SamuelMorse
@comcast.net |  Do you know Morse Code?
Just curious how many out there know Morse Code. I do but then again, I've been doing this for a while now. Should ham purists be required to know it? Has knowing Morse Code ever come in handy for you? |
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drjim
Premium,MVM
join:2000-06-13
Torrance, CA
clubs: | yes, I know it, and use it once in a while. I can stumble along at around 12~15wpm.
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One man's Magic is another man's Engineering. |
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Waldothe3rd
Premium
join:2009-02-16
Sun N Sand
 ·ViaTalk
1 edit | reply to SamuelMorse
Yeah, I know it. Like learning to ride a bike, once learned, it will never be forgotten. To me, it is an obsolete technology, but still maintains a place in radio communications. I recently saw a Morse Code vs Texting contest where the coders delivered their message faster than the texter could. Has it ever come in handy for me? Probably when I was a geeky high schooler saying dit-dit-dit-dit dit-dit (Hi) to a fellow ham while passing in the halls (receiving strange looks from the other students)... If I honk that to someone with a ham vanity plate today, it seems that I receive those same strange looks. |
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n2jtx
join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY
 ·Optimum Online
| reply to SamuelMorse
I know it. It was a requirement when I got my license twenty years ago (yike). I was able to do 13wpm at one time in order to upgrade to General but could probably only hack 7wpm now.
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I support the right to keep and arm bears. |
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kewlkeed
Grouch
Premium
join:2005-02-05
Knowlton, QC | reply to SamuelMorse
LMAO I'm trying to picture holding a Morse QSO on the highway between two cars for a few miles, ohhh the looks you'd get. |
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don1p2
join:2004-06-11
Boston, MA
2 edits | reply to Waldothe3rd
said by Waldothe3rd  :Yeah, I know it. Like learning to ride a bike, once learned, it will never be forgotten. To me, it is an obsolete technology, but still maintains a place in radio communications. I dug out the old Icom IC-725 Sunday, for this first time in probably 10 years and did some listening to the guys out on Field Day.
I was kinda amazed that after 10 minutes or so, I was again able to copy call-signs being sent at 30 WPM+.
said by Waldothe3rd : To me, it is an obsolete technology, but still maintains a place in radio communications. To me, CW was the most relaxing piece of technology I have ever encountered.
Fire up the vacuum tube kilowatt amplifier (four 811's) to a 40 meter Half-square @ 50 ft, put a set of "cans" over my ears, lean back in my easy chair call a CQ DX around midnight and and having half of Eastern Europe answer back....now that's relaxin'!
And oh yeah...watching the room lights blink with every swipe of the keyer was cool too.
Damn, sometimes apartment living sucks. |
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burner50
Pinlifter
Premium,VIP
join:2002-06-05
EN22wm
·Mediacom
 ·FrontierNet Intern..
| said by don1p2 :And oh yeah...watching the room lights blink with every swipe of the keyer was cool too. Damn, sometimes apartment living sucks. lol... I wonder what your neighbors thought of that...
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I'm tired of killing stupid people just trying to do my job and go home! |
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sabersaw
Premium
join:2001-08-21
Dayton, OH
1 edit | reply to SamuelMorse
I had to learn it to get my Novice. 5 WPM. I think I learned it at a speed a little faster than that. The guy who who taught me was a serious CW operator. I tried to get to the 13 WPM but could never do it. Over years of not using it, well... lets just say I couldn't copy it too well right now. But I think I could send it much better for some reason. |
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mr weather
Premium
join:2002-02-27
Mississauga, ON | reply to SamuelMorse
Good to see this hasn't degenerated into a know/no code debate. Yet.
I learned it several years ago in order to obtain my HF privileges but I have not used it since.
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"It's all coming down!!" - Mike Holmes |
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burner50
Pinlifter
Premium,VIP
join:2002-06-05
EN22wm | reply to SamuelMorse
For that matter, I know 2 letters. |
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drjim
Premium,MVM
join:2000-06-13
Torrance, CA
clubs:
| reply to don1p2
4 811's? Homebrew or commercial amp?
