CW – A Workout for Your Brain

For those of us who use it, the advantages of the CW mode are well known. It’s efficient and cuts through noise better than voice. CW is also well-suited for low-power (QRP) communications, enabling the use of modest equipment and power sources. Another important advantage is that learning and using Morse code is good for your brain.

It should come as no surprise that ham radio demographics skew heavily towards older adults. Folks over the age of 55 make up roughly 60% to 70% of the ham radio community.¹ It’s also widely known that cognitive decline often comes with age. I’ve always believed that Morse code is good exercise for your brain. In doing some research, I found that scientists have studied this, and there’s solid scientific evidence supporting my beliefs.

AI-generated cartoon image showing a human brain lifting weights in a gym.

Five Ways Your Brain Benefits From Morse Code

Mental Exercise There are several studies out there that show the benefits of learning and using a new skill, such as a new language or playing a musical instrument. With Morse code, you are essentially learning and using a new language, since you are translating sound patterns into letters and words. This type of activity strengthens memory and attention.²

Promotes Neuroplasticity. There are studies that show measurable changes in CW operators’ brains related to listening and motor control. Activities like this have been shown to promote neuroplasticity, or the ability to adapt and create new pathways in the brain.³ ⁴ I’m no neuro-scientist, but I’m told this is a good thing for your brain.

Improved Auditory Processing. Copying Morse code by ear is all about recognizing patterns, rhythms, and differences in pitch. This can sharpen auditory discrimination and focus. It seems to me that recognizing patterns, rhythms, and pitches is pretty similar to playing a musical instrument.

Focus and Mindfulness. Copying CW requires our complete attention and sustained concentration. This exercises your brain, not unlike playing a challenging game or solving a puzzle.

Social Interaction. When you use Morse code to communicate with others, it keeps you socially engaged, which is increasingly important as we age. Social engagement is not limited to just Morse code; hams communicate with each other using a variety of modes. Belonging to a radio club or participating in nets also provides social interaction. During my 50-plus years in ham radio, I have had the pleasure of developing countless friendships, both on the air and in person.

It’s Never Too Late to Start

When I was an 18-year-old sailor training to become a U.S. Navy radio operator, I soaked up Morse code like a sponge. Studies show there’s a good reason for that. Younger brains work faster, while processing speed and working memory can decline with age. That doesn’t mean we older folks should throw in the towel on learning new skills. Au contraire! Remember that neuroplasticity I mentioned earlier? Well, science shows that the ability to form new pathways and connections in the brain continues well into our twilight years.⁵ Contrary to the old adage, it seems you can teach an old dog new tricks.

While younger brains have their speed advantage, older adults approach learning armed with a lifetime of experiences. Because of these accumulated experiences, older folks are often better at problem solving and pattern recognition. Also, our retention and conceptual understanding are often better. We just might need more repetition and smaller chunks of information while learning something new.

Take Your Brain to the Gym

If you don’t already use CW, consider giving it a shot. It can be challenging, but it’s certainly worth the effort. Just be patient and stick with it. I think you’ll find it’s a fun way to communicate.

If you’re already a CW aficionado, grab that key and join me on the air for a workout!

73, Craig WB3GCK

DIT DIT

References:

Mann (N0SSC), S. (2021, April 23). There Is Youth in Ham Radio. On All Bands. https://www.onallbands.com/there-is-youth-in-ham-radio/ ↩︎
Wu, R., & Jessica, C.-L. (2023, June 23). To Stay Sharp as You Age, Learn New Skills. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/to-stay-sharp-as-you-age-learn-new-skills/ ↩︎
Schlaffke L, Leemans A, Schweizer LM, Ocklenburg S, Schmidt-Wilcke T. Learning Morse Code Alters Microstructural Properties in the Inferior Longitudinal Fasciculus: A DTI Study. Front Hum Neurosci. 2017 Jul 26; 11:383. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00383. PMID: 28798672; PMCID: PMC5526915. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28798672/ ↩︎
Schmidt-Wilcke T, Rosengarth K, Luerding R, Bogdahn U, Greenlee MW. Distinct patterns of functional and structural neuroplasticity associated with learning Morse code. Neuroimage. 2010 Jul 1;51(3):1234-41. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.03.042. Epub 2010 Mar 24. PMID: 20346399. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20346399/ ↩︎
Greenwood & Parasuraman (2010). Neuronal and cognitive plasticity: A neurocognitive framework for cognitive training in older adults. Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/aging-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2010.00150/full ↩︎

