Bootcamps.
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I have had several emails from interested tutors who wish to set up their own Bootcamp. Mostly it is asking just what is involved, how we do it and the general format of the whole day. It's great to see it catching on with other clubs now and this might perhaps be a slow rolling stone gathering some moss so that definitely sounds like good news to me.
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RSGB CC Contests.
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I wish to congratulate Peter M0RYB/PPPPP on winning the QRP section, with four Norfolk stations in the top 20. In the Low power section, G3LDI came second and Malcolm G3PDH came third, with three Norfolk stations in the top 20.
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Whatever happens now, we have won the trophy again this year. However, don't get too complacent as yet, we still need your logs for the last two contests. Hope some of you are planning to attend the Convention so we can collect the trophy en bloc. However, this is really for the Contest Chat. I just couldn't resist as it was CW.
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Most of the tutors locally use TEACH4 to transmit the Morse. This program was written by Gary Bold ZL1AN. Gary did a few modifications to the program at my request to alter the tone and speed range. Unfortunately Gary ZL1AN became a Silent Key yesterday. Gary was a University lecturer and a very well known and popular New Zealand radio amateur. Among his many claims to fame, Gary was the author of The Morseman column in Break-In magazine. He will be sadly missed.
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Ray G4FON is to give a presentation at this year’s RSGB Convention in October provisionally entitled Moving your Morse Code skills from ‘5NN TU’ to effortless casual rag chewing. The draft synopsis reads, “Nobody would claim that becoming proficient at Morse Code is easy but once learnt, the results are very satisfying. In his talk G4FON discusses the pitfalls of learning Morse and the work of the German psychologist Ludwig Koch which G4FON implemented in his freeware training soft-ware. Drawing his own experience and on over ten years of feedback by users of his software, G4FON will offer practical advice on how you can move from simply working stations with a “5NN TU” reply to effortless casual rag chewing with them.
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What a great reason for attending the Convention!
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The schedule for Morse tuition locally for the summer will be a continuance of the daily classes which Chris G4CCX runs on two metres. They will be as follows:
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Tuesdays:
1000 - 1100 Coffee Break Morse with Chris G4CCX on 145.250MHz
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Thursdays:
1000 - 1100 Coffee Break Morse with Chris G4CCX on GB3NB
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The Tuesday class is well attended, as is the Thursday class on GB3NB.
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EVENING CLASSES WILL RESUME ONCE AGAIN IN LATE SEPTEMBER SO WATCH THIS SPACE.
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HOMEWORK for the summer before the resumption of classes in the autumn.
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1 Learn as many abbreviations as possible. You can find your study course here:
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http://www.hamuniverse.com/qsignals.html
or here:
https://www.wattpad.com/478101276-codes-ciphers-morse-code-abbreviations
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This site has just about all you will need, BUT you WILL need to learn these. DO NOT ignore them. Part of being able to hold a great conversation in Morse is this knowledge. Relying on code reader programs is NOT the way to go. It's the lazy man's approach to using Morse and it can get you into a lot of awkward situations. You have nearly four months to learn these, easy-peasy, IF you devote some time to it.
Then have a look at this video on how to construct a CW QSO. As you will see it assumes you have done the homework above! However, that is par for the course.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=ZqPQE1D8gfw
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Following the Forum at NARC there will be Morse on Informal evenings at the Club. On contest evenings, Paul M1AFQ will be running a class in the computer room and will be teaching from scratch.
Paul M1AFQ also has a social mini-bootcamp at his QTH on Thursday afternoons. Everyone is welcome ( not sure how large his place is!!! ) and any time after 12.30. QTHR
Jim G3YLA has organised a class of those who have done CW in the past but wish to resume once again. Jim will not be available on contest Informals, but will be available after July when the CC contests finish.
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Besides these schedules, it will also be possible to learn on line using Skype. Classes will be held using that medium in the near future. Let me know if you are interested. Les G0DFC is interested in this so keep an eye on this space and I will let you know when it has been set up.
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73 de Roger, G3LDI RSGB GB2CW Coordinator
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