"clvrmnky" wrote in message
news
Greetings,

Just a short query about CW and keys/keyers which I can't seem to figure
out from my web searches these last few days. I'm about to take my Basic
Exam (Canada) and will eventually try my hand at getting Morse Code
Qualification at 5 WPM. I expect I'll want to learn Morse even if
Industry Canada and the ITU decide to relax this restriction. I've wanted
to do this since I was a kid, so I decided to go for it. I knew all that
basic electronics and high-school physics would come in handy one day.

Since I'm a little unclear on the nomenclature (and trying to re-remember
all those acronyms) and how amateur radio and CW has changed since I was a
kid, I'm a little fuzzy on the best way to approach physically keying
Morse Code.

Specifically, there are a lot more choices of how to go about actually
making those dits and dahs now, and there seems to be as many opinions on
the "best" way to do things.

As a raw beginner who has no intentions of being a speed demon, is a plain
ol' straight key good enough? Does it make any sense to learn on a single
or "iambic" paddle even for 5-10 WPM use?

A straight key is the BEST WAY to learn Morse code at any time.

Based on my research, it appears that to actually send/recv CW, one must
have (or it helps to have?) a transceiver that has a CW "mode." Is my
assumption correct? I'm not entirely clear on why CW would be a mode
(i.e., it is often listed in specs along with SSB), other than a pretty
good understanding for how signals can be modulated.

CW means Continous Wave. To make it into something that can be deciphered
it is "keyed" on or off. Thus it is ON/OFF Carrier. The dits and dahs are
simply short or long lengths of the carrier interupted with the correct
space. As in; Dih Dah. Which is the letter A.

In order to utilize this mode (CW) on the air the radio must have this mode
capability. And a place to plug in a key, or keyer.


Finally, if I do get a starter transceiver, I either have to have one with
a built-in keyer, or supply a keyer myself. True?

Yes. But if you use a "straight key" or a "bug" you do not need a keyer,
either built in or otherwise. You make the Di and Dah by yourself. With
the exception of a "bug" that you make the Dah by yourself and the Di is
made by a mechanical springing of the arm. But thats another subject.


I understand the limitations my Basic qualifications would have. I'm just
thinking into the future, and planning on getting a transceiver that goes
down into the 6 (and possible 2) metre bands. As I gain experience and
qualification, I can introduce myself to the HF bands.

The rigs available today have six and two meters on some models. ANd they
all have CW also.


Dan/W4NTI

Thanks for listening.
--
clvrmnky

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