Hi Slick



Well, that must have been interesting to have that sort of
ability.

Actually, what makes CW hard is trying to learn it at different
speeds. CW is entirely different at different speed levels.
I guess I should say the SOUND of a word is what is different.

When your talking to someone in person, you don't say aich eye bee oh
bee, you simply say Hi Bob

Low speed CW is like saying aich eye bee oh bee.
High speed CW is like saying Hi Bob.

A good example of this is listening for someone calling CQ, after you
do it long enough, you no longer hear the letters CQ, you hear the
SOUND the code makes for those letters and easily recognize a call for
CQ, just by the sound of it.

A new typist can tell you where every key on the keyboard is!
A seasoned typist will have trouble doing this, because the word they
are typing goes from their eyes or ears or mind, right through the
fingertips to the printed text, it's automatic, they don't stop and
think about each letter they are pressing, their fingers just do it
automatically.

Pick up some code tapes that run at 20 words per minute and you no
longer hear the individual letters, you hear words.
Good high speed code tapes work by using only a single word for
several itterations, than add a new word for several itterations, then
combine a few words into a sentence.
Pretty soon you HEAR only the words and not the individual letters.

The only time you slow your sending speed is when sending your
callsign or an unknown unfamiliar word, like an obscure town name.

In essence, you hear the PHONICS of the sound of the code that make
words, thus large words are as simple to understand as short words.

So, did you get your case from a virus?

Yes, it was the result of high fever associated with the Hong Kong Flu
(a virus).

Well, from the Tao, we get, "Loss can be a Gain", and in your case
it might be that you gained by losing the boss!

I honestly have!
And really do consider myself fortunate in many ways.

From the outside looking in, it appears I have suffered some great
losses and had to start over many times during my life.

Even most recently, what appears as a serious tragedy to many, has
actually been the best blessing of my life.

I won't get into it unless you really want to hear about it.
Suffice it to say, I dropped out of the 40 hour rat race and 100k a
year, to a position of no debt and more disposable income and more
time to enjoy time with my family. And NO I don't get any handouts!
I work to earn my living! Just not nearly as many hours and for much
less money. But I disposed of my debts by selling everything I owned
and paying it all off. What I used to pay in interest charges, I now
use for entertainment and time off.

TTUL
Gary