Getting Started Learning Morse Code

[@MaxBent]

Close your eyes...only then can you learn. This man is a Jedi! Thank you sir.

[@jimmeeGray]

He means to focus, focus, clear your mind

[@mrbrown6421]

Wow. Excellent advice. The mind is a wonderful thing, once you learn how to teach it. Beauty of nature. It created a machine that can teach itself: THE BRAIN Bonus material: Most of us own one! My Dad was WD50 till he died in 1991. He loved his radio room, and hated my computers and electric guitar....

[@AureliusR]

THE BEST EVER ADVICE I EVER FOUND when learning Morse was in this video. I had started to learn Morse with a WPM of 18 and a spacing of 15. After watching this, I changed it to 30WPM with a spacing of 10 and it was the BEST DECISION I ever made!!! My brain just instantly translates the sounds into letters... I cannot thank K6BFA enough for that tip. The spacing is needed at first, NOT so you have time to "think" about what letter it is, but just because I have to think about which key on the keyboard, but you can start to close that gap pretty quickly. The spacing also helps because sometimes I hit the wrong key, and it gives me enough time to backspace and fix. I've noticed when this happens, that my brain can actually "buffer" the next letter without me even thinking about it. I'm only up to 10 characters (Koch method) but adding new letters fast. Still mixing up Ps and Ls sometimes though!

[@dx398]

Instead of using the keyboard, I'm writing it down as you would in the field, then keyboard it in afterwards for the verification. That's what im doing.

[@lyingcat9022]

How goes it? Have you stuck to it? I’m just starting and I’m only to lesson 4. Was doing 25/15 wpm. Doing ok but I’m going to try 30, might have to lower to 30/10 though cuz I think my typing speed will be the bottle neck :( I’m only around 40 wpm typing... kinda slow in my line of work as a Programmer. More like sub 30 wpm while doing the typing test in programming language mode :( I need to speed up, I know!

[@warplanner8852]

Especially the advice to listen 30 wpm code WHEN YOU START. I used to listen to a Sunday morning QCWA net that was usually attended by former railroad and commercial/maritime CW ops who would tool along at 30-40 wpm. The patterns and repetition causes letters to "fall into" to your ears and after a while, you hear words and then... ..you're on your way! Also love Mr Haley's advice on using the Elecraft rig as a $2,000 CPO! Good advice really on that you use what you have and a lot of hams forget their rigs work nicely in that role.

[@Satchmoeddie]

There is a program called "Just Learn Morse". It used the Koch's Method. You can select the WPM speed, between 1WPM and I suspect it tops out at around 60WPM. You start with the K and the M, and add an R and then the S, and then........ The program is free standing, so you don't need internet, and you can use it anywhere. I think it may even have an I Phone or smart phone app too. I usually have my laptop with me anyway.

[@eminusipi]

+Seth B Great program if used properly. Another is G4FON which won't let you start at less than 15 WPM char speed and avoids the temptation to go slower. I like both.

[@ritageraghty3261]

If you can write 70 words or more per minute, you could take transcripts in courts, as Gregg shorthand writers do.

[@johnwest7993]

I had a friend who was designing hard-drives, who put paragraphs of detailed error messages in memory on the prototype. It then sent the error messages out as flashes on the drive's activity LED. Entirely visual without a sound. We should learn the code as sounds, lights flashing, clicks, banging on pipes, every way imaginable. That's what makes it truly useful. I see no reason to limit the versatility of Morse to simply sounds.

[@waswestkan]

Respectfully it would have been great if the URL to the resources he spoke of where included in the video info box.

[@eminusipi]

+waswestkan It's unfortunate that so many don't use that feature. It would make the videos much more useful.

[@DCM01111986]

viennawireless.net/wp/meetings/cw-forum/

[@curtwinterstein1067]

I was a US Navy Signalman. It only took around two hours to learn Morse Code. (Complete alphabet and numbers)... OK, getting any speed (WPM) was the trick. My point is, that there was a manual that taught Code. I was amazed at just how fast I was able to learn code! (Plus, I'm a little dyslexic, but that manual was the bomb!) The Navy doesn't use Signalmen anymore...(SNIFF!) so I don't know where you could find any of those manuals... If you know, of one or you have a copy of one,PLEASE get a hold of me!!

