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Author Topic: Relearning cw  (Read 2404 times)

KA4NMA

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Relearning cw
« on: June 05, 2019, 05:28:59 PM »

What is the best and easiest way to relearn Morse code? It's been about 40 years and because I am a visual learner, I want to learn by sight not hearing. Any tips? Any materials that could be sent to me?
Randy ka4nma
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AA4PB

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RE: Relearning cw
« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2019, 05:45:30 PM »

Hi Randy. If you were sending and receiving Morse 40 years ago I would expect it to come back to you pretty quickly - sort of like riding a bike. Since Morse is sent by sound, I wouldn't expect learning by sight (flash cards, etc) to work out very well. There are a number of free computer programs on the Internet that will provide Morse practice and training. You can probably find some of them with Google. Some have the ability to generate random characters or short, common words. The goal is to recognize characters and short words by their total sound rather than counting out the individual dits and dahs that make them up.

Here's one program that I found: http://www.justlearnmorsecode.com/
« Last Edit: June 05, 2019, 05:53:30 PM by AA4PB »
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Bob  AA4PB
Garrisonville, VA

K0UA

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RE: Relearning cw
« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2019, 05:50:12 PM »

If you learn Morse code by sight, that is all you will ever be able to do with it.  Morse code is all about sounds, Sounds of letters, sounds of works, and finally sounds of phrases.  I am not there yet on the phrases.  If you learn by sight, the skill will be useless. At least for amateur radio.
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73  James K0UA

KG7WGX

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RE: Relearning cw
« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2019, 06:02:48 PM »

Unfortunately, studies show that visual aids which show the dot/dash patterns interfere with the learning process, encouraging the student to build a "lookup table" in his head.  This then makes decoding a two step process where learning the sound of each letter is a one step process.

The military didn't know this, and they managed to turn out competent radiomen anyway, but there is no reason to repeat their mistakes now.

LCWO.net is an online learning tool which lets you hear the sound of each letter as it is added during the course of the lessons.  I don't believe they ever show you a visual pattern.  You can play the sound of the letter as many times as you want before you start the lesson.

There are dozens of applications for smart phones and PC's for learning Morse code.  Most play random length groups of characters, groups of 5, example QSO's, or user-supplied text files.

I'm using G4FON's Koch Morse Tutor on a PC and I'm using its simulated noise, QSB and straight key simulations to make the practice more like OTA conditions.  I run a Notepad window which overlays G4FON (set up with the same font), then pull it down when the lesson is done and look for differences.  Or, I just write the lesson down on a pad.

For LCWO.net, the site scores the results of each session, but you have to type the characters into a text box as you hear them for this feature to work.  If you don't type, you can write it down on a pad and ignore their scoring feature.

Good luck.  Learning Morse is a lot of work, but it is rewarding.
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N6PG

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RE: Relearning cw
« Reply #4 on: June 05, 2019, 10:03:26 PM »

What is the best and easiest way to relearn Morse code? It's been about 40 years and because I am a visual learner, I want to learn by sight not hearing. Any tips? Any materials that could be sent to me?
Randy ka4nma

I hadn’t used CW for over 20 years when I got back into it. It’s been a slow go for me, but at my best in the 80s, I was 13 wpm, and I quickly went to phone. If you were active 40 years ago, I’m sure it will come back quickly.

I downloaded the app AA9P Ham Morse for my iPhone. I relearned the code with that. Fast characters but somewhat slower wpm. I also listened to mp3 files on the ARRL code practice site. I’ve been busy with young kids, so I haven’t been able to be as active as I like, but if you make one contact a day, it goes super quick. Slower code speeds can be found in the old novice segment of the band and also on the SKCC portions of the band.

I’m at about 20wpm now and I really enjoy CW. I can’t get over the hump to head copy, but hopefully soon.

Good luck! And welcome back to the best mode ever!
73
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W6MK

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RE: Relearning cw
« Reply #5 on: June 05, 2019, 11:02:07 PM »

I hadn’t used CW for over 20 years when I got back into it.

I hadn't used Morse Code for 50 years when I got relicensed nine years ago. I could do about
10 or 12 wpm. A bit rusty. Things well-learned don't go away.

I question whether learning visually is any kind of hindrance. I know competent code ops who
learned all sorts of "bad" ways and got beyond them. When I was a kid learning code believe me
I could send or receive it any way I wanted to. It's very easy to go from learning by ear to learning
visually--all you have to do is to provide the sound in your mind.

Yes code on the radio comes in your ear. So if you are going to get going again you will have to
provide a sound in your mind, either a dit or a dah. Easy peasy.

Don't worry about it. Just do it. The mind is an amazingly flexible automatic learning organ. You don't
need a method or special software or anything else. Of course you are free to look for a learning program
which organizes the process for you.

