Tag: morse code

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PA8E Kent PaddleThe other day I was browsing the club’s website (which has a very 90’s look and feel btw) and spotted a news article about a morse exam being organized in our neighbour country Belgium. That might sound weird but wait untill I explain!

When our Dutch FCC (AT) dropped the morse requirement for amateurs, they cancelled the whole possibility to do a morse program. When you think that is a bit radical, you’re right! Because now we have a situation where a Dutch amateur can do his/her full license exam, pass, but still can’t use HF in some countries like, for instance France! If in a country there is still a morse requirement and this country did not adopt the harec agreement, Dutch amateurs officially are not allowed on HF!

This wouldn’t be a problem if at least there was a option of doing a morse exam. But since dropping the morse requirement in The Netherlands, there isn’t. So when a Dutch amateur (who passed his exam for full license) still want a “CW included” notation on his license, he has to take the “Belgium-route” as it is named here. You have to take a d-tour to Belgium, attend a morse exam there and when you pass you can submit your paper in The Netherlands to get your “CW included” sign on your license. I think this is ridicoules but it’s the only way. Only a few indivitual amateurs did this “Belgium-route” so far, but now our club is looking for the opportunity to organize this for more interested amateurs.

I did contact the organizer for more specs of the exam. The next one is in March. But I concluded that I’m not ready for this one. You need to be able to receive at a speed of 13 wpm (that wouldn’t be a problem if I didn’t had the actual speed set for 6 wpm ) including the pro-signes. I did not yet trained those. And you need to be able to send 13 wpm. That would be a real problem since I didn’t send at all.

Maybe I can join the next exam!

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Finally! My first try was at 10-27-2010. 1322 attempts later I’m arrived at lesson 40 of the 40 lessons in total at Learning CW Online website of DJ1YFK. This is how long it can take if you don’t practice every day. Sometimes I even abandoned the training for months, thinking I’ll never learn the code. But today I reached a milestone: the last lesson!

I’m learning Morse code with the Koch method at a character speed of 15 words per minute and an effective speed of 6 words per minute. So now I know all important characters at this speed I’ll continue training on lcwo.net to gain better actual speed. Also I start training copying call signs with Morse Runner which I tried a few times before and I’m now able to do runs. And….. last but the most important: I’m gonna make real contacts on air! Only made CW-contacts so far with Digital Master 780, so they don’t really count. 

My target is to put away the microphone and only make contacts in Morse code. Hopefully at speeds between 20 and 25 wpm. Maybe even participate in contests with Morse code. I’ve somehow got the idea I’m half way now. Let’s move along!

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Besides this site, I’m also writing for the site of our local club Veron PI4RCG. It is really nice to do, but it also takes up a lot of time.

And of course I’m also practicing for my morse skills. First we have to learn how to receive morse code. So this is what I’m practicing now. At about 12 words per minute. I’m at the R-character in the alphabet. Hopefully I can receive the whole alphabet in about 2 weeks from now. Then we will start sending. Pretty cool adventure!