[@tonywright8294]

2 hours ? No chance

[@curtwinterstein1067]

@@tonywright8294 Yes sir. The Navy manual used pictures and integrated the phonetic alphabet. An example was Alpha. .- (dit dah) the picture was a soup spoon. The "dit" was the bowl of the spoon and the spoon handle was the "dah" think "Alphabet soup". and so forth

[@johnonorgan]

I was a Navy radio operator we used straight keys 4 to 8 hours at a watch and nobody got carpel tunnel or sore arms if fact we would run to get on the CW circuits so we woudnt have to sit at the teletypes

[@hollisfarmshoney]

The best advice I've heard, is to start copying code where you want to finish. If you want to copy at 30 wpm then start at 30 wpm. You don't teach an infant to talk by speaking to them at 5 words a min. but you talk to them at a normal speed and the learn to speak at the speed they hear it.

[@gammondog]

UR a great spokesman for the grand old mode. Looking forward to hearing some new fists on the air.

[@sparkn2y830]

i used morse code when i was on the ship..now they changed to satellite like inmarsat a, m and c.. i love morse code....

[@matts7975]

This stuff has turned into a race. It was enjoyable to me going slow and taking my time. Now that everyone insists on starting like a racehorse out the gate, I feel like Im having a stroke instead of fun.

[@MoTown44240]

Great video. I've been using 20 wpm character speed for 20+ years. I will try the 30 wpm character speed at my next CW training class and see how that takes. Right idea though, learn fast character speed and shorten time between character elements to gain speed. The student doesn't have to relearn the character all over again, just process it faster as space is decreased. 72/73 DE Terry - KB8AMZ

[@knpstrr]

I know you commented long ago, but on lcwo.net I have set my character speed to 25wpm and the effective speed to anywhere from 12-8 wpm (depending on my struggle). I just started learning cw and i'm only on lesson 20/40 learning the alphabet,characters,#s. The letters really sound different even from 20 to 25 wpm. At 25wpm it seems to "blurt" fast enough that it forces you to reduce your thinking of "how many dots/dashes" to thinking "what did it sound like" which I think is the goal of properly learning morse.

[@marcel911]

1:43 What about an Aldis Lamp?

[@stephen195]

Just getting into ham radio. I hope all the "elmers" are like this guy!

[@KNOBZPL]

I’ve read a lot of CW learning guides online and I’m familiar with the concepts. I’m currently at LCWO lesson 18 switching when I achieve 20/10wpm (it’s been over 6 weeks of good practice), but when I add a new character I revert to 20/8 and practice until I’m at 20/10. So my goal is to finish the lessons at 20/10 and then work on closing the gap to 20/20wpm. There’s one aspect that doesn’t get discussed in all these guides and articles on Koch-Farnsworth. Should I learn all the characters at a slower spacing (I feel like I could complete the course at 20/8 reasonably fast in 2-3 more weeks and then pick up speed) or grind longer but at 20/10wpm. I can’t add new chars at 20/10 because it’s too confusing, I have to revert to 20/8 and going back to 20/10 takes a few days. Some say that I should learn all chars slower first and others that I will have a hard time picking up speed with a full set and I should grind at 20/10 or even 20/15 before I learn all. Older CW manuals say that you should start fast and it will be hard to pick speed later on. What are your opinions on this?

[@JenniferJonesQuilterdressmaker]

Can you add the information in the box please

[@trwagner1]

I'm way more than lost here. I signed up for teamspeak, tried to get program running but got flooded and overwhelped by all kinds of sounds and messages and finally got connected. Once I open and login to team speak, what am i clicking on and tryng to do to get to the CW/morse code stuff so i can learn?

[@adrianobueno6984]

Hi, nice presentation but one question: in TeamSpeak 3 to which server should I connect?

[@chrisfitzchrisfitz5182]

Wonder if anyone has compared Morris Code to Braille.

[@laseryohanna]

Chrisfitz ChrisFitz hi, a year later. I am attempting to connect morse, Braille and ASL in my mind... and practice each in terms of the different senses seeing, hearing and touching . Braille touch has been rough, but I practice thinking the Braille alphabet regularly until I can get back to experiencing actual Braille

[@gaminawulfsdottir3253]

The way he pronounces "Morse," I can see why you heard it as "Morris."

