Space in Morse Code

We look at how much space to put between characters and words in Morse Code
PLEASE NOTE: Some astute viewers have pointed out that I miscounted the elements in interword space. In the video I suggest using the character W to practice a SPACE of 7 elements. I missed the two inter-character DITS in the W, so it actually represents 9 elements. The character M would be more appropriate to represent 7 elements. I apologize for that oversight.

[@ksb2112]

These are great videos. Thank you for taking the time to put them together.

[@HamRadioQRP]

Thank you. I have fun making them.

[@adrianobueno6984]

Thank you for your patience and the great videos. I'm starting with CW and it's really hard! At least in the beginning...

[@M4YPL3]

I'm in the same boat, good luck!

[@HamRadioQRP]

You got this! Keep at it and it will get easier in steps. If you're like me you'll feel like you've hit a wall then one day when you're not trying hard it will just flow.

[@adrianobueno6984]

@@HamRadioQRP Great, thanks!

[@doom3166]

It has been a dream of mine to learn morse since I was an 11 year old gal, I am 18 now and I am seriously gonna get into it. This video wad great, thank you.

[@shawnp6653]

Still grinding through the letters/numbers/prosigns, but this was very informative and I will be back once I am at the point tof actually sending! Thank you for your time and effort to share your knowledge with us inthis video and all the other good stuff on your channel. 73 KI5GX

[@ntc490]

Getting better at morse code. I'm finding a lot of stations that need to watch your video. Thanks for helping keep CW alive with great videos.

[@4428314]

Great, as usual. I wish you had been my Physical Chemistry teacher way back when. Best 73, KG5OBD

[@HamRadioQRP]

I hope it was helpful, even with the mistakes.

[@thatee1006]

Thank you for the great videos! 73

[@N0SSC]

How are you doing the morse to text? Is it automatic or manual editing? Very cool.

[@yoelrnaples]

Man I love your videos, I am working on getting up to 20gpm. More frustration than Successful but keep going!!!

[@HamRadioQRP]

Keep it up

[@Man0fMeans]

20 gallons per minute?

[@CMCSS-to3to]

Great video

[@aine2549]

Thank-you. 🙂

[@ProperLogicalDebate]

Listen time Assembly time Thinking time Writing time What's next time Eventually a child can read with little thinking but not me.

[@user-xj8oh6fo2f]

4:44 W isn’t it 9 elements long? 1+3+3 and +2 spaces in between? M seems to be 7 elements long. Many thanks for all your great videos!

[@HamRadioQRP]

You're right. I wasn't counting the inter-charcter elements. Oh well, what's two dits between friends?

[@MidlifeRenaissanceMan]

HamRadioQRP true but when you’re just starting out after many years away from it, at 5WPM it’s a long time between words Actually I have been practicing at between 12 and 15 WPM letters but spreading the space between letters and words out. Much easier to learn. But still to slow at picking stuff out. Just need to practice and not think too hard so I’m told. :-)

[@BretChilcott]

Excellent video! Thank you fir sharing your knowledge. Bret C / AC0AE

[@HamRadioQRP]

Thanks for watching!

[@rv6amark]

As a longtime CW operator, I refuse to even try to work operators who have bad spacing. Strangely, those people are USUALLY longtime CW operators themselves. When others suggest they leave the proper spacing between letters and words, they scoff and say they are. I never even considered the idea that they actually hear the proper spacing in their brains, but machine decoding doesn't lie. They refuse to take the suggestion, and some of them even belittle the person making the suggestion. It becomes a situation like the story of king who wears no clothes but will kill anyone who suggests they are naked. I don't have the time and patients to work these self-righteous ops. OK, end of my rant.

[@R2AUK]

Thanks for the video! 73 de R2AUK

[@ScottFlies]

I heard a "scruncher" calling CQ tonight that I wanted to answer, but he was difficult enough to copy I decided it wouldn't be worth the stress. I went on to find someone more "spacey".

[@HamRadioQRP]

A "scruncher". I Love it. Need to add that to the Morse lexicon. Yep, we think we're sending great code when the other Op is going "what was that long string of characters supposed to say"?

[@n8nkqrp595]

Learn CW instead of running a digital robot and collecting 5-Band DXCC? As but a young man sets The King.. the Royal Arse as it were.. down uponst ee's throne - and proceeds to feed the townfolk and fools their porridge and gruel? Absolutely. I've been a ham for.. well, too long for me to admit to.. without lying.. but I've used CW 99.99% of the time (or more) and I got value from.. and being (rarely) serious - I really, really enjoyed your vid. I always do. Thanks! 73 OM

[@midnighttutor]

What kind of a key are you using? It looks like a bug but it seems to give multiple dahs like an iambic. Thank you.

[@HamRadioQRP]

It is a Vibroplex Vibrokeyer

[@drewf64]

Isn't a W nine units? (9 dit durations)

[@HamRadioQRP]

You're right. I wasn't counting the inter-charcter elements. Dang!

[@jamesmountjoy283]

Sweet! I just got North Korea!... yay! Awww, dang, nope. It's an AN5 station. Spaces. It's the right thing to do.

[@HamRadioQRP]

That's funny

[@guitardzan5641]

Knock Knock... Good afternoon sir. I'm with the FCC; These guys are with the FBI...That guy over there is with the Secret Service, we think....The NSA guys won't get out of their van, but they are over there.... I have here a copy of the FCC Rules for you. Did you not know that it is illegal to communicate with.......?

[@IvanGarcia-mi7lz]

.... ..

[@n8nkqrp595]

Sorry for the second comment. If I could, I'd give the vid 3 likes if i could! I'll try. See... my 'fist' is guite good. No- it is EXCELLENT. Not to brag.. but I can copy 35 easy and screw around while doing it. Can send hmmm.. 30 pretty solidly. Ugh.. on a set of paddles. And they better be good ones - give me some crap by Bencher- or worse- MFJ and i crumble. I fall to pieces. Can't even COPY anymore! And a straight key? Not gonna bother turning on the radio. And ya see... my paddles are worn out MFJ-564. So if we meet on the air someday.. i must apologize in advance. Yeah boys... not as fast as i used to be 'sometimes'... 'i guess'... not gettin' any younger here, boys. Buy a good key regardless of going iambic, sideswipe, cootie or Bug - even if it's old is my advice. 73 OM

[@HamRadioQRP]

N8NK, I look forward to having a QSO with you. But if you're sending at 30 wpm I'll ask you to QRS so this newbie can copy.

[@perojunak6949]

Great video! I love CW but can't stand it when an operator runs all his letters together. Instead of a QSO I'm presented with a puzzle to put together on my end and that's not a good QSO to have. Worse yet, some of these guys try to pass off their sloppy sending as their style or "unique" fist. Nonsense, bad is bad. When you come across these guys, just don't work them or if they start doing this during the QSO tell them they are running their characters together. No harm in that.

[@alainmichaud8992]

This sounds like the keyer is adjusted for 20 wpm. Really... If you got to the point where you can copy 20 WPM then you don't need a lecture on proper character spacing. The proper message is that it is 100 times harder to copy than it is to send and you should s l o w d o w n for the convenience of the listener.

[@densteele]

To be clear, a DAH is the space between WORDS, not characters as the video states. Space between characters is a "dit".

[@098317]

Elements? You've made a neat video - but made it far far, too technical. All you needed is a practical example on the morse key, which you only did two minutes in. Too complicated. I take it you didn't learn in a classroom?