Morse Code

[peacefrog922]

Thank you all for your insight and assistance. Most appreciated. I will try and see which method works best.

 

[RichardW9RAC]

Hello,

I would like to learn Morse code. I am not sure what is the best way to learn. I have listened to online Morse code and hear some on my sw radio, but I am trying to find the best way, not the fastwest way, to learn Morse code. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Do yourself a favor and learn it by NOT counting. That will mean the characters will have to be sent at a rate whereas you can not count. Not the word in its entirety but the characters, 18-20 is a good speed. Listening to code@5 wpm, character count seems like an EZ way to learn, and it is at first.
However to copy code that slow you will be counting the dits and dahs. You will never hear the rhythm sound of the the characters. Code sent@5 wpm and code sent@10wpm and code send@18 wpm are not even close to sounding alike. Its is by far EZr to learn the sound of the character@18 to start with vs learning at 5, then 10, then 13 and on since you only have to learn it once. You have to relearn every sound again if you ever increase your speed otherwise. If you learn counting your top speed will be <10wpm on a very good day. Listen to some code@10wpm and try and count the dits, then next one, on and on without falling behind. By the time you are done trying to figure out what they said, well you know. Once you learn by counting it will take you forever and a year to learn to stop counting and learn by ear. Same goes with all the other gimmicks out there.

So as hard as it seems at the time, listen to the code at 18ish. If it takes you awhile to get it, don't sweat it because you only have to learn it once. If you know code@18wpm, copying code@15 is very EZ. When you get to around 18-to 20 head copy is a major asset so your not tethered to a pen and pad and trying to write it down fast as you can, not much fun.

I'm stickily a rag chew Op. which is a completely different talant, something you will learn later with head copy, understanding and following the conversation and being able to answer while thinking of what you are going to say and what you have heard. Sometimes we can have more than one Op. in the conversation also, might be 3 or 4 Ops. conversing. Lots and lots of fun.

Morse is a language of the ears, not one of counting, not anything else. Different characters have their own individual sounds which you should instantly recognize if you are leaning properly, some of those sounds are the same sounds reversed. If it takes you 3 days to learn one or two that's ok. When you add a new one and forget everything you knew, that's normal.

I know this is not what you want to hear because it sounds hard, but it just sounds that way. Its requires dedication, repetition and time. The road to learning is some of the best times you will every have. As you progress you will be quite proud of the accomplishments you have made and meet some of the best Ops. in the world.

I am a Elmer on the SKCC site, having worked with many new Ops., old new Ops. and the like. If you need some help or want to practice on the air drop me a line and we can do just that. I'm not sure what license you hold if any but if you are interested you can do it. 73 Rich