[@jimmeeGray]

There's no such thing as "Morris code " it is Morse code

[@MyTube4Utoo]

Excellent advice! I made what I now know to have been the mistake of learning Morse very slowly. First to be able to pass my Novice exam, and then I *very slowly* built my speed up. You just can't develop any real speed if you have to do the mental conversion of thinking, "that was a dit and two dahs, so that's a 'W.'" That's somewhat like having to look-up every word in the dictionary while you're trying to have a conversation. It doesn't work. Avoid most of the frustration by doing it correctly from the start.

[@LuckyShitZu]

URL?

[@nicky2591]

What job could I get by learning morse code , interesting .

[@brandonliddick8403]

So, I learned morse in 2 hours by visually learning. I didn't use a house diagram or anything just a photo. I have a photographic memory and I learned it like that. Is it too late to learn audibly?

[@sharonjuniorchess]

No you will just be using a different part of your brain. What you are trying to achieve is hearing the sound & 'knowing' the letter without having to use a separate part of your brain which visualises the dits & dahs before coming up with the letter as it just slows you down. Try the lcwo lessons and let it take as long as it takes for your brain to acclimatise to the sounds. This will be a new way of learning for you so just be patient with yourself. Enter your answers into the box and only move on when you get 90%. Each new stage will feel like you are starting all over again but slowly your ear will tune into the sound - your developing your ear to hear the letters.

[@brandonliddick8403]

Chris Pyves , thanks for the information! I really appreciate your help, its hard to find. But I do have a question. When I go to Icwo.net it pops up that the domain is no longer in use. Is there another website that would work?

[@angelish5152]

You're using the wrong website, Brandon. You put a capitalized 'i' instead of a lowercase 'L'. I have no idea if you've figured out this issue already or not (you most likely have), but I hope this reply helps in some way, shape, or form nonetheless. This is the correct website: lcwo.net/

[@alondrasernaserna]

AngelicSword thanks

[@geoffgeoff143]

What your saying is listen and memorise.

[@DENMONKEY]

Hi Ray, would you have any objections if we played this video at a ham club meeting here in Australia ? I haven't checked with the guys yet but i think they would enjoy it and its a greay way to add content to the meetings. I also believe they would be happy for me to record similar items from their meetings to reciprocate. There is one on my channel for aprs to give you an idea, although I would make improvements on audio quality etc as required. Again, I would need to get approval first but I don't believe that would be an issue. Brett VK2MRX

[@cameliaionascu3094]

+DENMONKEY i dont think hes going to be seeing this since it was posted last year. but i dint think it would be a problem at all

[@DENMONKEY]

Camelia Ionascu I don't think so either but it's always polite to ask :)

[@cameliaionascu3094]

true, i just thought id pint it out and give you some sort(as small as it is) of assurance. excuse you english as i am still learning

[@DENMONKEY]

thank you and your english is very good. Camelia Ionascu

[@sundownsigns]

I wish I had heard this and had the resources available 57 years ago when I first started studying for my novice license ... WA7VVV

[@jklersy9724]

i have a tap keyboard this was typed with morse code

[@omaralattar2056]

It's one of the best video about cw

[@skinnyflea2628]

Very helpful! Thank you.

[@ikonane]

Great video! Thanks!

[@aiellamori]

All I want is a dog tag

[@schoocg]

Great job. Thank you!

[@wcpf19]

what is K6BFA?

[@neoqix]

That's his callsign

[@terencejames909]

That's a ham radio callsign mine is mw6tab thanks

[@jonahelgen1659]

Yo learning morse code in the corona sqwad

[@dzlf2504]

What's your website? .. . ... . .___ .. .... . ..... . .. . ok got it.

[@wtf5286]

Im learning and what I see is that its all with freaking programs and software's and stuff. It cant be just that, there has to be other ways .-.

[@brianstockham1034]

The "freaking programs and softwares" that you refer to only enable you to learn it on your own. You can always find someone who KNOWS Morse Code and try to get them to teach it to you. In days of old, we used a machine called an "Instructograph" with rolls of paper tape that would send code, as a way of self-learning. You either had to buy it or rent it. Today, you can find free websites and programs to learn Morse -- be thankful for it being free!