A Kilo at Norristown Farm State Park

I haven’t had much time for ham radio this week, but I squeezed in a quick activation this morning. Not only did I get in some much-needed radio time, but I finally achieved a POTA Kilo award at one of my favorite local parks.

The park in question is Norristown Farm State Park (US-4363, KFF-4363). According to the POTA website, I needed 36 more QSOs for a Kilo award at this park, so I was hoping the bands would be in good enough shape to get there. I set up my Elecraft KH1 and 12-foot base-loaded whip and got busy.

My antenna at Norristown Farm State Park (US-4363, KFF-4363)

On the air, there was some fading, but overall the bands weren’t too bad. The 40M band was the most productive for me, with 20M a close second. I made some contacts on 17M and 15M, but they were few and far between. I was amazed at the number of hunters out there early on a Friday morning. After an hour and 15 minutes, I had made 40 contacts—enough for the Kilo award with a few to spare.

As I mentioned, I didn’t make too many contacts on 17M and 15M, but I did work some DX. On 17M, I worked Germany, France, and Denmark. Stations in Mexico and France hunted me on 15M. While not DX, a special shout-out goes to N4NR in Florida who worked me on 20M, 17M, and 15M this morning.

While making a thousand contacts at a park isn’t a big deal for most activators, I was happy to finally get there after 32 activations at this park. I’m close to a Kilo award at another of my local parks, so I’m hoping to finish that one off in the next week or so.

72, Craig WB3GCK

TUMD Stainless Steel Paddles

I mentioned in a previous posting that I have a fascination (obsession) with unusual CW paddles. These paddles are the last in a series of recent purchases (but I doubt it).

These rather industrial-looking paddles are not new; they have been around for a while. They are often sold under various brand names or no name at all. The eBay listing I purchased mine from didn’t specify a particular brand, but they came branded as “TUMD.” The paddles I ordered were shipped from China and took about a month to arrive.

I’m not providing a specific link, since these things are available all over the place. Just search on “stainless steel paddles” and you’re sure to find them.

The Tumd paddles attached to my clipboard. The three magnets are super strong.

Here’s what was included in the box:

The paddles, of course
A stereo cable with 3.5mm connectors
A two-piece plastic case large enough to hold the paddles and cable
Two Allen wrenches
A small adhesive metal disc for applying to the surface of your choice

The accessories I received with my Tumd stainless steel paddles.

The first thing that struck me was that these paddles are built like a tank. The base has three powerful magnets, which I like. At the rear of the paddles next to the 3.5mm jack, is a small slide switch for reversing the “dit” and “dah” paddles. They look great, but my purchase was not without a couple of minor issues right off the bat.

Based on the picture in the eBay listing, I ordered a version of the paddles with smaller, square paddles. What I received, however, was a version with larger paddles reminiscent of the fins on a 1959 Cadillac. Instead of going through the hassle of returning them to China, I opted to keep them.

The next issue was adjusting the paddle spacing. As received, the paddles had different spacing. The paddles each have a hex bolt within a larger locknut of some sort. There were no instructions provided, and neither of the included Allen wrenches fit. Fortunately, Charlie NJ7V over at the Red Summit RF YouTube channel provided all the answers I needed. He has a video detailing how to adjust them and what size wrenches you need. I had the tools I needed in my toolbox, so I had the paddles adjusted to my liking in short order.

