In article ,
"The Shadow" writes:

"Bill Gunshannon" wrote in message
...
I guess it doesn't really count as DX but are there certain frequencies
on the various bands where people congregate to work on things like WAS?
I have been out of ham radio for a couple of decades but have once again
been bitten by the bug and I set up a couple of HF rigs and some simple
antennae. I thought WAS might be a good target to start with. (I did
work Cuba the other night and was amazed that even with my modest setup
he heard me ont he first call!!)

bill
KB3YV

--
A couple of WAS nets
THE TRIPLE H NET ASSOCIATION

http://www.hhhnet.net/index.html

3905 Century Club Net
http://www.3905ccn.com/

DX nets at URL:
http://ac6v.com/nets.htm#DXN

But some DXers prefer to not work nets and find the contacts themselves -
remain pure as it were.

Lamont 5 BAND WAS, WAS 17M, WAS CW, WAS QRP
49 STATES WORKED ON 12M AND 6M


I would prefer to avoid nets. I just thought there might have been an
unofficial place where people listened for other people working on WAS.

bill
KB3YV

--
Bill Gunshannon | de-moc-ra-cy (di mok' ra see) n. Three wolves
| and a sheep voting on what's for dinner.
University of Scranton |
Scranton, Pennsylvania | #include std.disclaimer.h

Can you recommend some of the better options for this CW-PC thing?
Thanks.

On Jan 22, 10:01*am, (Bill Gunshannon) wrote:
In article ,
* * * * Jeff writes:

Just an idea, and I know it's not "official"...but is it possible to
use software and integrate a PC into your rig to send/receive CW and
convert back and forth into text on the PC? *Possibly with some
software and an audio card on the PC? *In other words, the PC receives
text from the
keyboard..converts to CW and sends to rig, rig receives CW and sends
to PC which converts
back to text on the PC screen?

There has been both hardware and software approaches to doing this
for more than 20 years that I know of. *But, when conditions get bad
the best DSP for copyoing CW is still the human.

bill
KB3YV

--
Bill Gunshannon * * * * *| *de-moc-ra-cy (di mok' ra see) n. *Three wolves
* * | *and a sheep voting on what's for dinner.
University of Scranton * |
Scranton, Pennsylvania * | * * * * #include std.disclaimer.h *

In article ,
Jeff writes:
Can you recommend some of the better options for this CW-PC thing?
Thanks.
On Jan 22, 10:01*am, (Bill Gunshannon) wrote:
In article ,
* * * * Jeff writes:

Just an idea, and I know it's not "official"...but is it possible to
use software and integrate a PC into your rig to send/receive CW and
convert back and forth into text on the PC? *Possibly with some
software and an audio card on the PC? *In other words, the PC receives text from the
keyboard..converts to CW and sends to rig, rig receives CW and sends
to PC which converts
back to text on the PC screen?

There has been both hardware and software approaches to doing this
for more than 20 years that I know of. *But, when conditions get bad
the best DSP for copyoing CW is still the human.


As I said earlier, I have been off the air for two decades. I recently
hooked up my ancient Kantronics All Mode just for grins and it does still
work (I use it for RTTY, as I remembered, it doesn't copy CW very well at
all). You can't even find documentation at the Kantronics site for this
box anymore. I would recommend looking in something like a recent AES
catalog.

bill
KB3YV

--
Bill Gunshannon | de-moc-ra-cy (di mok' ra see) n. Three wolves
| and a sheep voting on what's for dinner.
University of Scranton |
Scranton, Pennsylvania | #include std.disclaimer.h

Jeff wrote:

Can you recommend some of the better options for this CW-PC thing?

It depends upon your radio and computer. You might want to look at PSK31,
a digital mode that uses the same bandwidth as CW.

There is a lot of debate about using a computer to send and receive CW.

It's an easy way out, and it does not improve your ability to send
or copy morse code.

73,

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

"Jeff" wrote in message
...
Can you recommend some of the better options for this CW-PC thing?
Thanks.

check out these programs
http://www.writelog.com/overview.htm

http://www.k1ea.com/


Lamont

Don't these programs log your QSO?

On Jan 22, 1:38*pm, "The Shadow" wrote:
"Jeff" wrote in message

...
Can you recommend some of the better options for this CW-PC thing?
Thanks.

check out these programshttp://www.writelog.com/overview.htm

http://www.k1ea.com/

Lamont

"Jeff" wrote in message
...
Does anyone do anything besides CW while DX'ing? I still have to
learn/practice CW but would like to try my hand at DX. I know that CW
is generally most efficient at low power, but if you don't yet know
it..it isn't much help..


