Who Here Regularly Uses Morse Code /"CW"for Skeds and Communication?

[Sir John Honeybucket]

I'm an old school radio operator, have used Morse most of my life, both as a hobby and for pay. ( VERY LOW PAY, but that is different story...) 

We all know that for HF communications,  voice mode is the most fragile, requiring the BEST signal conditions. Should voice comms fail, we generally go to a strong FEC (Fowrad Error Correction) mode like CONTESTIA 4/250 or JS8call, but WHAT if you don't have or don't want to carry a computer with you, yet DO need/want to pass a message using basic equipment, low power and basic antennas? 

Why I'm SO GLAD tht you asked 

Morse code (CW mode) with narrow filters and a trained ear is phoemonimal , fee-nom-a-null,  phee-num-a-nall........uhhhhh   

Morse is JOLLY GOOD for efficiently communicating under poor conditions which generally have us reaching for the laptop computer when SSB fails. I find that basic Morse equipment travels very lightly, does not fail to boot (as long as I have plenty of caffeine) , has no back-door built into my bio'processor' and can yield a printed message as long as I have something to write with and ON.  If no printed copy is necessary, we Ditty-Boppers generally 'head copy' , that is,  we just follow the conversation in our heads, 'hearing the sounds' as the other op sends their message, or snide remarks. 

Who here currently communicates in MANUAL, hand-sent Morse? // I say Hand-Sent meaning key, bug, paddle, because the goal is no computer requirement. After all, if we HAVE a computer with us, there are already superb digital modes for poor signal conditions. and because using a computer for Morse is not efficient, what, with such excellent data modes which DO work so well, but Morse being designed for the human ear/brain.  The human brain can detect a single tone, knowing whether it's ON or OFF well below the noise level.

Who here is a Morse Op and is there any interest in having a  'watering hole' frequency to meet and greet? 

Your Thoughts?


Sir John Honeybucket
di di dah dah di di        DAH di DAH

[pkveazey]

When I got licensed, we had to do 5WPM and pass the Novice and General written test just to get our Technician License. I worked on my code and passed the 13WPM test and got my General, I got to where I could send and copy about 18 WPM but then started to lose interest in the code because it was making me drowsy when I was copying it. I have a straight key from WW2 and a home brew Paddle that works great with the built in keyer in my radio. I don't do much CW code anymore. When I do use CW, I send by hand and copy by computer. I usually worked the locals on CW and rarely went looking for CW DX. I got good enough at it so I never had anybody send me the grand insult of QLF (Thy sending with your left foot). Being a musician was helpful because I learned that there was a rhythm to the characters and I would slightly drag my DAH's to help the receiving station be certain it wasn't a DIT. I can't do that with my Paddle and keyer. I've noticed that over the years, I no longer copy punctuation worth a crap.

[JohnyMac]

Yes/no Sir John.

On two separate occasions, I tried to learn code. Both times I lost interest...Life took over.

With that written, CW coms are an awesome mode and tool especially TXing QRP (low power).

I like your process PKv. RXing via computer and sending by key. What computer program do you use?

[cooter]

I learned code in the Army in 1976, but never used it much. 
Recently I've been trying to get back into it.  My copy is not so hot, mostly because I don't keep at it regularly.  Still, I have made a handful of CW QSO. 
Mike

[JohnyMac]

Cool cooter 

[Jackalope]

No driving interest in CW.  Like PK, I had to learn CW for the novice license.  Then later 13 wpm for General, and still later 20 wpm for Extra.  When I passed the Extra cw exam, I could comfortably copy at 22 wpm.  I occasionally monitor some cw QSO's, but generally just listen.  I use straight keys, though I did have a Vibroplex bug, which I sold many years ago, because I prefer straight keys.

[Sir John Honeybucket]

It good to see that many have some background with Morse.

