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Astrid · 16-02-2012, 10:43

Quote:

I guess my question is why does everyone think celestial is some kind of black art?

Well, those of us that do know how, like to stand out in the crowd. Now then, if we let everyone know how simple it really is, then everyone would be doing it and we would have to find some other way to stand out.

deckofficer · 16-02-2012, 10:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astrid

Well, those of us that do know how, like to stand out in the crowd. Now then, if we let everyone know how simple it really is, then everyone would be doing it and we would have to find some other way to stand out.

Like learning flashing light.

-. --- .-- - .... .. ... .. ... .- .--. .. .- over

Morse code using CW is much easier because each letter and number makes a sound that can be recognized, like learning a language.

familycruisers · 16-02-2012, 11:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

...out of those cruising people...how many will cruise?
...out of those looking to buy a boat...how many will?
The list is endless. I guess a sub-category could be...
Those who have a boat, have sailed and have invested in a sextant...

and I was thinking the same thing as I was typing my responce.

**nigel1** · 17-02-2012, 00:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by deckofficer

Like learning flashing light.

-. --- .-- - .... .. ... .. ... .- .--. .. .- over

--.- ..- .. - . / . .- ... -.-- / .. ..-. / -.-- --- ..- / ..- ... . / - .... .. ... / .-- . -... ... .. - . / -- --- .-. ... . -.-. --- -.. . .-.-.- ... -.-. .--. .... .. .-.. .-.. .. .--. ... .-.-.- -.-. --- -- -..-. .--- - .-. .- -. ... .-.. .- - --- .-. .-.-.- .... - -- .-..

Geoduck · 17-02-2012, 05:49

You mean to tell me there;s still someone out there who knows Morse code? Or are you looking in the book? I used to be able to copy & send a 100wpm.

**skipmac** · 17-02-2012, 06:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoduck

You mean to tell me there;s still someone out there who knows Morse code? Or are you looking in the book? I used to be able to copy & send a 100wpm.

Gee. I can't even talk that fast, but then I am from the south.

deckofficer · 17-02-2012, 08:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by nigel1

--.- ..- .. - . / . .- ... -.-- / .. ..-. / -.-- --- ..- / ..- ... . / - .... .. ... / .-- . -... ... .. - . / -- --- .-. ... . -.-. --- -.. . .-.-.- ... -.-. .--. .... .. .-.. .-.. .. .--. ... .-.-.- -.-. --- -- -..-. .--- - .-. .- -. ... .-.. .- - --- .-. .-.-.- .... - -- .-..

Quite easy if you use this website morsecode.scphillips.com * jtranslator. html

*= mistake

Geoduck, you sure smoke me good, on a normal day 15~20 wpm for me CW, less for flashing light.

deckofficer · 17-02-2012, 08:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoduck

You mean to tell me there;s still someone out there who knows Morse code? Or are you looking in the book? I used to be able to copy & send a 100wpm.

I'll bet you Dr. Astrid knows morse code also, at least well enough to id the VOR she is on a radial to or from.

Astrid · 17-02-2012, 08:49

Yup, but a two or three letter string identifier is easier than a long message, at least for me. It also helps that the indentifier is repeated at frequent intervals.

deckofficer · 17-02-2012, 08:53

Time for a story...................

At the Maritime Academy, all midshipmen will complete 2 semesters at sea on the Golden Bear, named after our state of California, not Jack Nicklaus the golfer. One cruise will be as an underclassmen, so better get used to sanding, painting and cleaning, the 2nd cruise will be as a senior now with Nav duties. CMA had not had a instructor or midshipman with a General or higher HAM radio license in 4 years. With me possessing such a license from the git go (I was licensed before all my upperclassmen were even born), I was told by faculty to familiarize myself with the ships secondary radio room and test and repair if needed. All was in good working order except high SWRs (standing wave ratio) either due to the feedlines, antennas, or their connections. The salt air had compromised a lot of coax and connections, so I was beating my fellow underclassmen to the fun of cleaning corroded messes, lucky me. We had a crew of 500 and I spent my off time 4 hours a day running phone patches to crew's family back home. This puts you as an underclassmen in the enviable position of not receiving the hazing crap and other stuff from the upperclassmen. Plus, for the 1st time in 4 years they had a midshipmen that for the competition against the Navy and Coast Guard could send and receive flashing light competitions. When you learn Morse code by sound, it does NOT translate to speedy copy of flashing light. My performance (or lack there of) gave us last place in that competition. I got hounded pretty good for my poor performance, here I was a hero one day for running their phone traffic over the radio, then a total schmuck the next. Flashing light just doesn't work for me, I need to hear "di dah dah" for my mind to quickly recognized the letter "W". Because of past college I got through CMA's 4 year program in 3 years, so next year's cruise would be my senior cruise and I intended to make good my past poor showing in the flashing light contests. I rigged solenoids and heavy springs on the shutters of the ship's flashing light, doing away with the need to have a fast arm. To drive the solenoids I used a lambic fully electronic paddle keyer running a relay that could handle the current of the solenoids. I had the engineers rig up a lens, photocell, tripod, circuitry and a tone generator to drive a speaker. At night in port when the Navy hot shots wanted a flashing light contest, I'd just swing the lens and sensor to aim on their light and bingo, I now had the sound my brain needed for fast copy. To send, instead of having to depend on the speed and accuracy (we are being judged by the other's deckofficers) of my wrist, the solenoids are taking there marching orders from my electronic MFJ keyer that employs perfect duration and spacing over a speed range of 3 wpm (words per minute) to about 60 wpm. The contest starts from the Navy vessel at a "I'm sure you can copy" 8 wpm. I return at 13 wpm. They go all out at around 18 wpm with tons of duration and spacing mistakes. I finish 'em off at 25 wpm and because all my fingers are doing is just tapping a single paddle back and forth and the electronics are doing all the precision work, our light transmissions were considered "flawless and amazing" by the Navy officers. Do I feel bad about cheating? Not in the least.

deckofficer · 17-02-2012, 09:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astrid

Yup, but a two or three letter string identifier is easier than a long message, at least for me. It also helps that the indentifier is repeated at frequent intervals.

Hi Doc, what's up?