day. I believe the Morse code will and does communicate across all borders. Now I don’t always watch them cause by the time I’m done working it’s bed time. ( I’m over 50 lol)

[@HamRadioConcepts]

Watching them at all means a lot to me.

[@jayceew2j202]

Videos don’t suck at all. You don’t spend hours editing them and adding all the bells and whistles. Keep up the good stuff!

[@8vRocco]

Hellschreiber..... Love the way it sounds. So far since I upgraded my license, I've only made one contact from Iowa to Arizona with 6W and a long piece of wire. Yes, that is what I have been doing as well, to learn to receive CW so I'm not scrambling to write it down. Make noise out there! WX7UTE

[@sidsquid9782]

CW It's like FT8 For Men.

[@HamRadioConcepts]

HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAAHHAA

[@michaelburdett9247]

I appreciate your respect for CW...it's the caviar of ham radio, but I suggest quit making excuses for not learning cw, stop making videos for a while, and practice...it will only take a couple of weeks to get pretty good at it...believe me, you will thank me, and your future videos will be much richer in content

[@artistadavide]

What was that about? Didn’t learn a thing.

[@bodacious2276]

CW>Everything else

[@user-rp4cw9jn3k]

Why, because CW is something you have to put effort in to learn FT8 , just typing on a keyboard no effort required, I don't use FT8, however I use CW all the time.

[@JosephAnthonyJosefius]

Because FT8 is low hanging fruit and boring.

[@rickf97]

If CW was such a great mode, why did the US military dump it as an official communication mode???

[@outlaw6595]

The US Navy still teaches it.

[@rickf97]

The US Navy teaches how to read CW from ship to ship beacon lamps, not radio!

[@rickf97]

Why not just use smoke signals to communicate?

[@outlaw6595]

@@rickf97 yeah…ok dude. I know better but you’re not worth the argument.

[@HamRadioConcepts]

Hahahaha well said brotha

[@germanjohn5626]

CW is less interesting than watching grass grow and ranks just about even with FT8 for being boring.

[@jonsey3645]

As disorganized your speech and disjointed your conversation... PLEASE don't try to write any programs. Just be here with us, learn, comment, appreciate and communicate. Have a BALL. Only, please know that many of us, maybe MOST of us are not instructors. Uninspired educational materials are contraproductive.

[@HamRadioConcepts]

I got a better idea.. NEVER EVER EVER watch another video of mine, never EVER comment, never EVER leave a thumbs up and never EVER think of my name or face again… just go straight to hell, with pleasure.. I’m not here to be an instructor or anything professional… I exist exclusively to read comments from idiots like yourself.. anything else you would like to say?

[@TheShawna1]

Yeah when we speak to each other we decode words/letters by sound not visually in the minds eye seeing the letters.... same learning Morse not CW. CW is the "mode" Morse is the "language" .jim KB1PFL

[@DavidLauriesRVAdventures]

Wished I had never stopped using cw. I made tons of contacts and even received a very nice complement from a fist member. I got to start back! Thanks for the nice video on cw. 73 Kf4zqw

[@billpotter9716]

cq de AB2ES 73 om sk

[@ijontichy6070]

it is never too late to come back to CW . It is easy - i am back after about 47 years an i think it is amazing , vy 73! de Matt SP3 FYI