Your method is exactly how I learned it in the Air Force as a morse intercept operator. For example, I never heard the letter "L" as dit dah dit dit. It was didahdidit or as we used to say "she plays with it". When I was deployed to my duty station, my targets sent up to 50 wpm, and that would have been impossible to understand and copy, if the code was sent in a non-rhythmic fashion. But even very slow targets, which I had to copy on rare occasions, also sent in that rhythmic pattern as you describe. So, when someone asks me what is the letter "A", for example, I simply do not say it as dit dah. Rather, I say it as didah. As you know, it works! By the way, that was in 1969, and I still remember every letter and every number. No way I could copy as fast as I did back then, but despite having never copied a dit since 1972, I still remember all but a few punctuation marks. Military taught us well, didn't they?
It was my experience in the military that they knew how to teach you things in a hurry. AND they used people who had done the job to teach you. 73, Jim
Paul Wolf... I very good friend of mine was an Air Force intercept operator. He too was there in the 1960s. His ham call is W1PI. His name is Clay (short for Clarence). Sometimes it really is a small world and I thought maybe there's a chance you know him. (??)
@@N9KGC I don't recall anyone named Clay or Clarence. It sounds like I may have gotten there after him. I arrived on Crete in Feb. 1970 and left Dec. 1972. I bet he enjoyed it as much as I did; it was a great place to be stationed! Tell him I said hello.
When doing ship board radio repairs I watched an operator handling some code messages. When he was finished he sat back and read a newspaper while at the same time still listening to code traffic. I asked him if he listening while also reading. He said, yes, both. That's how he takes his morning coffee and catches up on the news.
I learned Morse code by myself when I built a spark gap transmitter when I was a kid. I made two identical spark gap transmitters with the exception of the telegraphy keys. The telegraphy key for my cousin's spark gap transmitter was home made from cloth pins and a mouse trap. My telegraphy key was an authentic, 1938 Lionell J-47 telegraphy key. I tuned the transmitters to roughly 1.6 megacycles. My cousin and I used simple AM radios to be our receivers. We tapped the summer away with our homemade transmitters. Unfortunately, all the neighbours within the 7 miles we were communicating back and forth were also hearing the buzzing on their telephones, televisions, baby monitors, CB radios, walkie talkies, and much more. When my father found out it was me destroying the airwaves with my spark gap transmitter, I got in big trouble! My cousin, of course, said I forced him to take the transmitter and use it. When my father found out I took the battery out of an old motorcycle he was working on and the riding lawnmower to make the transmitter and a couple of spark plugs, automotive ignition coils, and old relays he had laying around, he got even more angry. He made me apologise to all the neighbours and cut their lawns the following summer for free. At the end of the summer, my father confessed he was impressed that I made a primitive transmitter out of old parts. He gave me a second hand CB radio, a power supply, and told me I could make an antenna to put on the roof. Though, my telegraphy days were over, I still remember the code. I still have the J-47 telegraphy key as a memento of better times. The old CB my father gave me just died at the end of June 2022. I had that ancient thing in all my vehicles for the sake of the memories. Whenever it went bad, I would lovingly repair it myself and put it back in my car. But CB fell out of favour around 2000. It was picking up nothing but static and very distant stations around the end. The homemade antenna was also still in use on the back of my old Jeep. I guess I will be uninstalling that old antenna soon. There is no transceiver in the old Jeep to use it. There is only a hole in my dashboard left with a few cables coming out of it. I will always remember being KBX1339 for the rest of my life. Thanks for the memories dad and 40 years of local and DX fun! I guess it is time to grow up. Nobody has a CB in their vehicles anymore. Nobody even sells CBs anymore. I just need to find dashboard panels for a 1997 Jeep Wrangler to delete the rectangular hole I made back in 1996 when I bought the Jeep new. All good things come to an end. --... ...-- / -.. ./ -.- -... -..- .---- ...-- ...-- ----. (defunct) This concludes our broadcast day. ... and now our national anthem.
