GB2CW Morse Corner 29.11.24
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Morse Classes.
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  Classes are stable at present and the beginner's class had two raw beginners join this week. James M1TES and Emma M7TSP. Starting off as a raw beginner is somewhat unsettling because you are not sure what is required of you. However, I start with a discussion and set out what the student has to do and I explain how we progress through the course. When we started both James and Emma were obviously nervous but as we finished they were both more confident. I did also explain the necessary Practice that each of them will have to do in their own time every day.
   In order to progress, the Big P word is all important. Without that NO progress will be made. The tutor can tell if the student has done any Practice so stick with it and you will progress.
If you are considering learning Morse ( CW ) PLEASE join the beginner's class. You will find it very difficult to make any progress without doing so. I have heard it said that " I have listened to Morse, but nothing seems to sink in". Of course it won't. It is much like saying I listened to a good pianist on the radio but nothing sinks in!
It does not happen by miracle or hypnotism. It is the hard work that YOU as a student in YOUR time and nothing more that will produce results. You do need a tutor to report to each week in order for him to judge your progress and correct any errors you may incur along the way.
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KEY OF THE WEEK
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I forgot to name the Key of the Week last time. It is known as the Bushwhacker Key.
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This week I am featuring an Iambic twin lever paddle by Tony N3ZN and it's the ZN-9RZ.

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   This is a line of high end iambic & single lever paddles and keys. The iambic and single lever paddles include ball bearing movement, magnetic lever arm return,solid silver contact points, and quick "adjust on the fly" contact and magnet screws. Along with short lightweight aluminum lever arms and the correct geometry, these paddles offer an excellent and responsive feel, making QRQ (or QRS and anything in between) operation effortless. All ZN products are MADE IN THE USA solely by Tony Baleno, N3ZN.
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   The ZN-9RZ is built on a 3 1/4" diameter base X 15/16" thick and weighs 2.5 pounds. It features 3 ball bearing per lever arm, magnetic return, solid silver contact points and very fine threaded magnet and contact screws (56 TPI). It has 6 non-skid feet for maximum stability. All screws are stainless steel. OTO of the ZN-9RZ is 5/8". Also available is an OTO of 3/8" as a special order.
There is a range of colours and finishes that you can order too:
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1.Cast Gray with blue posts and blue powder coated fingepieces. 2. White metallic with blue posts and blue powder coated aluminum fingerpieces 3. Black with black posts 4. Black with silver posts and lever arms 5. Gray textured base with black uppers 6. Dark Blue Wrinkle 7. Army Green with antique bronze posts and fingerpieces ( 3/8" OTO shown) 8. Cobalt Blue Texture (matte) with cast gray posts 9. Robin Egg Blue base with dark blue posts and fingerpieces 10. Red with charcoal posts and lever arms 11. Metallic Purple with Metallic Black posts and lever arms 12. Red-White-Blue 13. Cream Orange with Antique Bronze posts and fingerpieces 14. Metallic Green with Antique Bronze posts and fingerpieces 15. Yellow metallic with blue metallic posts and fingerpieces 16. Red metallic with black posts and fingerpieces
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A comment seen recently from Rick Kunath, K9AO supports my theory about the "spacing" of the finger/thumb pieces to accommodate the natural purlicue spacing between thumb and forefinger, obviously he has found what I have found and demonstrated a few Newsletters ago.
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One thing I like about the N3ZN paddles is that he offers several paddle finger piece spacings. For me, I don't at all like the paddles spaced very close together. N3ZN has a 3/4 inch spaced model that is just right for me. My fingers seem to want to hold at about that spacing naturally and then I just gently squeeze without hardly any effort to key. His paddles have super smooth action and magnetic return.
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https://www.n3znkeys.com/p/613/zn-9rz

The NARC CW Monday Night Net.
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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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This week with Malcolm G3PDH as Net control, it was SK week, so the speed was somewhat lower! It does help to maintain the skill of operating a Straight Key however.
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Well, besides the normal faithful this week we were joined by Tony M0TDK. Tony is a member of the Great Yarmouth club, but that does not matter at all. I am merely pointing out the lack of NARC members joining in. The Net normally lasts no longer than around 45 minutes so it is not stretching your skill that much. Les G0DFC joins in each week again but is suffering from pain in his keying hand.
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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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There were three of us again this weekthis week at 3 a.m. Propagation is not great at that time. The HF bands are day-time bands at this time of year so concentration is on 40m mainly with excursions to 80 and 160m.
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The four sessions are still going well and we have managed to get decent scores each time. This is a great way of making friends with other amateurs. You may not think that the case, but it is surprising how you do get well known in those sessions and further QSOs follow on. You also receive a very nice Newsletter after you join.
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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. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. May the Morse be with you.

Author Roger Cooke