I'm really enjoying the new Elecraft KX3, and one thing it has given me the motivation to do is to get back "up to speed" on CW. I learned the code well enough to pass the General test years go and got up to around 10 wpm max. Then I got bored with CW and let it lapse.
With this ultra-portable KX3, I'm interested in relearning at faster speeds and also learn to use a paddle so I can take advantage of the optional attached paddle. I've only ever used a straight key.
I originally learned CW using the phonetics method - where you substitute a word that has the same rhythm as the CW letter. I've found that the phonetics method is good for learning CW at slow speeds, but it is very limiting. First, if you can't remember the phonetic that matched the letter, you have a problem. Second, the phonetics used are never the same as the standard phonetic alphabet so you get yourself into trouble if you use the standard phonetics often (I do on every MARS net, so they're in-grained). For example, the standard phonetic for "A" is "alpha", which doesn't work very well for remembering "dit-dah". Basically I've found that using the phonetics method makes it harder to build up your speed.
So, I've decided to abandon the phonetcs method and relearn faster copy by using the Koch method at 20wpm. The problem I'm having now is that I still want to "hear" the phonetics, but it's impossible for me to keep up with phonetcs at 20wpm! Argh! And I haven't even started to learn how to use the paddle yet!
At this point I don't think I would ever recommend anything but the Koch method for a new CW student. Trying to retrain myself seems like it is much harder than if I had just learned faster copy from the beginning.
So, do you have any tips for me? Have you gone through this process yourself? How about tips for learning how to use paddle?
With this ultra-portable KX3, I'm interested in relearning at faster speeds and also learn to use a paddle so I can take advantage of the optional attached paddle. I've only ever used a straight key.
I originally learned CW using the phonetics method - where you substitute a word that has the same rhythm as the CW letter. I've found that the phonetics method is good for learning CW at slow speeds, but it is very limiting. First, if you can't remember the phonetic that matched the letter, you have a problem. Second, the phonetics used are never the same as the standard phonetic alphabet so you get yourself into trouble if you use the standard phonetics often (I do on every MARS net, so they're in-grained). For example, the standard phonetic for "A" is "alpha", which doesn't work very well for remembering "dit-dah". Basically I've found that using the phonetics method makes it harder to build up your speed.
So, I've decided to abandon the phonetcs method and relearn faster copy by using the Koch method at 20wpm. The problem I'm having now is that I still want to "hear" the phonetics, but it's impossible for me to keep up with phonetcs at 20wpm! Argh! And I haven't even started to learn how to use the paddle yet!
At this point I don't think I would ever recommend anything but the Koch method for a new CW student. Trying to retrain myself seems like it is much harder than if I had just learned faster copy from the beginning.
So, do you have any tips for me? Have you gone through this process yourself? How about tips for learning how to use paddle?