Our Jeep club is slow to adopt ham radio, so we still use a combination of CB and FRS. On runs, I usually have all 3 on board. Fill the hole with a ham rig? (2004 Jeep TJ Rubicon)
@@johnwyman6126 There is an ancient one in my old Jeep. It is more than just a CB. It covers 24 Mhz to 30.125Mhz in all modes. Sometimes I still hear some talk on 24.980 Mhz USB. 25.000 AM is the atomic clock. It can not be heard all the time. I also hear some distant activity on 27.555 USB, 28.4 USB, 29.1 AM, 27.355USB and 27.385 LSB. 27.185 AM is sporadically open. There seems to be a repeater on 29.64 FM. But that is it. The rest of the frequencies are dead. I do not have the license for most of the frequencies I hear. Thus, I do not talk back on any besides 27.385 LSB, and 27.185 AM. The rest are either too far or my license does not cover it. 73 de KBX1339
I admire your ingenuity as a child and it goes to show how low-technology survives. During WW2, Australians in Japanese POW camps were able to construct Morse transmitters using vehicle spark plugs, batteries, wire coils and aerials. The actual transmitter was hidden in the head of a broom. They sent intelligence back to Australia. It was one way traffic as they couldn't scrounge the materials to make a receiver. It was send and hope someone was listening. Fast forward to today. What prisoner could cobble together a cellular phone, or a satellite phone, from scrounged items? Old tech has the ability to survive in adversity. Long live the dits and dahs. Re. the Q and Z codes...I once got in trouble for sending a ZBM2 to a senior station. Luckily, just as I was standing in front of my officer's desk, about to get an anal reaming, the phone rang. The caller was the senior communications officer at the other end who apologised and said that it wouldn't happen again. Lucked out there didn't I Mr Issom.😅
When I was in HS back in 67, we had a radio club, and we learned morse code. We had a mechanical device that used paper tapes to practice. I can't remember anything now but CQ and SOS. But it was fun.
I'm still learning Morse, but back before I got my ham license, I ran into one of the guys from my university's ham radio club in line at Chipotle so I whistled CQ CQ CQ in Morse code at him, knowing that he knew Morse. He instantly perked up, turned around and said hi to me. Anyway, this video just gave me the idea to start whistling the alphabet to myself in Morse whenever I'm alone.
Very good teaching. My dad was a merchant marine radio operator in the war. He could copy Morse incredibly fast. (I can't remember how fast but it was 30-50 WPM maybe.) He said that he would hear whole words and even phrases at that speed. One thing that made it hard is that when he was receiving the new broadcasts, he had to type a mimeo stencil. Because he couldn't correct it, he would type a sentence or so behind. My dad had mad skills. Don''t be afraid of Morse code. It is surprisingly easy. I learned to copy five-letter code groups at 5 WPM, but the old test is mostly plain English, as is actual on-the-air messages. You can miss 3/4 of the letters and still figure out what the message is and you can fill it in. When I took the test (which is no longer required as I understand it), I was just trying to pass the 5 WPM test for the Technician license, but you could take the higher speed test for no additional fee. So, I took the 13 WPM test and (I think, the 20 WPM test.) Then I decided to study for the theory test to get the Advanced license, which I did at the next testing opportunity. All I wanted was the tech license, but ended up with Advanced. I proud of having that since it shortly wasn't offered anymore.
My wife and I agree with your absolutely smashing methodology WRT rythmn in Morse. We've adopted your method to learn but slightly adapted it to our particular learning approach. Although I've been involved in communications for a long time and a licence holder for 10 years I've never felt drawn to Morse. My wife is an academic who has no interest in Morse but she says she wants to learn Morse with me so we can sneakily Morse each other when out and about. We practice Morse when out and about by using your method to "sing" the Morse when reading car registration plates when we're on long journeys. The UK licensing plates are very easy to see at distance and the combinations of letters and numbers ideal for Morse gaming. Maybe you'll make more formal presentations about your approach in future. I should imagine you would have an appreciative audience, even for the miserable git who said your approach is rubbish. Yours gratefully, Mark and Karen
Jim. My message, see below, was sent almost 7 months ago on a cold November morning here in North Devon, South West UK. I had just finished reading a book about a 16-year-old guy who decided to attend the 3-year Merchant Navy radio officers' course here in Plymouth. He described his training, initial struggle with Morse, and time at sea as a radio officer. Later he worked at the General Post Office radio stations keeping radio watch for distress messages and passing messages from shipping. This book inspired me to learn Morse Code. I had been getting a bit bored with SSB so it was perfect timing. I started to study CW and your brilliant videos were my first steps, I went through each letter in turn, frequently returning to the videos to recap. I later downloaded some apps and listened to my radio at home. Today, for the first time I understood, with some difficulty a UK station sending out a 14 WPM CQ. I was able to copy his callsign and I responded. It was very noisy but my first contact was made. We have both had to resort to email, but via Morse code our contact was made and calls exchanged.....my first QSO. Thank you, you got me started. Now the world is my oyster.
