Testimonials

Thanks to the LICW community. You were a HUGE part in allowing me to achieve a CW goal. When I started, I seriously didn’t even know a single letter (including SOS) and now I’m a sending 18-20 wpm CW operator who can activate POTA and make his way through on-air QSOs.

David W8GM

Every single class I have attended has been fantastic. The instructor as well as the other students are patient, kind, and understanding. Everyone there knows ‘we all start somewhere’. LICW provides a non-stressful environment while challenging you along the way. Practicing solo, I found that I was getting comfortable and ‘thought’ I knew what I was doing. What I discovered was that when I was in front of a group and making mistakes, is when I was truly learning.

Dear Howard,

I am a regular student of Rachael M1AYG and Kevin KC2KC and have profited very much from their knowledge. They are both very good teachers and we are learning a lot. Also instructor Supoj E25JRP is sometimes participating.

I am very glad to be a member of LICW and lifetime member.  This is very important for me.

Thank you, vy 73

Roland, DJ1RB

Long Island CW Club is something I want to be part of !!!

I just joined with Lifetime membership.

Thanks Sir and 73!

John KC5NGX

I couldn’t have done my first CW without the LICW Club. I started and stopped a few times before on my own but the curriculum and support here on LICW helped me break through.

My ultimate goal is to do CW POTA and maybe even SOTA with overnight backpacking. I’ve got a lot to learn before that though and look forward to the future.

I am grateful to have found LICW Club.  I want to thank my instructors for their support and encouragement.  I am about to enter week number 10 of my CW journey. I did not know any CW but by week 3 I was on the air making QSO exchanges with the help of LICW instructor Randy KQ4QQJ. I was encouraged to get on the air so I did.

Last week, I called CQ on 10 meters and made my first unassisted (no instructor’s help) QSO. It was short and simple. We exchanged RST and QTH. I felt great for such an accomplishment even though I have a LOT TO LEARN, and learn how to copy without hesitation.

Tonight, I called CQ on 30 meters and what I thought was going to be a quick exchange turned out to be a 30 minute QSO.  The Op N4EF was so kind to work at my speed. Again, I need a lot learn and hopefully I will increase my speed.

It has been quite an adventure since I decided to learn CW and that there will be good days and bad days but we need to keep persevering and be determined.  I have found great fellowship, encouragement and support in the LICW Club. All the instructors have been wonderful. My goal is to copy and head copy smoothly…without hesitation but I am sure I will get there….with time.

Thanks,
KQ3Q

I am looking forward to continuing my CW journey as a Life Member. If it wasn’t for LICW, I would still be struggling with the letters.

Thank you, Tom

I will say this… I am amazed at the sheer volume of instruction and quality of available tools provided by LICW. I wish my local amateur radio club provided even a fraction of the online training opportunities that LICW provides. The online learning format suits me particularly well and I can almost always find a class to fill my spare time.

73,
Mark
KJ7WRG

This is my first week and I’ve started learning my first six characters, attended five hours of classes and have spent time going over all the resources available.  Thank you all for being there, this is the most welcome I’ve felt in a group in a long time.  I’m feeling really good about what’s to come as I continue on this path.  I do know I’m surrounded by folks who are rooting for me and helping me to reach my goals.  My fellow students, I can’t do it without you there.

Thank you all.

I find myself with too much time on my hands again, so I’m making my third stab at learning morse code and getting on the air, second time with LICW.

I just wanted to say that things have really changed, and for the better – I’m loving the thought that has been put into the new curriculum and the web app. I particularly like the Carousel – being able to jump in at any point really removes a big hurdle.

So, thank you for all the hard work everyone has put in – it is really appreciated.

73s
Tristan, N7TWM, Seattle

I am totally blown away by the number of classes, the resources that the club has put together, and how organized this all is. Amazing … and so useful!

LICW has enriched my life beyond words the past 3 yrs… thanks Howard… Tom N9PLB IL

Well, I made my first QSO WITHOUT another LICW member at the other end! (At least that I know of!) I saw N5NLP on the Reverse Beacon Network at about 12 WPM so I threw out my call and he came back to me. I stumbled through most of it but we had a successful QSO. I need to be willing to ask the other OP to repeat things but at least it was another first.

Thanks to all the LICW instructors and community members for helping me get this far, and hopefully much further. This platform not only provides the knowledge and confidence but also the motivation to step out of one’s comfort zone. Thank you!!!
—
73,

Don Z  KCØDWZ

Well, small steps! Started my first BC1 class in September and got on the air for the first time around January.  Just had my 30th QSO!  While not a lot, it’s getting there.  Can’t say enough about LICW Club and how much I’ve learned.  Knew nothing before I joined. Lifetime member now.  Great instructors. Hope to see you all on the air sometime!

73 Dave KE8QFO

Hey Y’all,
Thanks so much, it was a great lesson that led to my first CW QSO! I was so tired from work but wanted the Joy of CW to end my day and wow that was totally unexpected. Thank you to instructors David W9AIL and Bill NF6R, and my class colleagues for being so patient and supportive. And, thank you to the Long Island CW Club, I just love being a part of this wonderful group of hams! 
73s 
Lisa KI5WEP

More than enjoyment, CW Game Night last night was surprisingly healing.

And here’s a thought I would be happy for you to carry through the day:  Howard, you and Rich will probably never, ever know how deeply you and the LICW Club have touched, and helped, the thousands of souls who have become a part of it.  So, so much more so than just sharpening CW skills.

