The SST! Slow Speed Morse Code at 20 wpm???

Yes, a slow speed "contest" for CW. This isnt really a "contest", but rather an operating event to "slow it down" for some of the folks looking to learn CW and increase their speed and proficiency.
We take a look at this event and look to use it as a tool to increase our confidence and our speed when operating CW.
The typical keying is around 18 wpm, but you might find folks a little faster, or a little slower. The point is to encourage others to join in on having fun with CW QSOs.
For more information on this event that happens twice weekly and only lasts for an hour - take a look here:
www.k1usn.com/sst.html

[@dougtaylor7724]

Thanks for explaining. I have dabbled with CW. Late one night I listened to two stations that carried on a thirty minute or so contact at about 7 wpm. Over the next few nights one station stayed the same rate and the other station showed some improvement. The best I could tell one station was a 80 year old man learning cw and the other station was a 14 year old girl who just got her ticket. CW is the purest form of ham radio in my book.

[@k9kj]

I totally agree! Great stuff!

[@badahab]

Love the SST. It was one of the things that really helped me get on the air with CW.

[@BoxBin982]

This inspires me to learn CW, awesome work.

[@migstwo5591]

Tom, great video, especially at the end (19:58) when you work me! AF5J. Always great to hear what I sound like on the air. I note my hesitation on coming back to you and I was typing your name/state in the log - and probably fixing a typo.

[@k9kj]

Hey that is so cool!

[@ijontichy6070]

Great! very interesting for me because I returned to CW on HF after a break of about 45 years. I'm a retiree and re-adventure on CW gives me a lot of excitement and joy. Now I'm learning memory reception while working with an open text. It's very exciting when you notice that you're automatically reading whole words. I've noticed that it's easier for me at a faster speed. Thanks for the opportunity to listen to local QSO `s of K ,W ,N etc.stations, because for my QTH you are DX stations .VY 73! Matt SP3FYI And subscription!

[@k9kj]

Dziękuję!

[@bartweiss9663]

Thanks for a clear description of the SST. After seeing it feel more comfortable jumping in. 73 N4KGY

[@k9kj]

Great to hear!

[@thuff3207]

I have never heard of this so thank you for sharing. PS nice setup for your radio.

[@darrinpearce9780]

Thanks for the information. I'll be tuning in via WebSDR to practice my RX from here in VK land. 73's

[@jamesriley9800]

I like sst it's fun

[@Quoodle1]

Wow, this is super useful. Tks

[@BretChilcott]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. 73 Bret/AC0AE

[@ilovegunsandhuntingandradi5912]

good video man. I did a couple today 73

[@shawnp6653]

Thanks for sharing this. Listening in to my 1st SST at the moment -- sounds a lot different than listening to code videos. Looking for the slower ops :) 73

[@k9kj]

Love it!!

[@kevinkeppler7220]

I had to learn that I could not fill in N1MM after the SST. The module would not let fill in the time. Apparently, N1MM expects to be filled in in real time, and records date and time for you.

[@georgeetherege8347]

Ah… we have a problem with definitions- 20 words per minute is NOT slow speed code. 8 wpm is also NOT slow speed code. For those of us climbing the learning curve, 15 words per minute is MODERATE. I-and I am sure I am typical of many hams who want to progress toward Morse fluency-have learned all the letters and numbers. I’m pretty good at 10 to 13 wpm now. I’m trying to find the means through which I can increase my speed. But (for now) a SST with speeds up to 20 words per minute is useless. Better idea: add categories to ARRL and CQ WW contests that award certificates for high points attained at a QSO speed never exceeding 15 words per minute. They have every other conceivable category, so why not recognize that not every contested has 600 watts and a beam at 50 ft AND not every contestor has a pc-driven auto keyer and the years of experience to copy 30 wpm code.

[@georgeetherege8347]

Correction: 8 words per minute above should read 18 words per minute.

[@k9eihamradio]

Why wasn't I subscribed to your channel? SST is great!

[@k9kj]

Probably because I only produce low budget generic videos 🤣

[@k9eihamradio]

@@k9kj LOL. Yeah, me too. Mine are created "when I feel inspired to film" which isn't that much!

[@jasoncary7957]

Would it be considered rude to set my key speed to 28 or 30 wpm, but Farnsworth it down to 20? I find it difficult to key accurately below that. Thanks K6JSC

[@k9kj]

If you are participating in the SST, I wouldn't think this is a problem. Even in other contests it probably wouldn't be an issue if you kept the Farnsworth at least at 20

[@warplanner8852]

Can you ask for a repeat if you missed the exchange? That is "AGN?' or "NAME?" or is that frowned upon?

[@k9kj]

It's perfectly actually to ask for a repeat. Both of those ideas are great... And you can also simply send a question mark.

[@warplanner8852]

@@k9kj tnx! The SST pushed me over there brink. Great way to get me back up to 25 wpm. Am enjoying your videos greatly. Very friendly and informative. Also impressed by the FT-891; particularly the filtering. Must be a decent radio to do mobile CW.

[@Redhawk03a]

Dumb question but what are you using for that gorgeous waterfall rendering?

[@k9kj]

I'm using an RSP1A to connect to the Yaesu and the SDR Uno software

[@timke8ldt354]

Great video! What kind of desktop mic is that?

[@k9kj]

That is the Yaesu MD-200!

[@EamonnG76]

What's a mic? 😋

[@dwightbrown2808]

I didn’t hear a soul less than 20wpm. I guess our SST is Sunday and Thursday

[@k9kj]

Im going to try to get on more SST events and set my keyer at 15 wpm - hopefully that will help!

[@fitcher-armchair-sleuth]

My Elmer could to do over 40. He was amazing!

[@k9kj]

Wow cool!

[@jamesriley9800]

Is 600 OK for listening

[@k9kj]

Sorry for the delay - yes, 600 is cool... I like 720, but some think that is too high of a pitch :-)

[@tommycheshire5508]

Is there an even slower network? That is way too fast for a few of us.

[@k9kj]

Some of the folks in SST do slow down much more, but there are some other events that I will work on making a video on. One that comes to mind is the SKCC WES event, but I will have to see if those folks go slow enough for beginners.

[@AJ-te1ot]

Nope ! that isn't for everybody ... senseless for me the same like those digital modes. C'mon I want to hear how your set up makes you sound not beeping noises...

[@WG7D]

Great idea! Subscribed! WG7D