-----

For some fun, notice how LITTLE equipment and site preparation is required for this DAILY sked from well over 800 miles with QRP (5 Watts or less) inexpensive equipment.

https://youtu.be/dI6mMPPN4J4

If you can hold an HF Morse sked from a coffee shop, you can probably do it anywhere.


Sir John H

[Felix]

Tell me if/how I'm "mistaken"...
In today's environment/reality, Morse Code might be open channel, instant uptake by all of those monitoring frequencies.
But in real time, it could also serve a purpose.  The time needed for "translation" would be free time, no more.   A matter on minutes, hours, days.
Line of sight?    Semaphore.
Boy Scout merit badges aside, this is one means of communicating that is hard to intercept if done properly.
Yes, limited by line-of-sight.   But also conferring an avantage both day and night (light stix) if done properly.

[pkveazey]

Yes/no Sir John.

On two separate occasions, I tried to learn code. Both times I lost interest...Life took over.

With that written, CW coms are an awesome mode and tool especially TXing QRP (low power).

I like your process PKv. RXing via computer and sending by key. What computer program do you use?

I use my Digital program. DM780 . It works for just about every Digital mode.

[cooter]

The main rig I have used on CW is an LNR MTR4B.  5 watts out into a dipole.  That is what I've made my contacts with. 

I also have an FT-818 that I've set up a few times, but haven't made a contact with that yet.  It puts 6 watts out.

I tried my Alinco DX SR8, but the keyer settings needed to be changed.  I think that is set right now, have to try it.  That can transmit at 100W, 10W, and 1W.  I use this almost exclusively on LSB.  But it would be fun to use for CW.

Mike

[Sir John Honeybucket]

The MTRs are superb! I like the way they optimized to be Trail Friendly , great sked makers when your home is on your back.  A friend of mine used to carry his entire MTR station in his cargo pant side pocket while hiking.  Good choice!  Here , main rig is the IC-706 Mk II with 250Hz narrow
CW filter, and the back-up is the Xiegu G90 which was a recent purchase and surprisingly good, but I envy you the very low current draw on the MTR.

SJH

[grizz]

the only morse code I know id SOS, other than that it moves too quickly and I dont hear that fast lol

Has anyone invented a converter to translate regular type into morse and back again?

[Sir John Honeybucket]

There are programs like FLdigi which technically can send and print out CW (Morse) , but truthfully, they cannot compete with the human ear - really.  Morse is a single tone, ON or OFF , and definately not synchronous, because we're not machines. There is a lot of open air noise between the DITs and DAHs.  That's easy for we humans to hear, even well below the noise level, but so far, the Morse readers are marginal unless the signal is very clear and sent nearly perfectly, while noisy, weak signal in CW Morse are routinely copied accurately by even moderately trained radio operators.

Another thing to consider, if an operator HAS a computer for digital modes, it makes sense to use those modes like PSK, CONTESTIA, OLIVIA &etc. which really work amazingly very well for talking computer to computer. . 

Time for a bit of 'medicinal' whiskey and back to my book.

- Sir John H -

[JohnyMac]

Yeah Sir John, Another thing to consider, if an operator HAS a computer for digital modes, it makes sense to use those modes like PSK, CONTESTIA, OLIVIA &etc. which really work amazingly very well for talking computer to computer. .

that is why our Tuesday digital ERIN net is becoming more and more popular.

Digital is great once you get your computer/transceiver synced up.

[Sir John Honeybucket]

JohnyMac-

True , true !  It?s also easy to hold a roundtable discussion using modes like
CONTESTIA & etc. even when radio conditions are terrible.  No question there -

SJH

[Sir John Honeybucket]

I'll sum up, then.

>>> If anyone would like to start a regular Morse/CW sked to chat on-air while we practice conversational Morse, please let me know.  Speed is never the issue, accuracy is what matters, and as we all know 'Practice makes perfect." it's a lot of fun and only requires the most basic of ham radio equipment.

(The regional QRP club does this every week at 5 Watts or less, with excellent results.).

73 de Sir John Honeybucket
..._ ._