Oh yes there's a lot of DX on voice. Generally the pile ups are bigger and
more unruley though. That makes it quite a bit harder. Then of course the
signal to noise ratio is also poorer. However, I've worked quite a few on
voice using no more than 100 watts and a G5RV.

Dee, N8UZE

"Jeff" wrote in message
...


On Jan 21, 9:54 pm, (Geoffrey S. Mendelson) wrote:
Since you did not say where you are or give a callsign, I'll assume
you are in the U.S. The FCC slants DX contacts twoard CW. During the
sunspot low, the prime DX bands are 80m and 40m. Outside of the America's
80m is 3.500 to 3.850, most of which is CW only in the U.S. 40m is
7.000 to 7.200, but until very recently it ended at 7100.

Yep, I'm in the US. Also, I already have an HF rig, but my antenna is
a "work in
progress" at this point in time. Basically my gardener cut it in
half :-{
I know that before I aspire to DX I need to improve my antenna
situation,
but DX is mostly why I got into the hobby. I want to see how far/who
I can
make contact with. Also, I'd like to get into some of the homebrew
QRP
stuff as well. The main problem I have with morse is
synchronization...
by that I mean, I can learn the tones, but at some point I can't
distinguish
a dit from a dah, and then I lose track of where I am in a character
and it
all seems to mix together...need more practice. My dad tells me about
the
guys he knew in the service who could use dual paddles and send code
all day
long while simultaneously reading something else.


AHA, your description of your problem points to the root cause. It sounds
like you are trying to "count" the dits and dahs. This approach will
prevent you from getting to useful speeds and will hamper your learning
efforts.

Get a program like G4FON (free for the downloading) and following the
directions exactly. Set the character speed no lower than 15wpm. Word
speed can be whatever you can initially write at (you will get better on the
writing and reflex action with time). Practice 30 minutes per day broken
into several shorter sessions.

Learn each character not as a series of dits and dahs but as a unique,
discrete sound.

For example, an A is di-dah. You shouldn't even be thinking about the dots
and dashes. You should strive to form a reflex reaction such that when you
hear di-dah you AUTOMATICALLY think or write the letter A without thinking
about the combination of dits and dahs.

Good luck. This takes time so do NOT get impatient.

Dee, N8UZE

"Bill Gunshannon" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"The Shadow" writes:

"Bill Gunshannon" wrote in message
...
I guess it doesn't really count as DX but are there certain frequencies
on the various bands where people congregate to work on things like WAS?
I have been out of ham radio for a couple of decades but have once again
been bitten by the bug and I set up a couple of HF rigs and some simple
antennae. I thought WAS might be a good target to start with. (I did
work Cuba the other night and was amazed that even with my modest setup
he heard me ont he first call!!)

bill
KB3YV

--
A couple of WAS nets
THE TRIPLE H NET ASSOCIATION

http://www.hhhnet.net/index.html

3905 Century Club Net
http://www.3905ccn.com/

DX nets at URL:
http://ac6v.com/nets.htm#DXN

But some DXers prefer to not work nets and find the contacts
hemselves -
remain pure as it were.

Lamont 5 BAND WAS, WAS 17M, WAS CW, WAS QRP
49 STATES WORKED ON 12M AND 6M


I would prefer to avoid nets. I just thought there might have been an
unofficial place where people listened for other people working on WAS.

bill
KB3YV



Contests are good for chasing awards. Try the November Sweepstakes, Field
Day, North American QSO Party, various state QSO parties, and so on.

Dee, N8UZE

CWGET software and your computer's sound card. Uses the sound card so no
TNC or multimode controller needed.

CWGET is probably the best one available.

Dee, N8UZE

"Jeff" wrote in message
...
Can you recommend some of the better options for this CW-PC thing?
Thanks.

On Jan 22, 10:01 am, (Bill Gunshannon) wrote:
In article
,
Jeff writes:

Just an idea, and I know it's not "official"...but is it possible to
use software and integrate a PC into your rig to send/receive CW and
convert back and forth into text on the PC? Possibly with some
software and an audio card on the PC? In other words, the PC receives
text from the
keyboard..converts to CW and sends to rig, rig receives CW and sends
to PC which converts
back to text on the PC screen?

There has been both hardware and software approaches to doing this
for more than 20 years that I know of. But, when conditions get bad
the best DSP for copyoing CW is still the human.

bill
KB3YV

--
Bill Gunshannon | de-moc-ra-cy (di mok' ra see) n. Three wolves
| and a sheep voting on what's for dinner.
University of Scranton |
Scranton, Pennsylvania | #include std.disclaimer.h