I’ve used these paddles on quite a few outings and have grown to like them a lot. Here are some pros and cons from my viewpoint—your mileage may vary:

Pros:

The three magnets on the bottom are seriously strong. They hold tight to the steel strips on my clipboard. I love that!
Once adjusted, they have a great feel and key reliably. They do, however, require a slightly heavier touch. That’s a matter of personal preference, so others may disagree.

Cons:

Weighing in at 3.8 ounces (106 grams), they are heavier than other paddles I use in the field. This is a minor issue or no issue at all, depending on how you operate.
You need two tools to adjust the paddle spacing. From what I’ve seen online, some sellers include both wrenches; mine did not. Again, this is also a minor issue, since the paddle adjustments hold very well and shouldn’t need further adjusting in the field.

Lately, these paddles have been my first choice for portable operation. For $50 (US) or less, they are a pretty decent value.

73, Craig WB3GCK

Black Friday Activation

Instead of heading out to the stores looking for bargains, I headed up to French Creek State Park (US-1355, KFF-1355) looking for POTA and WWFF hunters. It turned out to be a productive morning—and I didn’t have to spend any money.

I rolled into a parking lot near Hopewell Lake and started setting up. Old Man Winter is starting to rear his head here in southeastern Pennsylvania, with an air temperature about 32°F (0°C) with a wind chill around 25°F (-3.9°C). I forgot to bring my gloves, so my fingers were becoming numb by the time I got my 12-foot base-loaded whip set up on the truck. I used my Elecraft KH1 up in the truck’s cab.

Hopewell Lake in French Creek State Park

My handy band conditions app showed an active geomagnetic field with “FAIR” conditions for 40M through 15M, my bands of interest. Even under these conditions, however, there are usually contacts to be made.

Lousy band conditions — Despite the predicted band conditions, the band weren’t all that bad.

There was plenty of activity on 40M. It only took about nine minutes to log my first 10 contacts. After logging 18 contacts, I moved up to check 20M, 17M, and 15M. These higher bands weren’t too shabby either, producing 35 contacts across these three bands. I had DX contacts on each of those bands, too. The KH1’s display showed it was putting out about 3.5 watts on 15M, but that was enough to be heard in Europe.

My KH1 showing 3.5 watts on 15M — My KH1 showing about 3.5 watts on 15M

Altogether, I had 53 contacts, including the following DX contacts:

20M: F6EOC
17M: DF2PI
15M: DL1SWB, F6DHD, IK3HMB, IK1LBL, DK1RS, EA7ZC

I also had a nice 2xQRP QSO with N8NK on 20M. He was running 1 watt from Michigan and sounded great here in Pennsylvania.

I had to pull the plug after about two hours. I would have stayed longer, but I had an errand I needed to take care of. The windchill temperature was still below freezing, so I hastily took the antenna down and headed on to my next stop.

Note to self: Keep a pair of gloves in the truck!

72, Craig WB3GCK

Playing with Paddles in the Park

I headed down to Ridley Creek State Park (US-1414, KFF-1414) this morning for a pre-Thanksgiving POTA/WWFF activation. While I was there, I wanted to field test a couple of paddles, one new ‌and one I slightly modified.

I mentioned in a previous post (or two) that I somehow damaged the paddles that came with my Elecraft KH1. In searching for an alternative, I came across the KH1 Pressure Paddles from K6ARK. The kits were selling for a mere $22 on Amazon, so I fired off an order.

I’m not as good at building kits with small parts as I used to be. My close-up vision hasn’t gotten any better with age. However, with the aid of my lighted magnifying glass, I assembled the kit in less than 30 minutes with no major issues. The only issue I ran into was the 3-D printed cover didn’t fit against the KH1 too well and needed a little sanding. Once I took care of that, the paddles worked great. Using pressure-sensitive paddles feels a little different at first, but I quickly adapted.

The other thing I did was glue two more magnets onto the bottom of my CWMouse paddles. The four I glued on initially weren’t quite enough to keep the paddles from moving when attached to my clipboard. Two additional magnets seemed to do the trick.