— Rich

 I’m 83 and trying to pick CW back up after 26 years. The Club is a great help and encouraging motivator. They even got me on the air this week and I only had joined Saturday. I was far from being ready but there I was in the deep end of the pool and made my first QSO!

73

Thanks to everyone in LICW who responded to my inquiry. Lots of great advice and information. I feel so blessed that I found this wonderful group and have access to all of you amazing people. God bless you all.

Very 73  Jeff / KB3ZUK

Hi Howard and everyone,

Wishing every single one of my brothers and sisters in this club the very best for the year ahead. We’re all on the same journey together and it’s been amazing.
Howard, what you have created here is a remarkable environment that has fostered friendship AND communication………..and changed lives! Mine will be different forever because of LICW and all those dits and dahs and the spaces in between……..and because of the membership here.

Looking forward to sharing the best that 2023 has to offer.

Happy New Year EVERYONE!  de  Caryn KD2GUT

Howard,

Events here have limited my participation in the club during this past year, but I remain very interested in learning code and have made some measurable progress, thanks in large part to the Club.

Since joining the Club two years ago, I have been more and more impressed.  You and your volunteers have created a most remarkable system for learning code and other aspects of amateur radio, and you all are to be commended for this outstanding work.  The Club is providing a very valuable service to the amateur radio community through your love for the hobby and the encouragement you provide to its members.

Since 2007 I only engaged in SSB contests. After joining LICW in June of this year, I planned to operate CW IN CQWW A HUGE WORLD WIDE CONTEST. I did!! Operating solo from home I obtained 132k points and operated 13 hours. The most important thing was understanding when I had a legitimate call to work and hearing my call and logging it! The thrill was spectacular!!  This experience would not have been possible without LICW education and taking advantage of hours of Zoom classes and practice.  I cannot thank this club enough for just existing!!
Best 73 Dave K3FT

Howard, I cannot express how much joy I’m getting from and through this organization.  Keep up the good work.

So many classes, so many excellent CW coaches, so many active members, so much fun!

The Long Island CW Club is a very welcoming community.

73,

Tom W0FN

I am overwhelmed by this organization!! I signed up for a year, I was skeptical it could be as good as some have said , but, it was better!! The instructors the classes, it’s run like a finely tuned machine.

In my years at this hobby I’ve had trouble staying interested, local clubs, well, they can’t really be as helpful as most people haven’t the time to be of assistance.  I can see LICW keeping me interested and engaged for years to come!!

Thanks again

73

Jim, K4SSN

After much hesitation, always thinking I was not yet good enough to get on the air for a CW QSO, I finally took the plunge into the CW pool and had my first QSO. Being a perfectionist, my first QSO was far from perfect. However, it was fun. Instructor Glenn W4YES, has a saying that goes something like this, “Don’t wait to get good to get on the air. Get on the air to get good.” I spent a lot of time (hours) listening to the CW on my radio and recognizing much, but not all, of what was being said. The computer training programs are great, but listening to live QSOs was better for me as I was able to follow Instructor W6JIM’s QSO protocol sheet with the expectation of a typical exchange. It was all coming together for me. I have to give credit to LICW for their great array of classes and instructors. I joined LICW last November and I probably should have taken the plunge sooner, being off the air until last night.

My first QSO was with KL2S out of Wasilla, AK. I live just north of Davenport, IA. We did the QSO on 20m. I must thank Tyler KL2S for his patience and willingness to stick with me for our QSO. I will remember the moment as one of those milestone events that we all keep in our memories. I look forward to many more QSOs. Maybe the readers of the post will end up in my log some day.  Thank you again to the Long Island CW Club.

73.

Mike de AE0IT

I am re- upping my membership to Lifetime tier. LICW club is of enormous help on my CW journey. Thank you.

Howard I´ve just re-upped to Lifetime membership. And thank you for this great club, you are all such great guys!

Best Regards, 73

Leif SA4ZAB

Another Field Day is over and I’ve gotten some sleep. I operate the CW station through the night unless another operator shows up wanting to operate. I’ve been operating Field Day since about 1965 and still consider it the most fun event in ham radio.

There are a few LICW instructors that really helped me this year. Terry WB0JRH QRQ class gave me the confidence to call CQ rather than only search and pounce. Howard WB2UZE Head Copy class gave me the ability to push the CW into the back of my mind and operate Field Day while explaining what I was doing or conversing with visitors. There is also Lane WK4WC traffic handling class which inspired me to originate a piece of traffic which was worth 10 points. I hope everyone enjoyed Field Day as much as I did.

Hi Howard,

I’ve been a member of the club for about 4 months now and it has been such a help to me. From Michael’s G0POT very encouraging weekly London Calling sessions to catching up on some of the Dropbox recordings, I’ve not only found a new way of learning (ICR which is working well for me) but the wonderful friendly nature of the club has also been a big help.  I’d like to upgrade to lifetime membership as I’ve really gotten the CW bug now!

73 Jonathan G4IVV #2837

Thanks all so much for your congratulations on my first CW QSO! I have been loving the club and appreciate all the instructors taking their time to help.

