GB2CW Morse Corner 31.01.25

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Morse Classes.

These are all going well. Not too many have joined but not too many newbies are interested these days.

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There is still time for new beginners to join my class on Friday evenings. No need to worry even if you haven’t started yet. Please call in on GB3NB at 7.30 p.m. and I will be pleased to see you. Providing you do the necessary practice you can soon catch up.


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KEY OF THE WEEK

 


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The Begali Spark.
Another straight key, something all beginners should have in their shack, a technique that should not be lost!
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The Spark is a compact straight key with a heavy cast iron base. The base has a charcoal black phosphatized finish
(as shown in the photo), and all other components are gold plated. The Navy-style knob rides low above the table,
so please learn the technique of using a straight key before you practice with it. If you are heading for straight key
night you owe it to yourself to get one of these!
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More practice and a video to watch. Chris NW6V has posted this one.
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The first video of a three-part series, “Keymanship 101,” is now available on the MorseBusters Zoom channel.
YOu can find it here: https://youtu.be/noBXQRrx5rg (39 minutes).
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These videos expand on material introduced in his book (The CW Way of Life) with details and analyses omitted there for
brevity and/or appropriateness to the volume’s intent. Subsequent research with Morse students and experts has provided
valuable extensions to the original model.
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Part 1, “The Beat and Rhythms of Morse,” reexamines Morse code from the perspective of the “fist,” the hand and key that make the code,
rather than its dit-Dah signals. The mystery is taken out of how to make “perfect 3:1 dits and Dahs” with manual keys, and its rhythmic base,
“The dit-train,” is fully explored.
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Part 2 will focus on the perception and experience of Morse, including learning plateaus (This is your brain on Morse), while Part 3
presents Code-talking and manual keys as parallel pathways connected to the language centers in of your mind, with the goal of
“key independence” for “the keyer in your brain.”

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The NARC CW Monday Night Net.

 


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telegraphiste


This now takes place on 3543 at 8 p.m. on Monday evenings. We have a Net controller each week and the idea is to encourage you to conversational Morse. If you can read and send at 23wpm, do come and join us. 23wpm is the speed at present and we may be increasing that as time goes by. The overs are short but protocol is adherred to and just a few comments from each attendee is all that is needed. Give it a try!
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Surely there are a few more quite capable of joining the net to try your hand at conversational Morse. I think there are a number of locals who, although capable, use Morse to crack a pile-up with the use of macros and very rarely use a paddle in long QSOs.
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There is no need to be shy. Learning conversational Morse is a skill in itself. Anybody can work a DX pile-up by using macros or sending their call and 599 TU. Try holding a conversation for about an hour and see how you get on. If you aspire to CWOPS or FOC it’s the only way you will get in to those clubs, by showing and proving your proficiency with a paddle.
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Not only that, but it really is very satisfying to be able to hold a conversation for that long at around 25wpm with minimal mistakes. PLUS of course you can then monitor the CW end of the bands and hear just conversations and not just dits and dahs.
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CW OPS
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Lots of new members are joining each week so it is quite a busy hour if you stay for the full period. I just attend for 30 minutes and usually
have around 30 or so QSOs.
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General CW Operating.
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For those of a nervous disposition, try joining FISTS. FISTS caters for the more casual, laid back operator who does not feel comfortable at more than 23 wpm. They also have a LADDERS competition on 40m which is good practice. Actually for what you pay for membership it really is a great deal with a quarterly magazine too called Keynote. It contains lots of interesting articles.
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That’s it, open the cage, play the music.
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If you have any input, please email me.

73 de Roger, G3LDI GB2CW Coordinator. roger@g3ldi.co.uk May the Morse be with you.

Author Roger Cooke

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