The important thing is to start listening to code and recognizing characters by the way they sound. Your
mind should automatically make the association between your visual memory and what you hear.

Learning code is NOT a difficult task. Worrying about doing it the right way, however, can provide lots
of barriers to the actual process of learning.

Good luck and have no fear!
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KL7CW

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RE: Relearning cw
« Reply #6 on: June 06, 2019, 09:04:54 AM »

I agree completely with KE6EE about learning code.  Personally I did just about everything "wrong" in learning the code, but seriously doubt than any of these transgressions significantly hampered my progress.  About 70 years ago a neighbor kid and myself wired up buzzers and keys between our houses.  We thought it would be "cool" to invent our own code, so made up an awful version of Morse code with some common letters a long combination of dots and dashes, and obscure letters represented by a single dot or dash.  We memorized the chart visually first.  We became somewhat proficient in the code for a few years.  Then we became boy scouts and needed to learn the proper code.  Again like everyone else we memorized the chart first, but quickly transitioned into some proficiency in Morse.  We never got the two codes mixed up.  A few years later I got my ham ticket and quickly advanced to well over 20 WPM.  I taught many folks code, and I believe that doing it by sound is best, but do not think anyone was "ruined" by memorizing the chart.  Many of us even easily transitioned into reading blinker code, and even listening to code on old telegraph sounders.  The human mind is amazing.  So try and not use the visual chart and very possibly listening to letters at a faster speed with more space between letters, probably is best.  Have fun.
           Rick  KL7CW
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K8AXW

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RE: Relearning cw
« Reply #7 on: June 06, 2019, 10:14:57 AM »

WGX:
Quote
This then makes decoding a two step process where learning the sound of each letter is a one step process.

The military didn't know this,

As others have pointed out CW is a "sound" method of communications.  As for the military not knowing about visual code copying, that's somewhat incorrect.

After learning by sound, Morse was also taught visually.  We could copy up to 1,000 wpm by machine with the characters being printed by ink pen on a 3/8" white paper tape, as the character looked....not the character as your seeing on this reply.

Once the traffic was passed the tape was pulled back through a long slotted bar of aluminum and then when the end came into view the tape was reversed and the code characters were transcribed on to sheet paper by an operator using a mill. (typewriter)

As for communicating two-way visually, I'd say forget it. An exception to this of course is the light signaling the navy uses and that requires two men for extended traffic.
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A Pessimist is Never Disappointed!

AB9NZ

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RE: Relearning cw
« Reply #8 on: June 06, 2019, 10:21:45 AM »

KG7GWX said-"Unfortunately, studies show that visual aids which show the dot/dash patterns interfere with the learning process, encouraging the student to build a "lookup table" in his head.  This then makes decoding a two step process where learning the sound of each letter is a one step process."
  Please cite these studies, I can't seem to find them anywhere. Very best regards, Tom, AB9NZ
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KM3K

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RE: Relearning cw
« Reply #9 on: June 06, 2019, 12:11:14 PM »

KG7GWX said-"Unfortunately, studies show that visual aids which show the dot/dash patterns interfere with the learning process, encouraging the student to build a "lookup table" in his head.  This then makes decoding a two step process where learning the sound of each letter is a one step process."
  Please cite these studies, I can't seem to find them anywhere. Very best regards, Tom, AB9NZ

Hello,
I qualify for that study.
Years ago, I learned the morse-code by dots/dashes.
It was during a CWops course that my instructor identified the problem as a "two step process".
I continue to struggle daily even now because of that two step process.
A bad habit is really hard to break. 
But what has been a great help for me though is a program written by N3FJP call "CW-Teacher".
(I know there are other programs out there to help in learning the code but each has an aspect or two that hinder/impede me.)
With CW-Teacher, I can practice just what I want and here is the best part for me...I can repeat the sound over and over again just by hitting the 'space-bar'.
For whatever reason, that seems to help eliminate the visual aspect for me and I can figure out what the character is.
Also, I can practice call-signs in a way that makes sense to me; I choose just USA call-signs; when I develop proficiency there, I'll move to "any".
Just my 2 cents.
73 jerry km3k
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KL7CW

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RE: Relearning cw
« Reply #10 on: June 06, 2019, 12:39:21 PM »

