Fourth Net

Check-ins 11-28-10
Net Control KS4JI, Gary, Lakeland
KI4ZMV, Bill, Lakeland
WA4BYK, Terry, Plant City

Listening only, KG4BAS, Ren, Gabby, and Ansel

Third Net

Check-ins 11-21-10
Only one check-in due to technical dificulties.

KI4ZMV

Second Net

Check-ins 10/14/2010
Net control KS4JI, Gary, Lakland
KI4ZMV Bill Lakeland
K2EUH Bob Kathleen

First Net

Check-ins 10/7/2010
Net control KS4JI Lakland
KI4ZMV Bill Lakeland

A Great Program To Learn Morse Code

It seems that there are as many suggestions on how to learn Morse code as there are hams suggesting them. There are those who say the best way to learn is by listening to other hams on the air. Others insist that the W1AW practice sessions are the best way to learn, but few would argue that one of the best ways to learn the basics is with a good Code Teaching Program. My favorite happens to be “Just Learn Morse Code.” It is free and can be downloaded to your computer by going to http://www.justlearnmorsecode.com/

Whether you are just starting out, or trying to increase your speed, give this program a try.

Let Alice and Tom Help You Improve Your Code Reading Skill

Many of us have read the classics as youngsters. Novels like Alice In Wonderland and Tom Sawyer, along with hundreds of others can easily be found on the Internet for free. As a ham I thought a fun way to improve my skill with code would be to listen to a novel in code, and at a speed I felt comfortable with. This is a lot easier to do than you might imagine with a program like “Just Learn Morse Code.” You can find this program at http://www.justlearnmorsecode.com/ It is free.

Converting your favorite classic to code is simple. First you will have to select a classic. There are thousands to choose from at sites like Project Gutenberg http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page . Find, and download one as a plain text file. Save it to your desktop. Next, launch “Just Learn Morse Code.” Select Source from the Menu Bar, and after the options appear, place a check by Text File. Then, click on the Play Button, far left under the Menu Bar. You will be asked to point to the text file you wish to hear in code. Select the file you downloaded. That’s it. The code will begin to play in a few seconds.

You probably won’t want to listen to the entire book at one sitting, so make a copy right away. Name the copy something like “current something.” In my case I named my copy current alice. After each session I note where I left off and then open the current alice copy. I highlight all the text I copied in the last session, hit delete, and save the file. This way, when I select my working copy at the start of my next session, I will begin where I left off. Give listening to the classics a try. You may find it fun, and a great way to improve your skill with code.

Practicing Call Signs

Call signs are more challenging than text because they are combinations of random letters and a number. Here is a tip on how to practice the call signs for our club members. Click on the link clubcall and save the file to your desktop. Then, following the procedure described in “…Alice And Tom…,” after pressing play, navigate to the file you downloaded previously. (If you have any problem with this procedure, email me at billkodak@verizon.net and I will return via email the file as an attachment.)

You might not want to listen to the entire list at one sitting, so make a copy of the call sign file. Name it current club names, or something similar. After a practice session, note where you stopped. Open the file, and highlight all the call signs up to the point where you left off, cut, then paste this selection at the end of the file. In this way you can loop through the club member’s call signs as often as you like.