And here I am on the opposite end of the scale from Steve. I am so proud of myself that I added "KEY IS NAVY FLAMEPROOF" to my script!!!!! I just got my 16th QSO on CW tonight and only my 2nd on 80 meters! At least that OM knows what my key is, unlike the others...
Ur doin gud Dave. I wouldn't worry too mch abt trying to abbreviate everything! - Sumtimes an operator will miss a word that's abbreviated, whereas, if the word were spelled-out,... it's easier to concentrate on the QSO rather than trying to figure out what the heck the abbr. was I use a Tentec Century 22 & I could abbreviate it as: TT C22 - by the time a guy tries to figure out just what the heck a TT C22 is ? S/he may miss too much to follow the rest of the xmsn. - As you become more proficient & comfortable, abbreviations, Q-signals, & pro-signs will become more natural. Here's a list of some stuff you'll find yourself using more of as you progress: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morse_code_abbreviations Hv a gud wknd es cul 77 - 72/73
This is great advice. I am still new(ish) to CW and recently realized sending "name" and "hr qth" is excessive. I have found that some CW guides, like that on the SKCC site (which is a great guide) https://www.skccgroup.com/member_services/beginners_corner/, encourage the sending of those longer words. One example is: "HR QTH READING PA READING PA BT NAME DAVE DAVE". No knowing any better, I stuck with that pattern for months. This is SO true. It really takes time. I am back on the air after almost two years off and recently challenged myself to have one CW QSO a day, but that has recently turned into 3-4 as they are a lot of fun. It really just takes practice. I still miss characters and have to piece words together when listening. From what I've seen, most CW ops are friendly and don't mind if you screw up from time to time. Keep up the good work, CW is such a fun mode and I know you'll love it! Hopefully we'll have the chance to work on CW!
Just a funny off-topic side note... As I've made more Youtube videos, and watched myself, I have noticed I say "Ummm..." between works WAY TOO MUCH. I have tried to correct this, and can do it when I think about. Now for the weirdness... when sending CW, I DO THE SAME THING OUT-LOUD! I will be typing along, then have to think about something, and I say, "Ummmm" out loud as I pause. Crazy!
It's only natural to "pause" during a conversation. (Ya gotta breathe) - The "Pro-Sine" "BT" is your friend !!! (sometimes, maybe even a "AS' or "AS 1" (wait-a-minute) is appropriate.)
I did!!!! Thank you so much!!!! It came the same day that I got my first CW DX card from Bert, F6HKA. Two stellar cards in one day. My very favorites so far are my lone CW contact from 1991 with the OM in Louisiana, then the Louisiana CW contact 27+ years later, the DX contact, and yours because you are famous on Youtube! I think it won't be terribly long before my CW cards outnumber my sideband cards, and that's very cool.
There are many forms of abbreviations. On the highest step on the ladder are the "Q-codes" or "Appendix 13: Miscellaneous Abbreviations and Signals to Be Used in Radiotelegraphy Communications Except in the Maritime Mobile Service" which are regulated in the ITU Radio Regulations. Next are the "traffic abbreviations" that have evolved more or less unofficially over the decades with their roots in early telegraph work. They have no official status, but have become a "lingua franca" among telegraph operators. Then the "amateur lingo" comes. It is derived from a "shorthand language" and is related to the present text message shorthand. Some of the "traffic abbreviations" have crept in this group, sometimes with a subtle change in meaning. 73/ Karl-Arne SM0AOM
Newbie to CW ? Learn some common Abbreviations. You may ask "why Bother" ! Seems like the newest CW ops have the least knowledge of the common abbreviations. Since they use the slowest WPM, it takes them much longer to make a transmission. In our poor band conditions recently, they can get lost in QSB while they spell out everything. I hope new ops don't spell out the state names for a QTH. PLEASE USE the USPO two letter name for your state, Don't spell out CA, CT, MA, MS or the other L O N G state names . I have heard a few newbies spell out those L O N G state names at 3 WPM and it's frustrating listening to them disappear into the noise.