I picked up a Collins 30L-1 a month ago and I'm in the process of refurbing it. 4 811's in parallel is good for 650~700 Watts output if you don't push them too hard.
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One man's Magic is another man's Engineering. |
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jacour
join:2001-12-11
Ypsilanti, MI
·Comcast
| reply to SamuelMorse
I learned it so that I could get my license when they dropped the requirement to 5 WPM. Funny thing happened though, I found that I liked it. A lot.
I still well and truly suck at CW, but that is only because I don't get enough time to operate. There is something magical about hearing a string of beeps and boops and understanding what is being said. |
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aefstoggaflm
Open Source Fan
Premium
join:2002-03-04
Bethlehem, PA
·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to SamuelMorse
said by SamuelMorse :
Just curious how many out there know Morse Code. I do but then again, I've been doing this for a while now. Should ham purists be required to know it? Has knowing Morse Code ever come in handy for you?
I do.
See...
quote:
.. -.- -. --- .-- -- --- .-. ... . -.-. --- -.. . --..-- -.. --- -.-- --- ..- ..--..
PS. Powered by the FireFox Add-on/Extension: Leetkey 
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Please use the "yellow (IM) envelope" to contact me and please leave the URL intact. |
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cowboyro
join:2000-10-11
Shelton, CT | reply to SamuelMorse
Was able to send/receive 60+ symbols/min when I got my license 15 years ago.. If I had to do it now I don't know how well I would do  |
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pokesph
It Is Almost Fast
Premium
join:2001-06-25
Sacramento, CA
clubs: | reply to SamuelMorse
it was always my stumbling block.. so no, I didn't learn it (not for lack of trying) and gave up many times, back when it was required, getting my ticket.
I may again try to conquer it once licensed since it'll come in handy at times.. |
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daT
CSM 101
Premium
join:2002-09-15
Toronto, ON | reply to SamuelMorse
27+ wpm. 
Army. |
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ke4pym
join:2004-07-24
Charlotte, NC
 ·Verizon BroadbandA..
·Packet8
·RoadRunner Cable
| reply to SamuelMorse
While I'm a General who doesn't know morse code, I have found it to be handy.
Back in the 80's I wanted to go to Space Camp in Alabama. My family couldn't afford it, but my parents found out there was a scholarship program.
Part of the program required me to write an essay. I closed the essay in morse. I don't recall what I said (though I have the essay tucked away somewhere).
I ended up with a free ride to Space Camp because of it. |
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HRM
God Bless America
Premium,MVM
join:2002-02-03
Darien, CT
clubs:  | -. --- |
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Eat Me
join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ
·PenTeleData
·Future Nine Corpor..
·VOIPo
·Vonage
1 edit | reply to SamuelMorse
I can copy bursts of up to about 35WPM. At about 25WPM is where I can mostly copy fine, and around 18WPM is where I am fluent.
Been doing CW for a little over 11 years now.
As for knowledge of it being required, sorry that genie has been let out of the bottle and is not getting back in anytime soon.
I do think that everyone should be encouraged to learn it though. |
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Ender3rd
join:2001-07-15
East Granby, CT
·Cox HSI
| reply to SamuelMorse
I learned it and used it when i was first licensed. The novelty wore off after a few years. I can handle around 18 words a minute, but the sweat starts to form at speeds above that. Two years ago I played around with it again, and used the CW decoding program built into Ham Radio Deluxe as a backup when I was practicing copying in my head during QSO's. That worked really well as far as increasing my comfort level, but my interest in CW faded again after a few weeks.
Should ham purists be required to know it? Well, I don't think you should base any hobby interests on what anyone else thinks. If you enjoy it, you should use it!
To be honest, the only time it comes in handy is when someone in a movie or TV program rips off some morse code and I can copy it. It always impresses people when I can tell them what the message was. That's about it for usefulness in my experience!
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My Jeep is not an SUV. Your SUV is not a Jeep. |
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