LESSONS IN MORSE

New Zealand Listener, Volume 4, Issue 89, 7 March 1941, Page 14

LESSONS IN MORSE

(No. 20)

The following is a draft of the twentieth Morse signalling lesson for Air Force trainees which was broadcast from Stations 2YC, 1ZM, and 3YL, at 10 p.m. on March 3, 4, and 5. EFORE beginning the receiving practice the Instructor had a short talk to trainees about sending. He intimated that in previous lessons every effort was made to explain the correct method of holding and manipulating the key. In addition, the correct and _ incorrect methods of holding the key were shown in photographs which were published some time ago in The Listener. Trainees were asked.to study these photographs again and to endeavour to remember what they had been told. It was pointed out also that trainees should not try to send at too fast a speed. If it were found in sending that stumbling occurred in the transmission of certain letters or that thythm was lost or frequent mistakes made, the trouble was most probably due to the speed of sending being greater than the capabilities of the trainee. In such case the speed should be slowed down and transmission continued at a steady rate. Another point made by the Instructor was that in the event of someone adversely criticising a trainee’s sending the trainee should not get upset but should try to analyse the criticism, because there must have been a reason for it, and then endeavour to correct the faults which were discovered. In order to avoid the clipping of the final dashes of letters, speed should be reduced and, if anything, the final dashes should be over-accentuated until the tendency to clip had disappeared. It should always be borne in mind that there is someone copying the messages. A difficult time may probably be experienced in reading the signals owing to static or some other

form of interference and all the consideration possible should be given to the receiver by transmitting the best Morse possible. The remainder of the lesson was taken up in receiving practice, jumbled letters, figures and plain language being transmitted. In view of the fact that a test will take place during the week following the broadcast of lesson No. 20, a preliminary practice for this test was also given, The following are the answers to the tests broadcast on Thursday and Friday, February 27 and 28, and Saturday, March 1, for men on No. 4 Course:

Line: 2 E % 3 4 8 6 1 1 1 1 10 12 { 8 # 5 & 8 1 } L 1 6 8 1 8 G 20 8 B 1 2 1 23 8 1 } 24

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27

Line: 2 3 1 | 1 J 1 7 10

11 D P 12 13 1 $ 3 1 1 1 6 # 1 1 1 9 | 22 23 8 24

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28

Line: 3 2 4 { 5 6 K 1 | | | 1 1 $ 1 1 6 18 S 8 19 20 w 22 1 1 8 8 23 24 8 8

SATURDAY, MARCH 1