More magnets on my CWMouse paddles — The magnets on my CWMouse paddles. I recently added the two towards the middle.

When I rolled into my usual spot in the park, the place was deserted. I wasn’t too surprised, since it was a weekday and drizzling to boot. My original plan was to operate the KH1 handheld to give the K6ARK paddles a good workout. Given the lousy weather, I abandoned that plan and set up in the truck. I used my trusty 12-foot loaded vertical on the back of the truck.

KH1with the K6ARK Pressure Paddles attached

I started off trying to use the K6ARK paddles with the KH1 on the center console. After two contacts, I decided that wasn’t the most comfortable way to operate. The pressure paddles worked fine, though. I switched over to the CWMouse paddles attached to my clipboard, and the magnets held nicely. It helps that the CWMouse paddles have a light touch, so I’m not slamming them side to side.

On the air, the bands were as mediocre as the weather this morning. According to my band conditions app, we were experiencing an unsettled geomagnetic field. Starting out on 40M, it took longer than usual to make my first ten contacts. After I had 15 in the log, I switched to 20M and picked up a few more. I spent the rest of my time on 17M and 15M. As predicted, the band conditions up there were fair at best. I worked two domestic stations on 17M, and stations in Germany and Texas on 15M.

My loaded whip at Ridley Creek State Park (US-1414, KFF-1414)

I was getting ready to call it quits, but I wanted to adjust the KH1’s real-time clock before shutting down. It had gained a minute or two over the past couple of months, so it just needed a tweak. As I navigated through the menus to set the clock, I heard a very loud IK1LBL calling me. I quickly exited out of the menu and completed the contact. After that, I set the KH1’s clock and packed everything up.

As activations go, this one was nothing special. However, my new KH1 paddles and my modified CWMouse paddles were a rousing success.

And finally, I’ll leave you to ponder this curious AI-generated image of a turkey operating a radio. It appears the turkey might be keying with his left foot (QLF?).

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Fun Morning at US-1351/KFF-1351

It’s been a busy week here, with a major ARES-RACES exercise, medical appointments, and some unexpected repairs on my truck. With all that behind me, I was more than ready for a QRP-portable outing.

When I drove up to Evansburg State Park (US-1351, KFF-1351) early this morning, the weather was dreary, and everything was wet from the rain we had overnight. I did a quick check of the band conditions app on my phone, which showed only fair conditions on the higher bands. Conditions can sometimes change minute to minute, so I don’t let those band predictions deter me from getting on the air.

I installed my trusty 12-foot loaded whip on the back of the truck and set up my Elecraft KH1 on the center console in the cab. I also used my CWMouse paddles, which are among my favorite paddles these days.

My Elecraft KH1 and CWMouse paddles in use at Evansburg State Park (US-1351, KFF-1351)

As I was setting up my antenna, a woman with a group of hikers yelled over to me, “What are you going to do with that big antenna?”. I gave her my 30 second explanation of ham radio and Parks on the Air. She told me to have fun and continued on her way. Normally, I just get curious stares, but now and then someone will ask about what I’m doing.

The 40M band was really hot this morning. I made my first 10 contacts in about eight minutes. I logged 24 contacts before the activity thinned out.

Like my last activation, I wanted to focus my attention on 20M through 15M. The 20M band was a little disappointing for me today, producing only two contacts. I spent the rest of my time on 17M and 15M. Even with the “fair” band conditions, these two bands did not disappoint. My 4.5 watts was getting some strong European hits on the Reverse Beacon Network.

Today’s DX contacts included:

17M: Italy (2), Slovak Republic, Finland, Germany (2)
15M: Spain, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy (2), Switzerland, France, Denmark, Poland (2)

The action wasn’t exactly fast and furious on 17M and 15M, but I definitely had fun working the DX stations. Many of them were hunters in the World-Wide Flora & Fauna (WWFF) parks program, who sent the traditional WWFF greeting, “44.”