73’s
Ryan KJ7KV

There is an absolute GOLD MINE of information that we each have at our fingertips in the Club Dropbox. The recordings and general documentation is overwhelming. The best of LICW, is there for use, re-use, review and reference by any of us, at any time 24-7-365.  I have been kicking myself for not joining years ago and having and using all this information and knowledge .  If you are not getting into the Dropbox and digging into it, then you are missing out.

I’ll bet there’s no other place on the entire internet with as much info and such an open, and sharing atmosphere, as LICW.   Thank you Howard and all the crew that makes this happen!!

I’ve popped into 4 classes in the last week and they all have been very good. Each instructor has a slightly different way to conduct the class. It is great to see friendly faces learning something new!

John
N9UUO

Thanks Howard.

I have just upgraded to life membership.

Thanks very much for your work with LICW. The club provides a lot of inspiration to keep me on my CW journey.

73
Chris N2MCS

Thanks for all the replies, advice, links and resources and I really appreciate the willingness to help out. This spirit is one of my favorite things about the Long Island CW Club. I’m proud to be associated with such a fine group.

73s K5LNR

To Instructor John W2JSJ:
I was in your B2 class for the first time last night. When it was over my wife asked how it went. I told her I had more fun in that class than any cw class! I think I really enjoyed it because there was no computer generated code and you used a lot of forethought as to what words to use. I probably got 95% correct with 90% on the first attempt (with occasional character fill). I can’t wait till next Tuesday. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU VERY MUCH for your dedication to helping cw newbies! I have come close to quitting a couple of times over the past couple of years only to come across LICW and a couple of AWESOME caring instructors that turned the tide!

Lee, W4EIS

It helps to have CW goals. . and then the time, practice and sometimes luck to achieve them. Thanks to the club, which is more of a community, I feel supported in my ham journey and morse code practice. Thank you, everyone, instructors, Howard, and other students for daily practices and seeing your amazing faces, for making morse code achievable and so much fun. Now, to get more contacts! 
73,
Roxy KN6MLM

Thanks a lot Howard for pushing me to do my first CW QSO and with France!  My fists were sweating but it was a great experience. I had brain fog the first two times sending double “W” ‘s but finally got my callsign through. Most excitement I’ve had in the hobby in a long time.

73 and thanks again!

DE W9PDS

Hello Howard,

I’m just past one month in LICW, and in the Beginner I class, but I will definitely move to Lifetime status when my one year is up in December 2022.

LICW is the best ham radio community!

Thanks for all the fascinating, educational and inspirational work of LICW!

73,
Frank KN6QEK

Howard, I recently joined and I’m hoping to apply myself more effectively to improving my CW.
I’m always impressed with the energy and enthusiasm you manage to inject into the club.

73 Stephen VK2RH

Howard, I want to tell you again how FABULOUS LICW is. You’ve built an incredible, enjoyable, and collaborative community.

LICW has been a breath of fresh air for me, a marvelous distraction during the pandemic and really is the model for future clubs. You must be proud of your creation and I look forward to many more years of contributing to and educating the membership

Michael G0POT

I have enjoyed a number of Club Zoom forums with some of the most knowledgeable and welcoming presenters out there. It’s not easy to start a club. Kudos to you for setting high standards and keeping it energized and growing.  Stay well.

Dennis AB3VA

I joined this club several years ago and can not imagine how much I have learned from this great club. I really enjoy the boat anchor talks, and all the ‘Ask the Master’ and ‘Dr. Is In’ forums. I have told everyone I have met about this wonderful club.

I spent the first 4 months of my LICW membership, in classes and practice. Great time with B-1 and B-2 Classes and the Friday night internet CW V-Band Session.  All along, every one kept saying ‘Get on the Air’ and you will learn Code. 

I started with the Sunday night SST class.  Spent several weeks, just listening on the air. Finally, instructor Mike N2PPI took me by the hand and we made a QSO.  I continue to learn, more on the air, than otherwise. In the SST on Sunday night and Friday afternoon, instead of 1 or 2 contacts per night,  I can get 5 to 8 and getting on the air regularly has helped.  Then I went on with the Live DX class on Wednesday with Howard WB2UZE and got France.  Wow! 

This practice makes perfect and well designed practice with your ear listening to actual radio signals that fade, fight your ear for noise and signals that you learn how to adjust your rig to pull out, makes a huge difference.

Thank you LICW for your words of advice and allowing me to share my experiences.

The Intermediate and Intermediate Plus classes I attended were superb, so thankyou to you, to instructors Lane WK4WC and Terry WB0JRH who lead the classes, and to all your team. The only reason I didn’t go on to attend the Advanced classes was the 5 hour time difference here in UK, but I’ll get round that in the future.  So you’ll see me appearing again and I will be re-upping to Lifetime status.

I thought my experience of the Long Island Club was terrific, not just for the class content and supportive atmosphere, but for the many stories and recollections from Lane and Terry.

I had CW 6 contacts in my log when I joined LICW last September 16, 2020.

Just pulled my stats for the heck of it. Since October 10, 2020, I have made 2,816 more QSOs! Tell me that our Club doesn’t make a difference! WOW!!!

Looks like I’ll need to set some new goals

73, Cathy, W4CMG

I joined LICW club this past Sunday, participated in the initial Zoom meeting Introduction 7pm Monday, and audited Beginner 1 this morning.

I’m loving this.

Thank you kindly.

