MCW (Modulated Continuous Wave) is audio modulation generated CW with a soundcard. If you don't have a Winkey or Microkeyer like me it is a solution to transmit CW with software like FLdigi and DM780. The only problem is that, if you work with a VOX activated PTT like me, you miss the first "dot". This results in faults like I had with VK0EK. I didn't look at it in the past as I always transmit my call 2 times to insure they got my callsign correct. But it occured to me that many times I was in the log as GE4BAS, missing the first ".". PE2KM Kees his comment and a discussion via e-mail with Aart PA3C opened my eyes or actually my ears to listen and analyze my own transmission. Aart suggested to me I should try a longer lead time. But this doesn't work with VOX activated PTT as it only goes in transmit when there is sound. Why did this never come up to me at all before? The solution is simple! Just ad a E (. in CW) in the TX macro before the call. Just like: EPE4BAS, ETU 5NN etc. Just a simple solution and listening to my own transmission it works well till 20wpm, at least at my equipment. Time to test things out with FT4JA on 30m CW. Yes, he copied, I saw it clearly on the screen. But unfortenately I'm not in the log so I guess it was a pirate?
By the way, for the USA readers, use of MCW is illigal in the United States below 50,1 MHz.
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