I shut down after an hour and 50 minutes, which is a little longer than my usual activations. In the end, I had 56 contacts in my log, including two park-to-park contacts.

After more than 50 years in ham radio, I still find it amazing that a little radio running less than 5 watts can be heard thousands of miles away. I think that’s what has kept me interested in QRP all these years.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Hanging Out on the Higher Bands

I have always spent a fair amount of my HF operating time on the 40M and 30M bands, with a little time on 20M. Lately, though, I’ve been making a point of spending more operating time on 20M through 15M (or at least as high as the rig I’m using will go). To that end, I had a little fun on 15M with my KH1 this morning.

I stopped by Norristown Farm State Park (US-4363, KFF-4363) this morning. I broke out my Elecraft KH1, which hadn’t seen much action over the past few weeks. We were under a wind advisory, so I operated from the truck and used my truck-mounted 12-foot loaded whip.

My Elecraft KH1 and Tumd stainless steel paddles in the cab of my truck

As I was setting up the KH1, I ran into an issue while removing the KH1 paddles from the radio. During an activation about a month ago, the spring between the paddles popped off. I found the spring and re-installed it when I got home. The paddles must have gotten damaged somehow, because the left paddle wasn’t moving as smoothly as it used to. Today, the spring came off the paddles again, but this time it was nowhere to be found. I wasn’t planning to use them today, anyway. For those times when I use the KH1 handheld, I have the N6ARA Tiny Paddles with a KH1 adapter. I also have a K6ARK Pressure Paddle kit on order. But I digress…

Anyway, I started on 40M, because here on the east coast it’s a quick way to make the first 10 contacts for the activation. That’s especially the case early in the morning. There was a lot of atmospheric noise on 40M this morning, but it didn’t take long to log 17 contacts. The 20M band was good for another nine contacts, and 17M produced three contacts.

Being inherently lazy, I left the loading coil tap set for 17M and tried to see if the KH1 would tune it up on 15M. The KH1 easily found a 1.2:1 match. That wasn’t surprising, since the 12 foot whip is only about 11 inches longer than a quarter-wave on 15M, and I only use one turn of the loading coil at the 17M setting.

After making a couple of 15M contacts with the antenna adjusted for 17M, I bypassed the coil completely. Again, the KH1 loaded it right up. I could have shortened the whip by 11 inches to make it a resonant quarter wave on 15M, but I didn’t have my antenna analyzer with me. Honestly, I don’t think it would have made a significant improvement in performance, anyway. Overall, I made 13 contacts on 15M, which included a handful of DX stations.

After 90 minutes on the air, I had made 42 contacts, including nine park-to-park contacts. The DX contacts today included:

20M: Dominican Republic
17M: Ukraine
15M: Czech Republic, Latvia, Spain, Italy (2), England

I was happy with how the 12-foot whip and KH1 performed on 15M. I’ll definitely be spending more time on 15M (and above) in the future.

I also have an idea for an antenna I might try to build. More on that later, if it works.

72, Craig WB3GCK

POTA/WWFF & WES at Marsh Creek

I was out of town this past week puppy-sitting my grand-dog recovering from surgery. Although I brought my KH1 along, I didn’t have an opportunity to use it. Today was the first day I could get in some radio time. Since I hadn’t been there in a while, Marsh Creek State Park (US-1380, KFF-1380) seemed like an appropriate destination.

My (far) better half and I had plans for the afternoon, so I got an early start. The weather was somewhat dreary with some occasional drizzle, so the park wasn’t very crowded. I hunkered down in the truck with my usual Penntek TR-35 and 12-foot loaded whip.

As is my custom, I started on 40M. Since the Straight Key Century Club’s (SKCC) monthly Weekend Sprintathon (WES) was in progress, I grabbed my straight key and worked a half-dozen SKCCers. One thing I love about the TR-35 is that it has separate inputs for paddles and straight key, and you can switch between the two at will. That’s perfect for mixing SKCC and POTA/WWFF.

