What was your best Morse Code speed?

[Angie]

When I was studying for the General Class license, I was able to send and receive 15 wpm. I was using a straight key. When I went on the air as a Novice, I always used a straight key, but I did have the iambic paddle around.

My Dad, when he was an Extra and did code, it was at 20+wpm, but he was using an iambic presidential model paddle.

 

[dademoss]

I could do 5 wpm back in the dark ages, it was fast enough for the BSA merit badge.

 

[Alan]

That's faster than I can do. I never tried it.

 

[Angie]

@Alan, you should give it a try. I've not done it in a long time, but it takes me about 2 weeks to get it back at a low speed. I loved the ? --..-- or a
period ..--..
The numbers are neat. 1 = .---- 2 ..--- 3 ...--, etc. at 6 it changes to -.... 7= --..., etc.
Amazing that I remembered that.

 

[Alan]

I may give it a try one day. Possibly when on vacation in the evening..

 

[HAL9000]

I was a Novice class ham in my teens. When I was in my 20s I took the exam for the enhanced Novice license (which granted voice operation privileges on 10 meters) and passed the 5 WPM code test again. Afterward, the examiner asked if I wanted to try the 13 WPM test for General class, and I passed that. Then they asked if I wanted to take the 20 WPM test for Extra class, and I figured sure, why not. I passed that too, but I wasn't prepared to take the written exams for anything beyond Novice so they gave me a certificate for the code which I could present when I went for my Extra license. I was out of the hobby for about 25 years then got back into it in my 50s, and I now hold a General class license. I don't operate CW much these days but I teach code classes online.

 

[NE5U]

I took the last code test offered when I took my exams. Novice, General, and Extra all in one sitting. This was right before they eliminated the code requirement.

It's been a while but at one time I ran a set of paddles on the console of my pickup. I worked lot of DX CW mobile back then. I'd sign off with 73, vehicle speed, milepost if I was in the interstate, and callsign. A Ham up in Wisconsin worked with me to get my copy speed way up, no paper. Nightly 1 hour live code sessions made a huge difference in copy speed and how I sent. Up to 30 WPM. My Elmer could send and copy much higher than that.