Vicki
W4NQX

Thanks to the Long Island CW Club I made my first and second contacts today on CW, one to NM and the other to CO. I generally have a high noise level at my location but I guess with the storms we have had the last few weeks and all the new power line repairs in the area after the storms, it was quiet enough for me to have a clear afternoon today. After listening for a while I jumped in and made the two contacts, so thank you Howard and the Club for making this possible. With all the classes I have attended, now I have to work on getting my speed up. Thank you to all the instructors who give their time to help old timers like myself learn a new skill.

Andy KD8ZPX

I attended the Intro class yesterday evening. I am thoroughly impressed with what you have accomplished here. Seems you have covered every aspect of learning CW and…..done it well. I’m excited about being a new member….TY for that and I’m excited to be able to learn CW in such a welcoming atmosphere. I will getting my license soon.

Happy to convert to Lifetime status Howard.  Without LICW I would never have been where I am today. When I joined a year ago I had fumbled through exactly 3 CW contacts, and they were contests, so no content. You (and we) are truly lucky to have some incredibly helpful and dedicated folks instructing, and I am forever grateful. Tom W4FLL

Hello Howard,  thank you for all you do!  Joining is one of the best things I have done since resuming hamming.

The resources network you and the club have continue to amaze me. Plus the excellence of the presenters and the number of them willing and

able to devote their time as presenters. For example this morning I viewed the QRP forum which had great pastime projects and then this afternoon G3ZPS had excellent slides and very relevant information in the Portable Operations from.   BRAVO ZULU, John 73  W3JJB

Many thanks to all involved with LI CW CLUB.  Great bunch of people.  Your patience, instruction, & example have allowed me to “have fun” with CW. No better way to learn than to jump in & use it on National Traffic System (NTS)

73

Roger N3GE

It was great to present to you guys last Saturday, sorry I over ran your normal timeslot !

You have one hell of a club and the range of subjects you cover is quite staggering.  I think many clubs could learn from your portfolio

 

I was looking for morse code instruction videos on YouTube and I saw some excellent videos of Howard WB2UZE on Ham Radio Crash Course. Then I looked at the amenities on the website and tried two of the mini classes. I decided to sign up for a life member for three reasons (1) the passion of the membership for CW (2) Flexible and remote learning (3) Value $90 – this is a very low price for a quality program. Just the downloads on the Dropbox are worth the price. I’ve attended two online classes so for and I am very happy.

 

I wouldn’t be as far in my CW journey without the LICW club. I have not only learned but I have also enjoyed each and every class I have been in.

73

Keith

KC3NDU

 

Hi Howard,

Thank you for the great Head copy class! It was great listening and a whole different exercise. I really enjoyed it!

I also wanted to pass on how great it was to see Jim, W6JIM in the class. I participated in his “demystifying the QSO” class for a while when I first started with the club. Thanks to Jim and his patience during the class, I am now on the air – mostly SKCC and SST – and have made over 500 QSOs since the first of the year. Rob, K2MZ also had a great part in my confidence to get on the air, but the timing of his class did not work as well for me.

I keep promoting the Demystifying classes, and the club, whenever folks ask me about learning CW. Joining the club  was one of my first actions after I retired last September, and one of my best moves toward improving my CW skills.

Thank you!

73,

Cathy

Dear Howard,

First of all I have to thank you for your great help. I was not prepared that the Long Island CW Club was such a detailed and well organized club. There is no parallel in Europe.

Niels OZ4WIL

Also I wanted to thank you for all the work you put into this club. I’ve already attended 4 or 5 classes (bouncing from B1 to B2 to Intermediate to Head Copy as I find my place) and I’ve been very impressed with the friendliness and welcoming attitude of all the instructors. That’s not something you always see in today’s world, but you’ve created a great culture here.

Rob AC6GO

Such great stuff always upcoming Howard!!! So exciting. Thanks so much for ALL you do.

I so LOVE this club!!! I’m honored to be a part of it!

Flip

Hi Howard,

As a Morserino owner, I’m interested in hearing about the Morserino  straight from the horse’s mouth. This is a rare opportunity and another thing you can only find at the LICW!

I can’t believe all of the innovations that have come about in the club this year. What an amazing amount of growth and innovation in a short period of time.

That’s what ham radio needs to keep new members interested!

73,

Todd KI5HNX

LICW has a great group of Hams! I love how LICW puts forth the concept of learning from each other!
73
Sue W7SKH

This club continues to be awesome. A couple of guys on Long Island decided to teach CW.  Then an incredible response from across the globe. I’ve sat in on classes with teachers from Australia and Thailand. Boggles the mind. Kudos Howard and Rich.

I wasn’t thinking of playing in a CW contest, it just sort of happened. Started the day off hearing about a contest, checked it out and made 15 QSOs for 75 points as a rookie low power single CW OP. Thanks to the LICW club for helping me get there. Two and a half months ago I wouldn’t have thought this possible.

I joined 3 weeks ago, and am very impressed with the club. What a great organization.

I just want to thank all of the excellent LICW instructors for all their help, support, and encouragement – you guys rock!

Thank you for everything!

Regards,

Russ, KN4RD

Thanks Howard WB2UZE, and thank you to all of our great LICW club members.   This club has really been good to me on my deployment in Afghanistan and Kuwait.  Starting with Howard’s kind and generous gift of honorary lifetime membership for service members.  And also the welcoming kids CW program for my niece and nephew from Iowa.   In fact I have 2 more nieces from Texas, who will also start CW with this Club in November.  