I started calling CQ on 40M and worked 13 POTA/WWFF hunters before a digital station started transmitting on top of me. Right about then, it started raining, so I grabbed a plastic bag to protect my loading coil. From that point on, I stayed on the WARC bands, picking up some more contacts on 30M and 17M.

After an hour and 10 minutes, I had logged 35 contacts. The bands seemed to be in decent shape, although there was some static from storms along the east coast. Despite the occasional noise, I had contacts with both California and Poland on 17M.

Although it was another of my typical short-duration activations, it was great to get back on the air. And I’m happy to report that my grand-dog is recovering nicely and doing great.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Ten-Year Blog-iversary

Ten years ago today, I published my first post on this blog. Time flies when you’re having fun—and it certainly has been fun.

I started this blog mostly for selfish reasons. It started off as a personal journal of sorts, a way of documenting my ham radio activities and projects. When I receive a QSL card or Logbook of the World confirmation, I often go back through the posts to see where I was, what equipment I was using, and how I was set up during the contact. I thought others might want to read this stuff, and apparently they do.

Some blog posts have been consistently popular over the years. I could only pull up statistics for the last five years, but the most frequently visited posts over that period were:

I don’t make any money from this blog; there are no sponsors, affiliate links, or the like. It’s just something I have enjoyed doing. So, if you are among the hundreds of visitors each day from around the world, thank you for stopping by.

Here’s to the next ten years!

72, Craig WB3GCK

Halloween Activation

I headed out this morning for an early activation at Norristown Farm State Park (US-4363, KFF-4363). Although it’s Halloween, the only ‌slightly scary thing this morning was a creepy old guy operating a radio in the park. Oh, wait… That was me!

Zombie wearing a t-shirt that reads :WB3GCK QRP." AI image generated by Google Gemini.

For this visit, I operated from one of the highest points in the park. I used this same location last week with excellent results. Unfortunately, we’re currently under a wind advisory here in southeastern Pennsylvania, so the wind was really whipping around. I was eyeing up a picnic table but opted to stay in the truck (instead of chasing my logbook across the park). I went my usual setup: Penntek TR-35 (5 watts, CW) and my base-loaded 12-foot whip.

I was parked near Shannon Mansion, built in 1764. Apparently, this was another place George Washington slept. I don't know if it's haunted, but it looks like it should be. — I was parked near Shannon Mansion, built in 1764. Apparently, this was yet another place George Washington slept. I don’t know if it’s haunted, but it sure looks like it should be.

Today was another day with some unsettled band conditions. Before I left the house, the K index was 4 and the A index was 38. By the time I got on the air, the K index had dropped to 3. Even with those numbers, the action was hot and heavy on 40M. I had 22 contacts on 40M in no time flat.

The 20M band wasn’t as good as 40M, but it still produced 10 contacts. My band conditions app showed “Fair” conditions on 17M, and I would agree with that. Signals on 17M were weak, and I made only four contacts. However, those contacts included IK3HMB and F4ILH.

My view of the corn field in Norristown Farm State Park. I could help but think about Stephen King's "Children of the Corn." — My view of the corn field this morning. I could help but think about Stephen King’s “Children of the Corn.”

Having grown tired of fruitless CQing on 17M, I dropped to 30M and picked up nine more contacts there. Right about the time I changed bands, someone with a hybrid vehicle parked next to me. Fortunately, the signals on 30M were strong enough to overcome the noise generator next to me.

I wrapped up my 90-minute activation with 45 contacts in my log and packed up for the drive home. My (far) better half and I have plenty of candy on hand for the neighborhood goblins who will be wandering the neighborhood tonight.

Gremlin holding a walkie-talkie wearing a t-shirt that reads: "Little Radios, Big Fun." He is sitting on a pile of electronic parts and gadgets. AI image generated by Google Gemini.

Have a Happy Halloween!

72, Craig WB3GCK