I think most of us agree that one should ditch the dot dash code charts and just listen to the sounds.  However, in my experience, I do not believe this causes great problems for most folks.  Many decades ago when I took many of my students in the H S radio club to a remote field day site in the hills.  There were not enough radios for all the eager teenagers to get their fill of operating time.  So some of us climbed up into the hills with our flash lights, keys, and some hook up wire.  All night long we successfully communicated with the adjacent hill via blinker light.  Nearly all of us were nearly 100 percent efficient, and most had never read a flashing light.  We had a blast and let the others use the radios.  Due to the human eye response time and also possibly to the latency of the lightbulb our speeds were limited to perhaps something like 12 or 13 WPM if I remember correctly. We had some great rag chews and I do not think some of us even wanted "radio" time.  When I worked in the telephone industry many decades ago the ham technicians typically could read the flashing lights on the modules which decoded the dial pulse signals on the rotary phones around the state.  Not perfect copy, but very often enough to immediately see that calls to say Fairbanks were just not completing.  This amazed the non hams, who would need to drag out test equipment to identify the problem.  I thought this trivia might be interesting.         Rick  KL7CW  Palmer, Alaska
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W6MK

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RE: Relearning cw
« Reply #11 on: June 06, 2019, 02:03:25 PM »

Years ago, I learned the morse-code by dots/dashes.

I continue to struggle daily even now because of that two step process.

A bad habit is really hard to break. 

With CW-Teacher, I can practice just what I want and here is the best part for me...I can repeat the sound over and over again just by hitting the 'space-bar'.

For whatever reason, that seems to help eliminate the visual aspect for me and I can figure out what the character is.

Pardon my asking but where exactly is the "visual aspect" when you are listening to code sounds?

An early test for code-learning ability used by the U.S. military was based on the ability to distinguish the sound
of one code character from another. No code understanding was required, but simply the ability to say that two
character sounds were either the same or not the same.

It sounds to me that this poster's struggle with learning code may be due to a hearing deficiency or a neurological
inability to distinguish sounds that most people can distinguish without effort.

Some of us have better vision than others; some have better or worse abilities to identify tastes or smells; some people
have perfect pitch, others have good relative pitch and still others seem to be tone deaf.

All this is not to say that people with certain innate difficulties in perception cannot, by putting in sufficient effort, learn certain tasks. The learning may simply not be so easy as it is for those without difficulties.

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KM3K

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RE: Relearning cw
« Reply #12 on: June 06, 2019, 02:36:47 PM »

Pardon my asking but where exactly is the "visual aspect" when you are listening to code sounds?

Fair question.
When I heard a sound pattern, say 'dah-dit-dah-dah', I'd replay it in my mind and mentally translate that to picture of '-.--', which is a 'y'.
Notice please that, in the previous sentence, I used past-tense verbs; the problem is well on its way of being corrected by way of much practice (read here practice several times each and every day).

Now to hearing various difficulties...yes, I do have hearing problems:
1. need hearing aids but that is not an issue with hearing morse-code since I use headphones and there is a volume-control.
2. certain sound combinations are a problem for me but here too not an issue with hearing morse-code because I set the tone at 550 Hz.

73 jerry km3k
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KM3K

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RE: Relearning cw
« Reply #13 on: June 06, 2019, 02:43:25 PM »

I think most of us agree that one should ditch the dot dash code charts and just listen to the sounds. 
However, in my experience, I do not believe this causes great problems for most folks. 
Many decades ago when I took many of my students in the H S radio club to a remote field day site in the hills. 
There were not enough radios for all the eager teenagers to get their fill of operating time. 
So some of us climbed up into the hills with our flash lights, keys, and some hook up wire. 
All night long we successfully communicated with the adjacent hill via blinker light. 
Nearly all of us were nearly 100 percent efficient, and most had never read a flashing light. 
We had a blast and let the others use the radios.   
..........
I thought this trivia might be interesting.         
Rick  KL7CW  Palmer, Alaska

Hello Rick,
I do find that post to be interesting and offer this point-of-view.
First of all, teenagers are involved; that means "quick thinking minds" at work. Contrast that to my slow 79 years of age.
Secondly, light communication was used; that means 'visual'.
Great setting for 'visual learners', who happen to make up 2/3rds of the population.
So, to me, the results you experienced in that outing are not all that surprising.
In summary, I think the experience mentioned is not relevant to "auditory morse-code".
73 jerry km3k
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KL7CW

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RE: Relearning cw
« Reply #14 on: June 06, 2019, 04:08:31 PM »

Yes the human mind really works in strange ways.  For example many decades ago I memorized a 10 digit telephone message in Spanish, since the recording was in Spanish.  I am mostly an English speaker and my Spanish is poor.  A few times a year I call this number from memory, no problem punching it in.  If someone asks me for Tom's number in English, I cannot quickly say it, but need to slowly translate each digit at a time.  If a Spanish speaker would ask me for the number, I am sure I could quickly say it without "thinking".  This is really strange since I have very little knowledge of Spanish and seldom ever hear it spoken here in Alaska or places we often travel like Norway.  I also admit those of us who are elderly probably find it a bit more difficult to learn new tasks, but this may be good since our "OLD" brains really need new challenges.    KL7CW
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