For the last few months I have been working on improving my CW, especially increasing my speed and learning to head copy. Back when I was first licensed the requirement was for 12 wpm. Right now 12 wpm seems very very slow and I remember getting up to about 18wpm but hitting lots of walls along the way. My reason for wanting to improve my CW was to tryand get out and do some portable CW operating like SOTA and whilst on holidays with low power.

 

So last year I applied to take part in the CW Ops CW Academy program. In the US there is a very big back log for the classes. They are all free and all that is required if for you to put in the time required to do the studying the materials each day. The great thing about this course is that you get twice weekly Skype sessions with instructors to see how you are going and help you along. So far I have done the CWA Pt and Im about to complete CWA Pt2. The instructors and other trainees are all great people all have the same goals and its very friendly. For more information I urge you to go to the CWOps website.

 

To help with the practise I have been taking part in the weekly CWTs which are mini 1hr long contests run by CW Ops. They are run on Wednesdays and 1300Z, 1900Z and 0300z.

 

My original instructor Phil, G4NVR, thought I was doing well enough to invite me to join CW Ops. I didn’t think I would be able to join so soon but I have just been accepted to the club..