There are increasingly less CW operators on the air. I have been watching the bands and calling CQ for quite some time in a day. RBN shows the band is still open to NA etc. But desperately few are enjoying ordinary QSOs. If I could hear anything from abroad, they are always bees gathering in pile ups. That is better than nothing. I still feel the situation is getting worse than the past 2 or 3 years.
It is still the definite trend that the number of real CW lovers are decreasing in number. We have much easier ways of communications than CW, which requires us much training before we could converse on it.
Admitting this trend mentioned above, there is still such a drastic drop of numbers! Strangely, however, there are often discussions in the SNS etc as for which application is good to learn CW. Nowadays, most newbies are coming in this mode with such applications. There must be some handy as well as effective applications for them.
On the other hand, most beginners won't start with SWL. They might think they would learn CW at first, and they could understand perfectly what is going on the CW bands. They will be often heartbroken in real QSOs because they know the skill and knowledge of CW operation learned from such applications are least usable. Or they may stay being so called hit and run operators. Those hit and runs need to copy only figures and alphabets. They won't care for any other informatins than the report and the QTH/name.
Why won't they listen to the real QSOs going on? As told above, it is rather difficult for us to find them. But in certain area like in the US, it might be possible for them to listen to old timers enjoying ragchewing. Of course, they won't be able to copy all at first. In the very beginning, they could copy only a part of their call signs. It is a frustration not to be able to read what they say. Trying to copy the old timers on the air, the beginners could begin reading the mail all of sudden at one time. It comes like a step wise development for him/her. Before he/she could get such proficiency, he/she might be thrilled to copy some parts of the messages the old timers are sending. There is an operator, living like him/herself and having own emotion in life. Isn't it touching? The newcomers could learn how to operate on cW while listening those QSOs as well. I am sure SWLing is much more fun than doing with an application which sounds monotonous and material. There is much broader horizen in CW communication.
Hiro JA7WTH
ReplyDeleteAbout SWLing, I completely agree with you, Shin. After I came back to ham radio at the age of 71, I have groped and tried many methods to get good CW skills. I’m sure most efficient and simple way is, just to hear many QSOs around the world, especially in US, transmitting in real time on the WebSDR (lK2SDR or W7RNA, etc). Although your sigs always delay1 second in the internet, Hi.
According to the request from Atsu, JE1TRV, I wrote a short comment about SWLing in the Atsu’s corner of “Morse codes Message board” in the CQ magazine of Japan, May issue.
I am now 75 yrs old and sure to feel still improving, hearing QSOs of OTs or newcomers. It gives me much fun.
Hiro,
DeleteThanks for the comment. Your article in JA CQ must be informative to the new comers for sure. I should purchase that issue and read it. Nowadays, most new comers don't seem to know how to QSO on CW. I am sure lack of experience as SWL might be the reason. Anyway, you are a rising star in our generation. Keep up your activity on the radio.
Shin
The word of SWL was very popular when I started ham radio in 60's and many of SWL, mostly young people who are reporting to ham and broadcasting station overseas. Now the word has disappeared even in shortwave listener world, instead people enjoy listening radio over internet which is a easy way than listening short wave. Same thing has happened in ham radio, that supporting software tool made easy to display(not listening!) what is talking on the band. No need to understand with own ear that may be one of the reason. I think conventional way of learning CW is out of sense for most of beginners?
ReplyDeleteThis may lead to the question why you operate CW. What is CW for you? If it is only a tool or a method of communication for you, you may quit it and use the digital mode or the internet.
DeleteSorry not explain correctly what I wanted to say. I wrote the reason why less people do SWL. Use CW code is a fantastic mean for me and give a passion communicating over short wave, that makes always fresh if I could do well on CW.
DeleteIt must be a problem of Sollen und Sein. I know the internet and PC decoder etc have replaced real CW communication to communication on the display. We should get out of that situation for real pleasure of CW communication. Recognizing the reality itself won't resolve the problem.
DeleteIt must be a problem of Sollen und Sein. I know the internet and PC decoder etc have replaced real CW communication to communication on the display. We should get out of that situation for real pleasure of CW communication. Recognizing the reality itself won't resolve the problem.
Delete