# UK Amateur Radio ## Foundation Licence 2002
### Morse Code Part A
### Now can I put you mind at rest once and for all ### this is NOT a TEST. Got it ???? GOOD !!
Well it is not a test in the true sense of the word as the tutor will send between 20 and 30 characters at a speed and spacing chosen by you, the candidate, following discussion with you. Below is a picture taken after a successful appreciation. The persons seated are the candidates, behind and to the right is the Lead Tutor and to the left is the "examiner". All look happy and the appreciation was a good experience for all. So don't worry about it. During the first evening of appreciation held at the Brats Club, Jan 2002, 8 out of 8 candidates were successful and one candidate remarked "This morse thing is quite interesting - can I use the morse key some more". He did and continued to send away to himself for nearly 30 minutes. So is morse dead ??? May be not !!!! ### RECEIVING You will be allowed access to a copy of the morse code alphabet and numbers during the assessment. Further you may if you wish to write down the dots and dashes for subsequent transcription and you may proceed one letter at a time. The tutor may re-read characters wrongly recorded or invite you to recheck characters correctly written in morse but wrongly transcribed. No residual error as permitted.
### SENDING
| The animation at the left shows you what is considered by a good CW operator to be the way to take up the ideal "grip" on the CW key. To say "grip" is of course wrong as is implies holding tightly onto something but with the morse key as the keying action is carried out with a gentle finger and wrist action and not a full arm action the "grip" must be only sufficient to have control over pressing the key. Note that the thumb engages with the key first then the index finger and lastly the second finger.
The thumb and second finger in effect keep hold of the key whilst the index finger gives the downward pressure. The dot is made by using downward pressure exerted more to the front of the key, a short stroke, whilst the dash is made by dropping the wrist but still with the pressure given through the index finger. The action of dropping the wrist automatically makes a dash as it is a longer stroke to to release. Now whilst it is known that the use of morse code is becoming less of a requirement to operate on the HF bands there may just be some of you who might like to enjoy the wonders of reading morse code and operating in that mode in the future. It is for that reason that this introduction to keying has been given so that you make the correct start.
For the Assessment you will need to be able to send a pre-prepared text in the same form as for receiving. You are permitted to make such preparations as you need prior to sending, including writing down the morse code for each character to be sent. A copy of the morse code alphabet and number will also be available to you for this part just like the receiving part. The tutor will indicate which characters, if any, were incorrectly sent and these shall be re-sent. This may be on a letter by letter basis or at the end of the text. No residual errors are permitted. The text used will be as if in a QSO between two radio amateurs.

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