AmateurRadio.com

With the recent spate of natural disasters and dire warnings of impending doom, from terrorists and rogue nations alike, it got me to looking into my previous emergency ops participation.  

When I was a newly minted amateur operator about a decade ago, I participated some in traffic nets and obtained FEMA certifications to participate in emergency operations.  At the time I had built my go-kit, consisting of battery powered FM 2m/440 equipment and portable J-poles.  It even had wheels and a pull handle, very spiffy.  But I wasn't much concerned with CW.

With a re-kindled interest in QRP and CW operations, it got me to looking again at participation in emergency ops, and to my surprise there are few states that even list CW as a mode for emergency communication frequencies.

I understand that CW is a slow mode of communication and not well represented by the amateur radio masses, but let's face it, CW has more efficiency at getting a signal through in marginal conditions than FM or SSB.  When a disaster strikes and the electrical grid is down for hundreds of miles and gasoline for running generators is short, you won't be operating QRO stations or have power to run computers for digital modes.  Powering a 12v battery with a solar panel may be your only option.

CW's power density is superior to any non-digital mode.  A 5 watt CW signal packs as much punch  as 100 watt SSB and let's not even discuss the inefficiency of FM or AM.  In extended emergency conditions, using CW could mean the difference between getting a message through and not.

So if there were an extended emergency, shouldn't there be some fallback plan for use of low cost, easy to build and store XTAL controlled radios?  Many home-built XTAL controlled CW radios use QRP watering hole frequencies for their center frequency; 3560, 7030 and 14060 kHz.  Why not designate those frequencies using CW as standards for emergency communication?

Maybe CW is sinking so far into obscurity in amateur radio, this sort of thinking doesn't enter the consciousness of those in charge, but I don't think it should.  Maybe CW clubs like FISTS and SKCC could partner with QRP clubs (who tend to be CW focused) to form a homespun group of emergency operators prepared to use CW when all else fails.  It might be fun to organize, and who knows, it could save a life, or reunite separated family members.

That's all for now...

72/73

Richard, AA4OO

I'm always interested in finding new ways to practice my copy skills when away from the radio.

While there's a growing number of mobile device apps for sending and practicing Morse Code, as well as excellent websites like www.lcwo.net, it's always fun to stumble upon a new one.

Morse Chrome is an extension for the Chrome web browser that allows you to select text on a web page, and send it as Morse Code.  

After installing the extension, select text on a web site of your choice and right click (or in the case of a Macintosh, CTRL-click) and one of the options in the right-click dialog will be "Play Morse".

It will proceed to play the selected text as Morse Code.

The speed and pitch can be managed from your Chrome Extension options for Morse Chrome

The generated code sounds accurate to me but it is generated with a rather harsh ramp (possibly a pop) at the beginning of each element.  I've heard other computer generated Morse sound similar so it may simply be a problem with the the audio API in the browser.  I've played around with different pitch settings and can't reduce the pop. It may be better or worse on different computers. 

The only real complaint I have is that I can't find a way to stop it from playing without closing the browser.  So if you select a rather large block of text you'll have to wait for it to finish sending before being able to select another selection, unless you exit and restart your browser.

But it's another tool in the arsenal of practicing Morse Code practice so I'm glad to have it.

That's all for now...

72/73

Richard AA4OO

I'm not a contester but I enjoy listening to some amazing contestants pulling in those weak signals flying by at 30 wpm during CW contests.  Today is the last day of the...

I was listening via my SDRPlay connected to a short piece of wire in my garage.  Even with this highly compromised "antenna" I was hearing wall-to-wall CW stations vying for a piece of the action.  I listened to W4SO and other big-gun stations, pulling in DX contacts one after another.

I'm looking forward to the day when my brain can decode call signs at that rate.  I need to spend more time with LCWO.net callsign trainer...

72/73

Richard AA4OO