I have met some great Elmers in this Club that have really encouraged and mentored me. Thanks to Toby DL3TM and Chuck KH6DL and to all the zoom teachers and classmates.
  
I owe this club a real debt of gratitude and will do my best to meet you guys on the air one day.

73 Spc David Wail USAR now new General KD9QYP
QTH Camp Beuhring, Kuwait

The club is way past 706 – that’s my number. I joined after listening to the Dit Dit Podcast. Howard was great, responsive  – with emails back forth right away. I’m looking forward to realizing a life long dream of becoming comfortable with cw (headcopy) and I believe this is the avenue to get there.

73 Peter AA3BR

Howard the B1 classes, and others I’ve been auditing, are awesome.  You, the teachers and staff are helping me reach an objective and goal in which I experienced plenty of fits and starts over a number of years.  I am so excited!  

Hello Rich,

I just wanted to drop you a short note and let you know how much I enjoy your Saturday morning Beginners 1 class.  It shows that you put a lot of thought into the class and it’s structure.  I like the fact that you use both the CWPLAYER software and the G4FON.  I find learning the characters on CWPLAYER easier as I can focus on character retention as the software breaks the characters into manageable sets.  Then you follow up with G4FON which is a bit more challenging (at least for me).  I really like that structure.

I also appreciate the way that you are able weave in some history and nostalgia along with a lot of other valuable information for those of us that are just learning.  It really makes the class interesting.

Anyway, just to let you know that I appreciate all that you do to keep the club up and running.  I know that there is a ton of work and commitment that is required to be a successful club and I would probably not have started my journey in learning CW without the efforts of yourself and the other dedicated instructors.  Thanks again for the commitment to helping others.

Mark KE8MJH

My first CW QSO was a HUGE confidence builder! I ended up calling a local ham the next night and we got on the air and did a full QSO. I was over the moon, and still am. I have a ways to go on receiving better, but these classes sped me up so quickly. I wouldn’t have gotten to this point without LICW.

This club is allowing us all to move forward and achieve our goals! Press ON!!! — Rich WB2GXM

I’m so glad that I joined the Club, I’m learning so much. Next stop 15 WPM hihi.

Thank you all, I wasn’t expecting to take the 20-WPM qualifying run test when I went into the class.  I want to thank Howard for insisting that I take it. It’s because of the club that I was able to reach this level of proficiency.  And believe me, if I can do it, anyone can! And special thanks to Howard for always expecting more of us than we expect from ourselves.  You are a wonderful coach Howard!  Thanks again to everyone.  As we take classes together, encourage & support each other and make friendships, we all move forward together in LICW.

Howard,

Thank you so much for the wonderful First QSO Certificate and it will be prominently displayed in the shack! I am so very grateful to you  & Jerry K2GV and everyone in the live QSO class last night. You guys were very patient and gracious with me and I want you to know that means so much.  I feel even more motivated to practice and practice some more. I’m very proud to be a member of LICW and  I feel I’m in the right place. I know this is the first of many QSOs because I had so much fun I could hardly get to sleep! Again, I am extremely grateful for all your help and encouragement. See you in class and I’ll work on those dahs…

Humbly,

Jimmy WB5MET

 Lately I have started listening to W1AW and the CW bands. My wife wonders what the new noise is that’s coming out of the shack! I am enjoying the CW far more than I ever thought would be the case. A lot has to do with instructors like Peter AA2VG and the other great folks I’ve been talking with in the Club.

I just had a ragchew with K4ISW. Toward the end, he told me to go thank my Elmer for making my fist easy to read.

So, thanks for all the sending the LICW instructors have us do and all the feedback, the CW world appreciates it!

73,
Rob W2ITT

I have been aware of LICW for some time but it wasn’t until John, N4KHZ contacted me regarding the head copy class that I really looked at it.

I am continually impressed by the enthusiasm and dedication Howard and Rich exude.  This is THE club for me.

Rick K8BMA

Stan K7SBF mini lessons in the Club dropbox are perfect for learning on your own. Their short length leaves no excuse for not taking one here and there throughout the day. What’s 8 minutes of your time? The format of 2 letters with 3 rounds listening seems perfect. It’s not too little or too much. Stan’s reviews placed in between, present enough challenge to legitimately test what was previously learned. I gauge my mini lesson practice against the online live classes. I am two letters ahead of the letters presented in this Saturday’s Beginner 1 class and was 100% proficient. Of course, I have to mention Stan’s voice and the professional quality of the presentation. If there is a short coming in using the mini courses as my primary learning tool, I have not hit that wall yet.

Thank you Howard!

It’s an honor and pleasure working with you and everyone in these wonderful classes!

These ZOOM get-togethers are the highlight of these stay-at-home days!

It’s great medicine!

John “Kilohertz” N4kHz

Awesome!

Thank you Howard and everyone else for all you are doing for the club and promotion of CW.

Dan – WA4GSD

I am so happy to be associated with a ham organization that is so quick to see the writing on the wall. As soon as you found out that kids would be away from school you lept into action and came up with a kids class. That is way above and beyond, and is EXACTLY what our hobby needs. Thank you.

“Welcome To The Machine”, Roy!

These folks are a great bunch of hams that really enjoy Elmering CW and take the frustration of learning Morse Code, QSO structure and actual on air practice sessions!

Your sure going to enjoy the LICW Classes, OM!

