The Magic of Morse Code

I’ve been a ham for 65 years. Yep, I’m that old. That whole time I’ve been a Morse Code (CW) operator. I was taught the art by Jack W7CHN (Silent Key). He was an instructor/telegrapher for both the Union Pacific Railroad and Western Union. He heard my pitiful attempts at sending (called a fist by telegraphers) and offered to teach me the right way to use Morse code. He taught me both Continental (radio) code and American Morse (telegrapher’s) codes. I can still copy American Morse on a sounder and have the last sounder used in the Portland Oregon Western Union office.

Jack ended up getting me to 50 wpm and always stressed that my code had to have “perfect” timing and spacing. After all these years I actually think in Morse, have a certificate for 55 wpm and can copy 60 wpm. I use a semi-automatic key called a bug so I can’t send anywhere near that fast: my max is now about 30 wpm. I was able to send primitive (read that old clunky and slow) computer-copyable code at 35 wpm way back when during a hamfest contest, but arthritis has slowed that ability a bit.

I run mobile CW using a Yaesu 991A radio at 100 watts and a hamstick vertical antenna mounted on the rear hatch of my car. I use a bug in the car just like I do in my fixed location operating. People have asked how I can do that without losing my attention to my driving. After this long, CW is just another language and to me it’s just the same as talking. Many people (sadly not all) can talk to someone and still drive, I can do the same.

I use the mobile setup to do Parks On The Air (POTA) activations. I built a trailer with a tower section on a hinge and a winch to raise it. We use that for group activities and put a wire antenna up 30′ in the air using it. We use filters so we can run multiple stations on multiple bands off one antenna. Those group activations are as much a social event as an operating event.

It’s super convenient to pull into a park and start operating without having to set anything else up using the car setup. I use the program HamLink on my phone so I just enter the call of the contact and save the record. I consistently average over 30 contacts an hour that way. I fill in the details later, before I generate the data file to send to the POTA site for activation verification. HamLink automatically stores the data to my QRZ log file when I complete each entry’s detail. I generate the data file from my QRZ log and also send the data to my Log Of The World (LOTW) account. That makes the grid and county data available to those who worked me during the activation.

Grid and County hunting are also very big activities in this hobby. So is low power (5w or less) QRP operating. I have a paper QSL (confirmation) card from a QRP operator who has confirmed well over 100 foreign contacts (DX), worked all 50 states on multiple bands, worked hundreds of counties, all on low power. Obviously you need a good antenna to do all that! I’ve talked to the Czech Republic, Belize, Italy and Switzerland while mobile but haven’t tried mobile QRP (yet). There are a myriad of aspects to this hobby.

Even after 65 years I’m regularly learning something and finding new things to try, but CW is still and always my mode of operation. I keep a straight key handy and will always slow down to work with anyone learning the art of CW. I’ll never forget how hard I worked to learn and respect those who are trying. I wrote a free Morse trainer that goes from 5-25 wpm in 2 wpm steps using the Farnsworth system that Jack used with me. It’s available for free to download and use at W5EES.com

If you hear me on the air give me a shout!

73 de Pat W5EES