02-24-15 03:10 Daryl Stout wrote to ED VANCE about CW Was: Older   
      
    DS> @MSGID: <54EDB497.1304.windowsb@capcity2.synchro.net>   
    DS> Ed,   
   Howdy! Daryl,   
    EV>When I was dating my wife, I taught her a bit of the code but she never   
    EV>was interested in getting licensed.   
      
    DS>   Years ago, before the 13 and 20 WPM CW requirements were   
    DS> removed (and eventually the 5 WPM requirement as well), I asked   
    DS> one ham radio operator (who became a Silent Key a few years   
    DS> later, due to a massive heart attack), what he secret was to   
    DS> learning Morse Code. He quipped "I learned all the dirty words   
    DS> first".   
      
    DS>   Laughing, I said "Well, you can't say them on the air, but if   
    DS> it helps, more power to you".   
   -snip-   
    DS>   There are many programs and methods to learn CW, and I know   
    DS> several hams who are so comfortable with it, that they can   
    DS> carry on a voice QSO, while the CW QSO is going on in the   
    DS> background. They'll pause the voice QSO at times, saying "just   
    DS> a minute"...go over to the keyer, and "pound some brass" with   
    DS> their reply. Then, they're back to the eyeball QSO at hand.   
      
   Not Me.   
   One time I did put the J-38 Straight Key on the floor and used my Left   
   Foot to carry on a QSO (conversation).   
      
   QLF anyone?   
   QLF is a made up Q-Code meaning "Are You sending with Your Left Foot?".   
      
   I'm left handed so the left foot was the natural one to use to send   
   CW that night.   
      
    DS>   It's like a whole new language...but with the nervous system   
    DS> damage I have (along with tremors in my hands...more on that in   
    DS> a minute), while I could send great, I'd lock up when it came   
    DS> time to receive.   
      
   Wasn't (Isn't) there a Section in the Rules and Regulations where the   
   F.C.C. will accommodate Handicapped people who are taking a test to   
   become a Amateur Radio Operator?   
   It seems like I remember reading something like that long ago.   
      
    DS>   The neurologist thinks I have "cervical osteoarthritis", but   
    DS> the weather (ice and snow) has repeatedly delayed an MRI of my   
    DS> neck, and an EMG (electric nerve conductivity test). While the   
    DS> MRI doesn't bother me (I'm not claustrophobic), I understand   
    DS> the EMG is "very uncomfortable, and painful". They want to rule   
    DS> out the possibility of neck surgery. At least when my next   
    DS> disability review comes up in 2019, I can truthfully say that   
    DS> "my health has gotten worse". But, believe me, folks do NOT   
    DS> want to trade places with me.   
      
   I was in the room with my wife when a Doctor gave her some test to see   
   how her nerves in her arm were.   
   I remember seeing Needles poked lightly in her arm but don't remember   
   her experiencing any pain during the test.   
      
   Hopefully that was a EMG test back then, don't know.   
      
   Look it up on mayoclinic.com or Doctor Web.   
   When I want to know something medical I do a Search on the Mayo Clinic   
   web site to see what I can find out about the subject of my search.   
      
    DS>   As an aside, I normally don't like to be up in the dead of   
    DS> night answering BBS mail, and doing BBS tasks. But, after   
    DS> "nature and/or a nightmare", I can't go right back to   
    DS> sleep"...so, I do computer and BBS work...plus, looking at the   
      
   Me Too!, the computer doesn't care if I wake it up in the middle of the   
   night because I couldn't sleep.   
   73   
      
   ... A yer ago I kudnt spel progrmer now I are won   
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