We are all lucky that all members have been willing to work so hard to make this club a success. I feel fortunate to be in the same time zone so it is certainly makes it easy for me.

I am very thankful that there are members in the club from countries that I have more difficulty reaching with my antennas. There is so much I want to learn about different parts of the country and the world and this club has provided such a wonderful venue for that as well as learning CW. The classes have provided me a good opportunity to check out the time zones of the people in each group. It has been fun also to hear that huge range in temperatures around the world. We have some very early birds and night owls in the classes.

Thanks again for all your hard work each and every day. The club has been a true blessing for me and I cannot believe how many wonderful people I have met through this opportunity. Now I just have to increase my skill and confidence to where I can comfortably make longer QSOs on air.

Good job!

Anne
N1YL

Finding the LICW Club is the best thing that happen to me in my ham radio experience and I like the classes and activities a lot.

I had a great time today in classes. Thank you! I usually have to wait for Field Day to have this kind of fun and interaction with people of similar interest. It’s been difficult to find others with interest and knowledge in the CW area of amateur radio. Looking forward to learning lots more and becoming more proficient.

Regards,
Nathan KG7ZUM

I should hire you guys for marketing for my business. Congrats on the amazing growth in membership and keep up good work!

Howard, Rich, John, Johnny, Jim and everyone else,
I just wanted to say thanks so much for everything you have passed on to me in the last few months. In the last couple of weeks I’ve done 6 or 7 SOTA activations and worked as K3Y/6 for SKCC a couple of times. I would NEVER felt comfortable doing these if it weren’t for the gold nuggets of info I’ve received from all of you. Handling pile ups is a non-stressful activity thanks to you all. Instructor Johnny’s “words of the week” have been invaluable. I just don’t even translate the code for those words, it just comes into my head as words. It’s amazing what learning 2 words a week can do. Instructor John set a high standard for sending code with a straight key and it’s paid off. I got a long way to go, but I had to say thank you to everyone for getting me this far.

Thanks again!

73 de Ted WD6TED

Very nice to meet everyone – it’s an honor and a privilege to be a member of this club!

best,
Monty VA7MMW

I dropped into the Beginners 1 class last night with instructor George K3GBB and it was fantastic. His teaching style is excellent and even though I was joining in the middle he was easy to follow and I picked up a fair amount as we went along.

I’m looking forward to working my way through the classes.

73,
Harry, W1HMM

Robb K2MZ, thanks again for helping me get through my first CW QSO and for the certificate. And thank you to all of the instructors that helped get me to the point where I could make that first QSO. I really enjoy being a part of this club.

Take care and 73, Mark KX4AV

It is my pleasure to support the club and I am impressed by the club activities and the work you guys do to help people learn CW.

This is a wonderful club with VERY knowledgeable and friendly people, I am very happy to be part of the club and look forward to being more active.

Jim W0JCB   73

Will be sending a check in mail for lifetime membership. I can’t find a better group of people to learn from.

73 Dave  K4CHF

I can’t thank you and Rich enough for creating LICW, and all your incredible personal efforts in making the club a success. You have certainly filled a need of many hams to learn and master CW.
73 de Bob K4RLC

Even though I haven’t had the chance to get in on a class yet, I’m looking forward to getting started very shortly (I just dug out my key and keyer the other day). In addition, I’ve been impressed by the club e-mail support, and the care the Club shows to its members. Looking forward to it!  Andrew K4HMX

Thank you so much for creating this CW group. It’s the best way to learn CW in my book. Wish I had known about it before as it would have saved me a lot of stress as I fought tooth and nail with other methods.

I want to thank Howard and Rich for all the efforts you expend to maintain the Club momentum. From past experiences of mine, I know that it’s very difficult to keep the energy level up and ensure members don’t ‘fade by the wayside’. Thank you both for the personal sacrifices as you are adding much joy and satisfaction to the lives of many.

Kindest regards,  Joe W1GO

I would like to thank Howard and Rich for all you do- you have a terrific organization with fantastic teachers and a great group of members.  I can’t think of anything additional to make the Club more interesting or viable- it’s great the way it is.

Thanks & 73, Al KD2ST

I want to compliment Howard and all the other leaders of the Club on what you’ve accomplished and continue to work on. I’m very impressed at the level of effort everyone puts in and also think its wonderful the amount of widespread participation you’ve all gained through that mutual effort. Makes me proud it’s a L.I based club.  Please keep up the great work and know that I’ll get more engaged when I am able.

Hearing about students making their first QSOs is very inspiring to me and I’m determined to get there too. I’ve been in classes by George, Jim and Rich and they’ve all been great. It’s just a thrill to be able to copy short words, I can’t tell you. Also simulated QRM/QRN was exciting to hear and copy through in Rich’s class.   The LICW way of learning code is definitely the way to go as far as I’m concerned.

73 Dave KC1LVL

I’m happy about the new classes and mini-club sprints. It’s nice to see you put so much effort into the club.  It feels great to be a part of this community you’ve created.  Thanks  Emilian N2EMI

This Club continues to grow so rapidly. It’s a testament to the work and dedication of Rich, Howard and ALL the other instructors.  Thank you.

Howard, you and Rich have established a wonderful club and are a truly amazing group.  A credit to our hobby.

