# Sleep/morse



## duncs (Sep 8, 2008)

Just wondered, has anyone else struggled to stay awake taking down a long screed of morse. Morse seemed like a soporific to me, my eyes would close, though still writing/typing. I remember taking Italian press at a very fast speed, not understanding anything, but starting to doze, from boredom, but hands/fingers still doing the business.


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

I might have made fewer mistakes had I had that ability.


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## Larry Bennett (Aug 28, 2005)

Quite commonplace at GKA - easy to take long QTCs of 1000+ words without having any idea of what was being sent, especially if the R/O onboard was pretty good. Basically reception on "autopilot" with maybe a break every 50 or 100 words. It was only if the sending R/O was a little bit "dubious" would one have to concentrate more.

There were a few R/Os at GKA who could take down telegrams whilst drinking a cup of tea and holding a conversation at the same time. Sadly I was not one of them.....

Larry +


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## Wismajorvik (Dec 29, 2011)

I would write down messages received by morse without reading them at the time. My first trip, doubled up with the senior, he noticed I was writing down a distress which he hadn’t heard and I hadn’t read. 
Often asked what was on the press I couldn’t answer even though I had taken it down then cut the Roneo.
With the FO, some of the ex RN operators were capable of many tricks. One would type away at 40wpm while in conversation and drinking tea and then as a party piece change hands for sending on the electronic key, turning it upside down.


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