Help a newbie getting started...

K

kb3usg

Member
Hey everyone,

I'm trying to figure out the "language" of CW.  Here's what I mean: The kind soul (Mike) who runs the K9YA Slow Net on Wednesdays slows way down for me so that I can copy him.  There are things he does that I don't know whether I should be doing.

As an example, after I finish sending to him, he sends back something that sounds like B K (or maybe it's -...-.-, maybe denoted <BK> as 'all run together'?)  It's almost immediate so it sounds almost like a "I understand your done... hold on a moment.".

Maybe it's a net thing?  Officially he's net operator, but I'm the only one checking in, it seems.

What are some good resources to read about conventions in the language of morse?  I know a couple of Q-codes as well as 'DE' and 'BTU' and 'ES' (Mike appears to be pushing me a little bit -- he's using ES a bit more with me).

Resources?  Are there recordings of QSOs from which I might learn... Any other suggestions?

Cheers,
Paul
KB3USG
 
Hiya Paul (welcome to the forum!)

The prosign <BK> is just used as a quick way to pass the key back over to another person. Essentially, instead of having to give out callsigns over and over which takes up a lot of time, operators pass the key back and forth by simply adding <BK> at the end of their overs.

For example, instead of...

A1XYZ DE Z2ABC OK OM HW MY SIG NW? A1XYZ DE Z2ABC K

Z2ABC DE A1XYZ FB OM UR 579 NW WID QSB Z2ABC DE A1XYZ K

A1XYZ DE Z2ABC TNX FER FB RPRT UR 599 NW A1XYZ DE Z2ABC

The whole lot becomes much shorter by using <BK> (you were quite right, it is just a "B" and a "K" sent back to back with no gap, think of it as saying "break")...

<BK> OK OM HW MY SIG NW?  <BK>

<BK> FB OM UR 579 NW WID QSB <BK>

<BK> TNX FER FB RPRT UR 599 NW <BK>

This quick fire passing back and forth is only normally done AFTER both stations have identified each other. It works well to speed up one to one QSOs, but it can get messy if there are three or more operators involved and it is not used 'correctly'.

With more than two operators involved you could use names, for example OVER TO YOU FRED <BK> indicates it's Fred to take up the key.

Another method I've heard used is cut callsigns, so say an operator had the call A1XYZ then someone might send BTU XYZ <BK>

Hope that lot makes sense!

As for info online, well, the ARRL has lots of info here >>> http://www.arrl.org/learning-morse-code

The LIDS CW group has info here >>> http://lidscw.org/resources


There is a book I would recommend, which is one of the best break downs of how a QSO works, what all of the prosigns mean with examples of usage etc. which is titled "How To Learn Morse Code And Make Radio Contacts" by David EA7HYD.

The book was originally written in Spanish, and the English translation was done by Michael Sansom G0POT (he's the guy that runs the LIDS CW group).

I can't recommend that book enough for explaining things step by step. If you look at the background image for our forum you can see the cover of the book over at the left hand side of the picture.

There are also downloads to print off that compliment the book available from here >>> http://www.cw4u.org/

When you go to the site the default language is Spanish. You will find a Google Translator drop down menu along the top of the page, so just change it to English (or whatever language you want), and the site will 'magically' change to that language.


73, Mark...
 
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