73 Ron

Howard and Rich, thank you for all the work you do for the club.  Without the LICW Club I would not have got back into CW after 20+ years. I am looking forward to next year and fine tuning my CW skills.  I now have a lot of new friends from all around the world, thanks to Zoom and the Club.  The Club put the fun back in radio for me.  You are the best of the ham community.  All the best to you and your families this season.

I have been a ham since 1996 and I can tell Bob KD2NFS that you found the right club.  I’ve been in different clubs over the years and wish I had found something like the Long Island CW Club back then. Howard and Rich have put togther a club that has grown into something very special.  I agree with Bob KD2NFS that we can attribute this to the countless hours and effort they both have put in. I will add that it is their truly genuine care for our progress at the group and personal level that is demonstrated over and over again. And I see that being emulated by members throughout the club.  Congratulations on the club’s ARRL Merit Award and thank you to everyone who learn together, inspire each other and share love for the art of CW. Howard and Rich thank you for making a place for all of us to grow in CW as well as make lasting friendships.

73 DE W6JIM

As a relatively new ham, I want to share a few thoughts on the 11/30/19  Club portable operation on the museum Fireboat “Fire Fighter” in Greenport NY.  It was a great opportunity for me to see the members operating. I was amazed how fluid their QSOs were. They never missed a CW character. The best part for me was to be present when the Club was honored with an ARRL Certificate of Merit by ARRL section manager Jim W2KFV. The certificate was the culmination of countless hours of time and effort by our Club leadership Howard WB2UZE and Rich K2UPS.

Being new to the hobby I always have a ton of questions and with each came instructions and explanations.  Our senior members and instructors could write books on what they know and they are happy to share their knowledge and expertise when needed.

The classes are so great and I am excited where I’ve come.  Thanks for all you do to make the Long Island CW Club a success.

Thank you so much Howard and Rich. It’s my pleasure to be one of your club members from Thailand and thanks for your hard work to make so many classes for all of us, and your warm welcome.

73s DE Supoj E25JRP

I really enjoyed tonight’s Intermediate class.  The content was pitched at a good level for me.  The other student’s sending was in the same ball park in terms of learning and mutual struggles.  I picked up some good thoughts to take away into my practice. Listening to 10 students sending the same phrase 10 different ways was really neat and something you can’t get from software apps or even from listening on the air in a condensed time.  Thank you and I look forward to next week’s class

I thoroughly enjoyed my first night listening/auditing the Beginners 1 class and the CW workshop class that followed.  Your instructors are awesome and I am very impressed.

Thank you Howard and Rich for your fabulous work in helping so many to learn the code.

Hey, Howard, thanks so much for this Club.  It has been awesome to be involved.

A great feature of the LICW club is that your welcoming and inclusive atmosphere and relaxed approach are just what many learners need to stick with it and be successful. “No op left behind”. And thanks for taking a chance on letting such a new learner like me teach one of your classes.  Know that I am working hard every day to increase my own skills.

As a new member I am glad to be in the classes. We are lucky to have such good instructors who make us work yet keep it fun and relaxing.

Many thanks to Howard WB2UZE, Rich K2KNB and Neil W2NDG.  The electronic keyer Build-A-Thon was one of my best ham radio experiences.

Being able to operate CW in Field Day was the single most fun I have had in ham radio so far.  Thanks so much Howard. You’re the best Elmer I’ve ever had.

Jason KY9I

Thanks Howard!
BTW, it is great to see the way the membership is growing!
You and Rich along with the other folks that volunteer their time have really come up with a great program.
Russ K1RWT

It is GREAT hearing the members of the club are doing so well.
Also very rewarding, and enjoyable to hear and read about some of the accomplishments. The practice seems to be paying off.
Keep up the good work and please, share your adventures and stories. Amateur radio is a great hobby, and CW is a great mode.

Well I’m a bit further down the learning curve, not at the ‘making QSOs’ level yet but very much appreciate the dedication to the sport all of the ‘instructors’ demonstrate.

I really do respect the efforts you guys put forth. Your teaching methodology has been more effective for me than the other methods I was trying before.

73,
Steve  K6ZX

Howard and Rich,

I’m really enjoying the club and lessons. You’ve already helped my CW…and Andorra is a new one for the log thanks to the QSO class.

As the old saying goes: good students come from great teachers..

Tnx fer all u do

Hi Howard and the very professional presenters of the POTA and SOTA lecture:

The club presentation series is so very informative. Coming back into ham radio after 56 years is quite exciting, it’s a whole new science!

Howard, can’t thank you enough for spending the time and energy, putting these presentations together, incredible work!

I’m doing my best to slowly get back in the groove, all of your great work certainly does not get unnoticed!

You are a very talented man and I’m proud to be part of your group!

73,

Tom WB2JSY

Super presentation on “Summit and Parks on the Air” today Howard. Again thank you for all you and Rich do. Can’t believe that’s the 22nd Presentation Series already… WOW!

Rich, the class is very valuable and fun.  Thanks.

Two things that differentiate the class from “simply” listening to computer generated code while driving are:

1) The helpful comments and suggestions you make in between the copying segments.  These helpful suggestions that come from a seasoned CW operator are things we just would not learn by listening to code programs.  Its really informative and valuable wisdom and guidance you provide.  thanks.

