Ed,   
      
   EV>I never got up to 30WPM, I did pass Navy Radiomans School with 28WPM   
   EV>Receiving, but that was after 16 weeks of listening to code over a   
   EV>headphone set and typing my copy.   
      
     My late father had experience with CW, serving with the U.S. Navy,   
   mainly the Submarine Service, from World War II, and beyond. After   
   the move to south Florida (before his job transferred him to Arkansas),   
   he was in the Naval Reserve down there, and he retired as an E-9. He had   
   a couple of the big 33 1/3 LP records that had the CW training with it.   
   I don't recall if he every actually did the Radioman's stuff or not.   
      
     I did try a 5 wpm test once, and had I filled in the blanks, I likely   
   would've passed it, but that's a moot point now. With the nervous system   
   damage from 2 indirect lightning strikes over the years (although I   
   carry no electrical charge, and can be handled safely (hi hi)), some   
   days, my hands just start shaking!! So, I'd have great difficulty with a   
   keyer.   
      
     There are a lot of computer programs to learn CW with...whether before   
   or after Windows XP. I have the original QRZ Shareware collection in the   
   files area over here, but with few exceptions, everything is for XP or   
   before.   
      
     But, back to the code...2 cute stories...   
      
   1) This group of military guys was at a restaurant, telling dirty jokes   
   in CW at the table.   
      
     This attractive female walked by, and said "You boys need to watch   
   your language. I teach CW at the nearby Naval Academy"!! Everyone of   
   those guys was as red as a tomato!! (hi hi).   
      
   2) A ham was using Ham Radio Deluxe (not sure if was the freeware, or   
   the commercialware version), and typing at his keyboard to generate CW.   
      
     He was in the CW portion of the 40 meter band, in the General Class   
   privileges. The ham at the other end said "15 wpm...not bad, OM. Can you   
   go any faster??". This ham said "one moment"...moved his mouse to the   
   proper switch, tweaked the speed to 99 wpm (I guess the max that HRD   
   will do, but I've never used it)...and started typing.   
      
     The ham at the other end was stunned. "Wow!! That was fantastic, and a   
   perfect fist!! How did you do it??!!". The reply was "It takes a lot of   
   practice!!"   
      
     I'll give you 3 guesses what many say to that, and the first 2 don't   
   count (hi hi).   
      
     But, people are learning the Morse Code now because they WANT to...not   
   because they HAVE to. I remember right around the time when the code   
   requirement was removed (Feb. 23, 2007), that Vibroplex (who makes CW   
   keyers), said "their phones were ringing off the wall".   
      
   Daryl, WX1DER   
   ---   
    þ OLX 1.53 þ Ham Radio QRP: When you care enough to give the least.   
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
                                                                                     
   --- Virtual Advanced Ver 2 for DOS    
    * ORIGIN: The Thunderbolt BBS - wx1der.dyndns.org (1:19/33)