Improving Your CW Vocabulary and Head Copy with Aaron (W4ARB).

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Aaron (W4ARB) joins us to talk about your CW vocabulary and how to expand that vocabulary for fast head copy.
Aaron's KZbin Channel: / @w4arb
I recommend Long Island CW Club for learning CW. longislandcwclub.org/
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Ham Radio Trivia - I play ham radio trivia every month on my KZbin channel. Play for free on Kahoot while watching the stream. Follow my Twitter for times.
#hamradio #cw #morsecode #newcwoperators #roundtable #bug #cootie #paddle #learningcw #cwmorse #13wpmhump #pota #sota #portable #iambic #keyer #key #antenna #licw #cwops #keys #cw #newcw

[@stephenplatt5048]

54:00 There was a ham in Italy that was known as "Mr. Dits", because his call was all dits. I5 and some combination of EAS; I can't remember the suffix exactly. He may be an SK now; can't look him up in QRZ now. May have been him Aaron!

[@ng7m-ham-shack]

Kyle, a big thumbs up on your live streams. Thanks for the effort to educate and promote CW operating. I really like the variety of guests you include in your streams. Max NG7M

[@AA0Z]

Much appreciated!!! Thanks Max!!!

[@KC2BKM]

GOOD STUFF!

[@victorcharlie7491]

Great stream guys tnx, Morris code is fascinating!

[@AA0Z]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Larry-AK0Z]

I've been doing CW for over 2 years and never have I sent hi hi.

[@jordanclarke2996]

This stream was fantastic. Thank you! VK3ACU

[@AA0Z]

Thanks

[@JonathanAdami]

Makes me feel like some train for contacts instead of training for Morse code. I have no experience to back this up and might change my mind when I do, but I don't train for a certain vocab, trying to train my ear/brain for pure randomness, words should be a consequence of that. Famous last words? Haha

[@Swamp-Fox]

Enjoyed the stream. I picked up some great tips!

[@AA0Z]

Glad it was helpful!

[@stephenplatt5048]

57:36 During Field Day, if my club in Virginia is 4A, some ops will get confused by "4A VA". For me Delaware (DE) will throw me sometimes. I think "3A from where"? After the second "?", it sinks in that it's Delaware.

[@Ed-vi6tg]

When Morse code was a requirement there were many hams on the air working on their CW speed whether they realized it or not. When I worked the Novice bands to help those to practice, I switched to a straight key. I used a bug at the time.

[@Brass735]

My CW story. Some 30 years ago, I found myself the designated brasspounder at Field Day. I made only 30 or so Q's before the speeds overwhelmed me with keyfright. I spent that summer in self-recrimination, resolving that I'd never let that happen at another FD. Jump to November. I had read about CW Sweepstakes in QST, and decided to try to make a few Q's. I just listened letting my ears acclimate to the speeds until Sunday afternoon when I heard a PAC station running on 15 M. I very tentatively and nervously sent my call on straight key. The KH considerately sent his exchange at my speed. I sent my exchange. Thus, I dived into my first SS. I made only 26 Q's, but it was a start. A month later, I jumped into ARRL 160, much simpler exchange, RST + QTH, and I made 200 Q's. Of course, by the following FD, I was much more confident. I don't remember the exact number of FD CW Q's, but it was a hell of a lot more than 30. The funny thing is, I started out using SS as practice for FD. Now I use FD and other events as practice for CW SS. I have also learned that formatted exchange (contests) and ragchew are different skillsets. As such, I think rating one's CW skills probably should be separated by a slash. My own skills are probably 45/20, the lower representing ragchew. Unfortunately, I doubt that ragchew speed will ever increase. I won't go into the specific reasons why, just to say they're physical.

[@WD4DAN]

W4ARB is a beast. I noticed his paddles are reversed from 'normal' hihi

[@AA0Z]

Ah, good observation. What is reversed for you? I guess I never noticed. My dits are on the left.

[@WD4DAN]

@AA0Z my dits on left too

[@w4arb]

Oh yeah! No one told me there was a normal way when I started haha. So I found thumb-dah comfortable and just stuck with it haha. Thanks Dan!!

[@WD4DAN]

@@w4arb always good to get you in the log, even if you're backwards haha 73 bro

[@w4arb]

@@WD4DAN TU for being such a great hunter! BTW I have my supplies to build a ground loop but there’s a yellow jacket nest where I need it to go through…so probably gonna wait until it cools off and they go away. Haha

[@KeepEvery1Guessing]

If you watch some old movies (40s, 30s, especially Brittish, Bing, Astaire), people actually used "old man" and "fine business", as "buddy" and "great". And that's the period when hams were developing their shortcuts. Would your prefer "GS DD" as "good stuff, dude".

[@AA0Z]

I'm adopting DD...that's a great idea.

[@w4arb]

So we can do “bro” instead of OM! LOL

[@TravelinHam]

I have problems with QSL. Mostly because I made it the ringer for my text messages. So now if someone sends QSL my brain shuts down and I grab my phone.

[@AA0Z]

I have that same problem with ham alert and the CW alerts it sounds off!

[@PhilG0BVD]

Excellent video. I have come back to CW after a 32 year lapse with older brain matter at 69 years old I am that OM lol! here in UK OM OG YL & XYL is used regular. I practice every morning with Kurt Zoglmann Ninja CW Files. 73 Phil G0BVD

[@AA0Z]

Fantastic! The CW Ninja files are awesome!

[@Ed-vi6tg]

Phil, I've been away/ off the air, from CW for about 45 years; from about age 19 to 66. I just returned this past January. I never let my ticket lapse though. I was thinking the same thing, would I be able to relearn, if my brain cells had diminished or not. What is working for me, was to implement what worked for me when I first started to learn code at 18. I would practice listening to QSOs that sent 2 to 3 words faster than I could copy by ear. I'm sure this helps build vocab too, once one crosses about 23~25wpm. I've been using "Just Learn Morse Code" freeware computer program. it is on the web to download, if you google it. (I did donate as it is a really good program, IMO). Copying QSOs is the by far better way to learn though, IMO.

[@wild-radio7373]

🥰👍

[@blugoose86]

okay, I should have waited until the end of the video before commenting. Sorry

[@AA0Z]

LOL

[@danacorbett4628]

What ix sat?

[@AA0Z]

I have no idea what IX sat is.

[@blugoose86]

So I missed this episode but right about 49:00, ya'all started talking about copy speed. I am going through the classes at LICW and using their practice page. For me, I have to turn up the speed just beyond my brains ability to count. So when practicing, I bump up the speed from 12/8 to 15-18/10. On the same token, when doing the ICR, they're speed is set to 27, which for now, I have to turn back to 20-22 so I can hear something other than a blob of sound. Point is, in order to progress, I think we have to find our brains threshold, and set up just beyond our current capabilities. Our "comfort zone" should be everchanging forward until we are at the speed of our brains. There is a balance point where it will not comprehend anything faster. Of course, that does depend on if you've reached the point of being an "OM"! Love your stuff Kyle. de KA9TII

[@AA0Z]

Thanks! These live CW roundtables are fun!