From: waco@cbnewse.cb.att.com (john.l.broughton)
Subject: Military method for CW profiency and learning???
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 15:27:20 GMT


In article <9212161458.AA10380@icarus.weber.edu>, jhigbee@icarus.weber.EDU (Jonathan C. Higbee) writes:
>
>I've received several replies about increasing CW proficiency and
>am now curious to learn how the US military currently teaches
>communications officers CW and how they have them increase their
>receiving speed.
>
>Most methods I've heard of have you spend about 20-30 minutes a
>day at it. I would imagine that the military has their people
>train for hours a day?
>
>RSVP
>
>Jon Higbee N7HGM
>
>jhigbee@icarus.weber.edu

I was an 058, morse code interceptor, in the ASA (Army Security Agency) and
trained at Ft. Devens, MA.  While it is correct that spending 20-30 minutes
a day on CW is very good advice for amateurs, we did train for hours a day.
After learning all the characters, and I don't remember excactly how we did
that, we started copying coded letter and number groups at about 5 wpm with a
pencil.  Once we reached 10 wpm we switched to a mill (typewriter with only
upper case letters).  Based on obtaininig proficiency at one speed, we then
moved on to a higher speed.  The whole training lasted 6 months and I was at
about 28 wpm when I graduated.  I don't remember what the highest speed was
that was reached in class.  I ended up on a net in Germany that was running
about 45 wpm and this net was never silent for more than about 5 minutes at any
given time; it was active 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  Because we combined
our 4 tricks (shifts) into 2 for the holidays, everyone got 6 days off either
for Christmas or New Years and worked 12-hour shifts the other 6 days, I was
on duty from 1800 hrs to 0600 hrs over New Years.  At exactly midnight on
New Year's Eve, the net control I was copying started sending "Happy New Year"
in English.  This is the only time the net ever sent anything other than
5 character coded groups.  Still today QSA IMI (QSA ?) is burned into my gray
matter.

BTW, copying code by using a typewriter or computer to write it down is
great for high speeds.  However, you never learn to copy in your head this
way.  Why?  Well, it become reflex; you hear ._ and you automatically type
an A.  We never really realized what we had copied unless we actually looked
at the paper to see what we typed.  Also, you end up copying behind the
actual sending.  You aren't aware of this until you one day realize that
the operator has quit sending but you are still typing.  I guess this is
why I don't use CW.  Have to copy it down then read it (I never learned to
copy in my head), plus you have to get used to spelling as you send
I always tended to lose my place in the middle of a word.  Microphones are
easier to use, hi, hi.

The one person's post about those who flunked out of code training becoming
bakers or MPs is pretty much on the mark, and it brings back a Ft. Devens
memory.  We had to march past the MP post to get from our barracks to school.
We, of course, had a cadence caller for marching.  He decided that he would
call a "humurous" cadence.  He started using this one when passing the MP
station (no disrespect meant here to former MPs):

  Wish I had a low IQ

  I could be an MP too

  Sound off one, two

  Sound off three, four

  Cadence count one, two, ...

This didn't last too long as the MP's certainly didn't appreciate it.  One
morning two MPs came out, walked right through our marching formation, grabbed
the cadence counter and took him into the station.  Needless to say, we never
used that cadence again.

It is also true that CW has been abandoned by the military and by the commercial
marine services.  Ship's radio officers no longer have to know morse code.


John L. Broughton
AT&T
Naperville, IL
john.l.broughton@att.com
att!john.l.broughton

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