[@sharonjuniorchess]

Do you listen to music on an mp3 player? Now you can download morse code lessons & practice files to listen to whilst you are out walking. Use what works for you.

[@brendanletto]

Me and my friend help each other on tests with Morse code

[@terencejames909]

Great video thanks from mw6tab thanks

[@2m0ldt51]

i have naturally brought images to my mind to visualise the characters, i think its too late now :(

[@2m0ldt51]

kk

[@brianstockham1034]

Sorry, OM. Trying to post a reply to " King Nameless" and it keeps putting the reply under your message for some reason

[@nicky2591]

No I nead to memorize the alphabet first haha because Im not psychic lol , or how will I know hmmmm

[@RockyGNR]

73 from YO8SLC !

[@Tommyr]

Good video BUT, if people are hunt and peck typers typing the letters will slow them down. A LOT. Ask me how I know! I prefer writing them down on paper like you'll do once you start doing real CW on air. Just an observation.

[@Rareed63]

you'll start copying in your head when you learn it and just jotting down calls or logging em with software

[@alanslusher8409]

Very, very well done

[@MrPawrr]

Yo

[@terrysr9569]

Great video but lozy audio!

[@jimmeeGray]

Why does he sound like he's saying Morris code instead of morse.

[@trwagner1]

this teamspeak stuff is too complicated. I keep contecting, hear tons of voices about stuff I don't understand and don't know where to go.

[@lyingcat9022]

Da-da-di-di-dit Di-di-di-da-dah

[@nicky2591]

No this is to advance for me I will lean alphabet first , iv no idea why hah

[@celinee7419]

wow ..../../

[@alondrasernaserna]

celi nee "Hi" to you too

[@melancholicfrog8775]

.... . .-.. .-.. --

[@1boortzfan]

Great information thanks a lot, KE4VBB

[@paolonervi2208]

Thank you very much..really useful info.73 de iu1cyf

[@adampinuelas6139]

3

[@asdrty258]

#morsecode is good for defeating alzheimer's desease

[@adampinuelas6139]

2

[@itsangelcuh818]

.... ..

[@percih70]

Very poor sound,

[@ethelchapstick3866]

am i the only 12 year old watching this?

[@jasminakrsikapa5523]

Well im 13

[@deadcowx_x]

Mr Popo nope

[@jacksonfarmer8574]

Emily Chaplin no

[@kelceyfirth]

I’m 13 lol

[@damian8590]

Wow you're so cool. Give this human being a fucking medal.

[@hobie1dog]

I'll have to disagree with his method. I've not talked to anyone yet who can write down 30 words per minute, maybe shorthand style.

[@Budgeteers]

+Marty Lemons. I think you misinterpreted my comments. There are two characteristics to learning the Morse code: 1) The speed that a single character is sent and 2) The speed that several characters are sent in succession. To learn a single character, set the character speed to 30 wpm and listen to this single character played one time. That character should come to you at character speed of 30 wpm, but it is only a single character. Then, when you have learned several characters (at a character speed of 30 wpm) , combine these several characters you learned into a series. For measuring Morse code speed, every five letters is counted as a word. If you send one character every 6 seconds, you will be sending 10 characters in one minute or 2 words per minute. Please review the video at 2:00 to 5:00 and 13:00 to 13:45 and you should see that I always encouraged the use of a keyboard in learning the Morse code.

[@konradritter7543]

+Marty Lemons but doesn't he combine it with Fransworth Timing and therefore the effective speed is much lower, giving you time to write or type?

[@ritageraghty3261]

I write 40 words per minute in Gregg Shorthand. I would love to learn Morse Code, if I have free time.

[@gammondog]

I wished I had learned Gregg when it was still being taught at the universities. I can copy code in longhand up to twenty words per minute before it becomes illegible. Practically speaking, when I'm on the air, I only need to write down calls signs, names, and a few other details. Experienced ops copy in their heads. When you hit 25 wpm it begins to get more conversational. When you break 35 , you are a savvy op and can chew the rag with the big boys and girls. Mostly I cruise at 15 wpm with my straight key. The fact that you have mastered Gregg shows that you have what it takes to master the Continental Code. It should be a breeze for you if you decide to one day take it up.

[@lexheath8276]

no such thing as Morris code