Category: Morse code

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Training morse code groupcode lettersSlowly the Morse code practice begins to bear fruit. I picked up where I left of in August of 2015 and changed my training speed at lcwo.net from 15 wpm with effective speed of 10 wpm to a speed of 13 wpm with a effective speed of 13 wpm. I did reach a level where I was able to copy most of the characters at 15 wpm but I could not follow a QSO because I lost track after about 3 characters. I decided I need to get up the effective speed which I did in December 2015.

So far I only practiced copying Morse code. I really did not do much about sending it. I do hear people say sending Morse code is easy. I did try it sometime on the bands but find it pretty tricky. Especially the pinching technique you can use with a paddle. In my other project (Arduino keyer) I will create a good training device. Hopefully this combination will be sufficient to pass my Morse code exam on the 18th of June!
I received confirmation from Lode ON6KL for my participation at the Morse code exam. So it is official now.
I noticed the learning curve of learning Morse code is jerky. One day I really add some new high’s and the next day can be so horrible I think I will never make it. Of course there is time enough so everything will be fine, but especially on those ‘down’ days it is really hard to find the motivation to stay practicing for an hour. I realized it has something to do with concentration. My mind let’s true other thoughts and then I lose track of the sounds. I can pick out three or four letters at the time and then they all sound the same and irritate my ears.
Luckily I know from earlier attempts it is getting better over time. The problem now is I am a little impatient and want results quicker 😉

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kent Morse paddleHope you all had a very pleasant Christmas! Just before the holiday started I’ve made up my mind: I’ll attend for the Morse code exam in Belgium on 28th of June 2016! After reading the announcement on HamNieuws (Dutch) I was convinced this is the right motivator to finally get my code up to speed.
Since dropping the Morse code requirement in The Netherlands it is not possible to take exams in Morse code anymore. Which is a bit weird since in some European countries (i.e. France, Luxembourg) it is still required to have passed your Morse code exam to operate CW on the HF-bands. The only way to get the official note “CW included” on your license (or registration as it’s called these days) is to follow the “Belgium route”. There are still Morse code exams in Belgium. And because Belgium and The Netherlands both have implemented CEPT recommendations TR61/01 & 02, a valid pass of a Morse exam in Belgium is also valid in The Netherlands. So if you send your Belgium certificate to Agentschap Telecom (the Dutch FCC) they will (or have to) update your license with the note “CW included”.
It’s a bit of a stretch, but it’s the only way at this moment.

So I’ve picked up Morse code training at lcwo.net again. Every night one hour of studying. Also I listen to code created with text2cw on my daily commute. I still need to create something to practice my tapping skills. Thinking of building K3NG’s Arduino CW Keyer. I understand from the web-page I can build this keyer with LCD-display and be able to see what I tap. There must be a Arduino Nano laying around and a 2×16 LCD-display is in my junk-box. I’ll try something on a breadboard first. Will post here on any progress!

Best wishes for 2016!

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Elecraft logoMy Elecraft K1 is a need little rig. One thing I think it missed was a zero beat indicator. K6XX designed just that. Christmas holiday is the perfect period for a little home brewing, so I warmed up the solder iron.
After a hour or so the kit was finished. My first attempt with SMD’s. I’m not disappointed with the result. The test drive isn’t successful yet. All though I’ve seen the led blinking, I can’t get it to work. The SMD variable resistor feels weird (no resistance when adjusting) so I think maybe I damaged it. In the manual there is a piece with voltage points. I hope I can find some time to check all points and figure out what is going wrong.