In recent posts, we’ve highlighted events and groups geared toward giving CW beginners an opportunity to send and receive dits and dashes at a more leisurely pace. These include the ARRL Rookie Roundup; K1USN Slow Speed Test held every Monday; and the CW FISTS Club’s “Get Your Feet Wet” Activity Days, which the group says are designed to “encourage new and inexperienced amateurs to get on the air and practice operating CW” without overwhelming them with massive pileups that could be discouraging to a fledgling operator. With CW no longer a requirement to obtain any class of Ham radio license, these events are immensely valuable in making sure that more new operators catch the Morse code “bug,” and that CW remains a viable mode well into the future.
Today, we’ll be looking at some Amateur Radio clubs that cater to Hams who drive exclusively in the fast lane—full throttle, pedal all the way to the floor. PA3BWK’s website is home to four clubs that push the envelope when it comes to Morse code skills:
The Radio Telegraphy High Speed Club: Formed in 1951 as a community within the Deutscher Amateur Radio Club (DARC), this group for operators who send at 25 WPM or higher now boasts members from 70 DXCC entities on six continents.
The Radio Telegraphy Very High Speed Club: This group, established in 1961, takes things up a notch, requiring speeds of 40 WPM and higher to join.
The Radio Telegraphy Super High Speed Club: Is 50 WPM per minute more your speed? Then you’ll find kindred operators here.
The Radio Telegraphy Extremely High Speed Club: This club is for Hams who work in the rarefied air of 60 WPM or higher.
All of these clubs have specific membership requirements and hold operating events throughout the year.
Click here for information on the origin of the acronym CW and an OnAllBands article on why CW continues to thrive.
For all your CW needs (keys, paddles, electronic keyers, PaddlePads, code practice oscillator kits, and accessories), you’ll find everything you need at DXEngineering.com, no matter what CW lane you prefer.
