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I am just staring out learning CW, and 20WPM is just way to fast for me. Seems like I'm picking it up at 10WPM, however on each lesson the setting needs to be changed from 20WPM to 10WPM.
Is there a way the default speed can be set to 10, so it doesn't have to be changed each time?

David,

Set your speed in Account->"Change CW settings"
Just tried it - this speed will be used in the lessons.

10 wpm (that is: 10wwpm character speed & 10 wpm effective) is a good speed to learn, and even to doQSOs later. Speed is not important, it will come by itself. In later lessons you may increase effective speed, depending on your progress. No need to push it.

For an oldtimer's opinion check https://www.qrz.com/db/N7HRK - and don't get confused by beginners here bragging about their speed ;-)

GL

Gerd.

No idea how I missed that setting because it is right there under "Account". It just lends to what my wife says to me from time to time...."If it doesn't jump out and bite, you probably won't see it" :)
BTW -- Nice QRZ page, and nice pix's. Looks like your mobile is on steroids!

I feel turtle wins the race because I was trying very hard and was just frustrated. So, after a couple days I jumped back into it, and started copying much better. If I were a kid, this would probably come much easier, but as it is 51 years old, this is just going to take more time.

I could have been bragging a bit with I was copying at 3 WPM. Then I copied at 5 WPM. I do not remember much about the time I advanced from 5 WPM but as I recall it was about August of 2021 I went from 9/5 to 16/5 in a hurry it seemed.
Next month I will probably be copying at about 40/90 but far be it from me to brag about my accomplishments ya know.

It is not that long ago that I learned CW. According to my experience 10 wpm character speed is too slow even at the beginning. But 20wpm is too fast.
I would do it like this:
1. Start with a character speed between 13 and 15wpm. the space in between the characters you can choose as long as you feel comfortable.
2. Learn the whole alphabet and all numbers
3. only then start narrowing the gap until you reach the standart space
4. only then increase the character speed, if you can do 15qpm in standart spacing this is actually already sufficient
5. better increase character speed up to 20 wpm witht the reasl standard spaching = 20/20
6. only then learn words

There are thinks you can do wrong but no stategy that gives you a shortcut. It is all about finding the motivation and a routine in doing thousands of repetitons.

As another Geezer here (age 67) just starting out with CW, this thread on the forum arrived at a perfect time. My brain was getting fried (and frustrated) at the recommended settings. I am doing this for enjoyment and satisfaction, not frustration. Everyone's comments here make me feel like I am not alone - thanks to all. Kevin W1KDG

Kevin, my own "fried (and frustrated)" period lasted for a long time, and during that time I researched every method of CW Lessons in the Internet and CD and every other venue. There are only a Few recordings on CD available. Skilman CD's have flaws in the sound quality by the way. They must have "smudges" on their master discs. The keep making them and selling them anyway. Other CD's available are not very helpful in my experience.
LCWO.net has the advantage of allowing you to set your own overall speed and individual character speed. So you can find a lot of flexibility. There can be a longer "learning curve" for individual character identification that some people experience. When you find the speeds that permit you to understand the character sent, that can be practiced until improvements follow as a natural sequence.

Having been through the whole course recently my recommendation is this:

Leave the Character Speed at 20 wpm or even raise it to 25 wpm. You should **not** be counting the dots and dashes - you need to recognize the sounds of each letter.

However the Effective speed at 10 wpm was too fast for me and I ended up lowering it to 8 wpm to complete the 40 lessons. I'd say keep lowering the effective speed until you are comfortable, say to 5wpm but leave the Character speed alone.

Once you've completed the course at 20/5 (say) you can practice code groups (or any of the other great learning resources on this site) and gradually increase the effective speed. A lot of people recommend you gradually lower the character speed at this moment until you meet in the middle at about 13/13. Then you can keep practicing and gradually raise both speeds in synch. That is what I did anyway.

I'm almost 55 and that method worked for me. It took quite a long time though, about 3 months of about 15-30 minutes per day to complete the 40 lessons at 20/8 and then about 6 months further work to get to about 18/18.

I also did the basic and intermediate CWOps courses which were fantastic. Once you've completed the 40 lessons at 20/5 you are more than ready for the CWOps basic course.

I do lots of practice with other resources too - one particular favourite is Morse Ninja which I listen to when walking the dog, or driving.

Good luck and just keep practicing you'll get there in the end. The most likely thing to stop you learning CW is you giving up (it almost happened to me - that's when I went from 20/10 to 20/8 in the lessons) so make it easier by lowering the Effective speed until you are having fun again.

GL ES 73 Nick