I learned the code at an early age by sending. At a rather young age I could tap out code very fast, but I couldn't copy code to save my life. Often while listening to people talking I would tap out what they were saying in code.

It wasn;t until I was an adult...In my 20's, that I FINALLY learned to copy code. I'm still not the greatest at copy, although I have been good at times up to 15-20 wpm. But my sending has been excellent. When i first got on the air many of the old timers (some ex-navy ship radio operators) all remarked that I had a very good fist. Of course when they would start talking to each other in supersonic code speeds I was lost.