Learning problem characters in Morse Code - The Trouble with DITS

I discuss the trouble learning characters that are all DITS in Morse Code and some practice methods to make them familiar.
The radio in the video is an Elecraft KX3 that displays the Morse characters being sent. The paddle is a Palm Single magnetically attached to a piece of steel.
I use the Palm Single (without the base) and KX3 when operating portable.

[@RobR386]

I listen for the slight pause between the characters, the problem is when people make that pause too short between the characters, it throws me off

[@TrystansWorkbench]

I really enjoyed that! Brilliant. I'd never thought about words beginning with dits throwing me, but now you mention it - I see exactly. Thank you.

[@SwtTrisha8]

Appreciate your perspective. It’s a great tip! Thank you.

[@MichaelSmith-yy8fw]

Neat key. Thanks for your quick response..

[@sharonjuniorchess]

I didn't have a problem with E & I nor did S seem to give me a problem until I came across H. Then the problem was distinguishing between S's & H's. If I copy an H and the second letter is also an H I know that the first letter must have been an S. Strangely I am also having problems with F. For some reason it seems to throw my brain maybe because I can recognise a U and this is probably what my brain is hearing but then gets thrown. At the moment the rule I am using is if it sounds funny then it was probably an F and that seems to be working and my hearing is getting better at picking them out. Similar to hearing a J and getting confused because I heard a W followed by something else. Practice-Practice-Practice.

[@Usul]

Very helpful. Thank you for sharing.

[@JonathanAdami]

For some reason when I start thinking that R's are K's and as soon as I hear a K I'm all thrown off brain freeze style... I'm at lesson 4 on LCWO though haha Thanks for your videos ;)

[@dx398]

I'm on lesson 4 now.. yep R and K are tough but getting easier

[@Nicktgrief]

Another one on lesson 4

[@PA7RG]

Tnx, vy helpful indeed!

[@hamradiocq]

Great video!

[@HamRadioQRP]

I recorded this differently than the others (using an external stereo microphone). My voice should be in the left channel and the CW in the right channel. It sounds fine on a PC but the Morse Code sounds really off on a phone. Not sure why. If you have trouble hearing the code from this video on your phone please comment. IF there are a lot of others with the same issue, I will re-release, without the external audio and just use the camera audio.

[@nontimebomala2267]

The echo in the room is kicking my butt... almost sounds like double path.. so that might be what you are talking about WRT "really off". Lets check some math... Suppose the back wall of your room is 10 feet behind you. Velocity of sound is roughly 1 millisecond per foot. So the delay between the sound leaving your speaker getting to the mic and the sound reflecting off that back wall would be about 20 milliseconds. How far apart are dits at 15 wpm. Well lets see. If we are saying that a word is about like "PARIS". We get approximately 15 milliseconds per dit... and that explains it. The echos fill in the spaces and effectively turn two dits into a dah. The problem would get worse at 10 wpm because that would be approximately 20 milliseconds per dit... The code would sound mushy. Now about double path, rare but not all that rare. It takes about 140 milliseconds for a radio wave to travel completely around the world (give or take a bit). If the station you are hearing is a third of the way around the world from you, you would hear the long path about 50 milliseconds (give or take a bit) behind the short path.... when you have a strong double path copy can be really interesting. Anyway great video. Thanks.

[@HamRadioQRP]

On a mobile device or your PC?

[@glempy]

Great video. I first watched on my phone, and all was well until the Y and L (dahs) - echo was so bad I had to stop it. I switched to a PC and it was much better. BTW, I've discovered a way to input the tone directly as audio (rig / keyer to computer) - microphone for voice only. I use it for teaching CWA (Skype) classes. It's using free software - Voice Meeter. Let me know if I can help. Thanks again for the video.

[@HamRadioQRP]

That's a good explanation. Thanks. Working to fix it for future videos.

[@WKMG365]

Thanks, that was helpful!

[@HamRadioQRP]

Glad it helped!

[@rjinnh3933]

EEGADZOOKS! At the end, my brain went into MeltDown and started drooling out my ears. What a mess. BTW: Another great vid with outstanding advice & recommendations....... 73 OM

[@HamRadioQRP]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@mariostar13]

4:00 - I just send “.. … …” since “233” is the Japanese slang for laughter.

[@user-ss6zt2mo1l]

True !

[@MichaelSmith-yy8fw]

What kind of key is that? It seems very smooth. Thanks for the suggestions. N0WDM

[@HamRadioQRP]

A key made by NZ4N

[@larryak0z672]

I struggled with the letter p. Don't know wny. But got it now. Thanks for you help.

[@HamRadioQRP]

Happy it helped

[@wolfgangbachschwelloe1wbs905]

Someone who understands my problem... HI thanks for the video, 73

[@HamRadioQRP]

Glad to help

[@evariste6116]

really useful, add double/triple letters to the "alphabet", thanks

[@MudkipsAreEpicWin]

What do you do when you make an error while transmitting?

[@HamRadioQRP]

Officially (according to ITU M.1677-1) you are supposed to send 8 DITS in a row to indicate you are about to send a correction. But most people I hear just pause and send 3 DITS slowly, then resend the word. If you keep making mistakes, just pause, take a breath, and start again.

[@MudkipsAreEpicWin]

HamRadioQRP I see. Yeah I'd really like to learn but I'm just not sure my brain is cut out for it. I'm still trying but I have some pretty severe ADHD so it's hard to focus. Will look forward to more videos though, keep up the good work.

[@tonyturtle5805]

we would send a question mark when we would mess up----dit dit da da dit dit is the mistake kd8ifj

[@patmb2011]

@@MudkipsAreEpicWin . . . u mite be surprised to discover that after awhile it isn't as difficult as one mite think? i mean, most QSO's only use a handful of words and they are usually the same words over and over. when u start to recognize them... things get easier. good luck... it's fun :)

[@mabo4848]

Tnx

[@HamRadioQRP]

My pleasure

[@Nicktgrief]

I was expecting the old BEST BENT WIRE ...lol

[@Swoop180]

... .... .. dit it again!

[@jack002tuber]

The sound of H is like a horse running.

[@sharonjuniorchess]

That's a great analogy. I shall use the theme of the lone ranger.

[@Shining_Bliss]

Can I have the solution please

[@HamRadioQRP]

Practice, practice, practice

[@glenbirbeck4098]

The filter in your RX isn't helping any. KC1CCG

[@bahathir_]

try these words. sissies hisses Thanks for the tips. Bahathir 9W2GNU, 73

[@WKMG365]

Good thing "sissies" and "hisses" rarely come up in a casual QSO :)

[@BodaciousWench]

Like S ... H .... I .. luckily the last letter is a dash

[@HamRadioQRP]

Haha.. SHE IS HIS SISTER is chock full of DITs.

[@hamradiocq]

I can't stand the J and 1 characters.

[@HamRadioQRP]

You're brain will soon hear the difference between those two characters. Then you'll become upset with words like "HE", "SHE", "THIS" and "THESE" :)

[@timothykearns2232]

Lots of echo makes it difficult to hear the dits......I guess I'm getting old. Years ago, I worked station EI5SH in Ireland.....Those who know the code will get a kick out of this call.......it's ALL dits! I found out later that EI5SH was a pirate station, and the guy was just goofing off. de NN6A. 73

[@iridiumflare007]

Сделайте пожалуйста уроки по цифрам 1234567890 на 15wpm

[@Fantik22]

У Курта есть

[@vfrfoxtrott6430]

VA..