AERO AMATEUR RADIO CLUB    

The FISTS CW Club is helping to preserve amateur radios heritage of being able to communicate using Morse Code.  Despite the FCC's decision to eliminate the requirement of Morse Code to hold any type of license, we must all keep CW alive and well.  Without Morse Code, emergency communications would not be possible during certain situations such as possible nuclear warfare where computers and digital appliances would be worthless.

As Nancy Kott, editor of "KEYNOTE", the FISTS Club publication stated when the FCC released news that Morse Code would no longer be part of testing, "The FCC is dumbing down America".  Not only the FCC but all governmental agencies are attempting to turn our lives in the wrong direction so think about it during elections and never vote for an incumbent.

The FISTS CW Club is looking for volunteers who can become a "CODE BUDDY" to help newcomers and old timers alike to learn and use Morse Code on our bands.  W3HEM, The Historical Electronics Museum Amateur Radio Club members are the volunteers handling the Code Buddy Program.  Contact them at Box 1693 MS 4015, Baltimore, MD 21203 or E-Mail Nick at w3hem@arrl.net .  The Fists Club needs Elmers and Buddies so please volunteer to be a Code Buddy.  You don't have to be a speed demon to be a Code Buddy, lot's of people just want someone to practice with, just like YOU.  To volunteer or get a Code Buddy, include what you need (teacher, student, practice buddy), what bands you can work and what areas of the country you can reliably work.

Traditionally, reducing the speed of Morse code has been done by making everything take longer, i.e. both the sounds and the silent periods between them. Using Farnsworth timing, characters are sent at the same speed as at higher speeds, while extra spacing is inserted between characters and words to slow the transmission down. The advantage of this is that you get used to recognising characters at a higher speed, and thus it will be easier to increase the speed later on.  You will hear Farnsworth used when conditions are noisy and when using Morse code through an orbiting satellite since it is easier to copy when the pitch is drifting due to Doppler effect.   Farnsworth is difficult to use at speeds above about 30 WPM since at that speed most operators listen for entire words instead of individual letters.  The ARRL uses Farnsworth timing for transmissions, practice and test tapes up to 18 WPM (90 CPM). Farnsworth timing was invented by Donald R. Farnsworth (W6TTB) in the late 1950s.

Below is a Morse Code message sent in different speeds in regular Morse and also in Farnsworth format.   The message may pertain to you if you are not a club member.

When you outgrow your present morse code key and want great performance even at 30 to 40 WPM try the "Sculpture" key made by Pietro, I2RTF in Italy which is an excellent piece of precision workmanship.  At first the price of $1100 may seem a bit high but just like driving a good performance automobile such as a Mercedes, you pay for what you get.  Click on the image to view their web site where you can order one of his many different type keys.