2) It was really good when you concluded the class today by hand sending code.  Copying code that you were sending, vs the computer, provided a very good contrast and I think very helpful.  I listen to computer generated code a lot of the day and my mind can kinda get locked into the cadence, tempo, spacing, etc. of the program; as a result, the first time I hear something that’s not the computer, it can throw me for a loop.  So, as you suggest we should listen to live QSOs as

much as possible.  Adding that element into the class is valuable.  Thanks.

Thanks again for the significant dedication of you, Howard and the rest of the instructors.

I DID IT!

Had my first QSO this morning on 40m.  Was very nervous, missed some stuff but copied most of it.

It just ended at 8:30 am, I have to clean myself up and get ready for the 9am class, soaked to the bone from sweat.  Thank you so much for everything you are both doing with this club.  I’m so happy to be a member.  I would be remiss if I didn’t say thank you to Bill and Jerry and the others who are taking time out of their lives to help teach all of us how to learn the code and get on the air using CW.  See you in class!

Hi Howard:

Thanks again for letting me participate in the QSO class last night, I was planning on only listening in, but I was amazed with your ability to facilitate the QSO’s like you did. The experience of virtually being in every other participants ham shack simultaneously was fantastic. I learned so much in that 1 hour, and witnessing everyone’s success was great.

73

Howard, I want to thank you so much for correcting my choppy CW sending habit. Somehow, I missed the concept that we copy differently than sending. I immediately found that I am more comfortable slowing down and more relaxed. Like Hal commented, every class teaches us something important. Tonight was a big learning experience for me in so many ways. You, Rich and Jerry are incredible teachers and I’m sure it won’t be easy finding others up to your standards.

Howard, I thought today’s video conference presentation ‘How to make a band pass filter’ was excellent. Thanks to Steve AB2EW. I was glued to the screen and didn’t realize the hour was over so soon. I have been building QRP kits and accessories for years, but I’m not an EE or close. I’m more of a model builder and can follow directions and basic schematics. I learned a lot today about how these circuits work. I hope to put this into some practical use.

You sat in the car mobile with me and saw how the front end of my KX3 got hammered by our own local QRM – even cross-band. We couldn’t escape it. I don’t have the roofing filter add-on option, but I may spring for that soon. A band pass filter may be my next option.

Again, Steve, thank you for an excellent and worthwhile presentation. Howard, thanks as always for your devotion to our club and its members and our interests.   73/72, dit dit

As a new ham, I am astounded at the Club level of participation, instruction given, contacts made, growth of membership, podcasts given by experts and first hand accounts, and outings. As a very late new comer to ham radio, my assimilation of knowledge is limited, but the realization that I am surrounded by “those in the know” who offer a helping hand at every juncture, lessens the apprehension. W2LCW is a great Club with great members and a great leadership team.

The QSO class was great fun. Great bunch of folks. Hearing the DX CW coming thru at breakneck speed and you decoding it was amazing and surprising at what was zipping thru my ears unintelligibly. Lots of stuff out there! LOL  Still hard to imagine attaining anywhere near that skill level but looking forward to trying.

Lastly a learning moment was widening the CW filter I had been using and hearing a lot more…… So that’s what those things are for……

Take care & 73

Thanks so much for your genuine concern and always making me feel part of the group.  As I mentioned before, your group has so much enthusiasm with the QRP outings, Boat Anchor group, fascinating presentations and gifted teachers.  I told my wife, I wish I had almost retired to Long Island but I am a native Californian and spoiled by the weather.

I am definitely getting something out of the cw sending classes sessions and your elmer-ing is paying off. Firstly, during a QSO Saturday (01/19/19) I was actually complimented on my ‘fist’!! A first for me. I switched from the bug to my automatic keyer. We were sending at 20 WPM and that is a big improvement for me.  Prior to  joining W2LCW I was pushing it at 18WPM. So I definitely think 22 to 25WPM is in the picture thanks to your coaching.

Howard – As my first year of operating CW draws to a close I received confirmation of a QSO with 5B4AMX on 8/29/2018. So now I have DX contacts with Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Paraguay, Spain and Trinidad & Tobago confirmed. Thanks for all the help.

Your on air QSO class is a novel way to approach training, I enjoyed it.  I expect results are in the making.  Thanks again!

I must say that I had no idea how I would learn CW just looking at a bunch of dits and dahs. Thanks to you guys CW has become a reality. Great to see the exposure you are getting. It is well deserved as you have done a magnificent job of getting me on the air doing CW. I hope I can get to some of those advanced class presentations on the weekends.

Hi Howard & Rich – Made my first solo qso today with N4QR Bob in NC at 14:34z. Followed the protocol RST, QTH and Name in addition gave him rig, antenna & weather. A very big thank you to the both of you for making this and more qso’s in the future possible now. I cannot thank you enough for the effort and your valuable time not to mention the patience required to pass on these skills to me and others in the class. Thank you again. Feeling great had to tell you asap.

Your W2LCW CW QSO class Wednesday was my first. Howard, you did a terrific job! I cannot find the words to describe how adeptly you lead each individual through the mental gymnastics between technology, and the mind-body coordination of CW operations. You anticipated everything and provided key insights into the subtleties of CW operating techniques.

Also, the level of participation and collaboration by the Club members via video conferencing in real-time is something that must be experienced. I’ve been on countless video-conferencing sessions but have never experienced a 1-to-1 hands-on training session such as the one you have developed here. The high degree of information transfer from you to the members was plainly evident. I am truly impressed in a very positive way. This is a perfect example of how Amateur radio continues to utilize current technology.