Well done, congrats on the first code QSO. I remember my first few contacts writing things down so I knew what to send. Having learned it I was not letting it get away and love it. G4GHB.
A very nice and clear explanation. I didn't think anyone would have an interest in morse anymore. I learned it at 15 or so, became an army radio operator, and I have never forgotten it. I can still read the morse from the old films, or from the signal lights on the ships. I don't think I will ever forget it. One funny incident I recall when I was at the cinema and there was this very important message coming in between the ships. In actual fact it turned out to be a fishing report and as I was the only one laughing in the cinema I was lucky not to be thrown out...
I learnt Morse code in 1985 at an amateur radio club UZ4HXG in USSR. There was a class room with a tape recorder. The instructor's voice on the tape said exactly that - do not try to memorize dots and dashes. As per recorded instruction, we were played Morse code and the recorded voice pronounced the letter corresponding to that Morse code and we were supposed to hear the Morse code and write down the letter pronounced on the recording and so on. After a couple of weeks I was able to copy CW at a slow speed at first, gradually getting better at it.
I was taught by the late G3ZCV, Norman Harper, who taught many others that the best way is to learn it by audio only without reference to written charts. Associate the sound with a letter (or word) rather than with a written pattern that has to be translated and slows the process.
I was doing it that way in the year 2000. Laying in bed, a *SMS* (text message) alert sounded on my *Nokia.* Half asleep, I instantly recognised it as ...--... *SMS*
Funny he says sing along with it. In Morse School back in the day, the instructor had me focus on a song. Led Zeppelin stair way to heaven was my jam and got me threw. Btw the joke in school for L was "she swallowed it" once you get it you can never unhear it!
Thank you as I was listening to what you were saying and the way it was all flowing it was clear I was not doing thing correctly at all. But listening to how you put it over on air I could see with easy how the FLOW Method is working. I was reading off text from a book or what ever and sending out up to 25 WPM but on RX my speed had to drop way down as I am just like you said at the beginning of your video THINKING about the dit dah’s in the letters along with trying to get with this FLOW Method as also my brain was going flat out in that my hand writing would also not catch up with my brain as I was also running behind. Any way I would thank you as you cleared up a few personal things I did not think about and I am now pounding more brass and playing back my own sent text from previous recording I have done and it has improved things for me. There are a lot of stations I still can not copy but with more practice I hope to over come that as well so thank you as your videos are well worth there weight in gold as they are truly helpful so thanks again.
Wel.... that's just what our CW teacher at my local radio club here in Brussels Belgium said to me. I bought an ex WWII German army key and one day I'll have the guts to go on air in the "newbies" part of our available bands. I listen to lots of them here in Europe. He also told me to turn off the "decoder" and listen to the rythmes, like you explained here. I will "sing" the morse of the car number plates as I walk the dog in the morning. That's how I learned to read them with the verbal alphabet (Alpha, Bravo, Charley, etc) Thanks for making n the video. 73 Peter ON3VCF
This is a great way to learn! I got my Amateur license quite a while ago, but after they removed the Morse requirement. I’ve always shied away from learning it as the chart looks very intimidating, but the “test yourself by thinking ‘What’s that letter in Morse Code?’ game when seeing a letter on a sign or a movie subtitle” approach is a great way to further ingrain it. Subscribed!
Thank you! I have been trying to learn the code for over a year now. Every method I try focuses on making sure you time out your dit's and dah's and spaces so precisely. The method you are demonstrating makes so much more sense. Learn the rhythm patterns, space out your characters/words, and focus on making/singing each character to its "sound". I do remember hearing in an old military video somewhere than Morse code wasn't dits and dahs, but a carefully composed symphony of notes. I've learned more Morse code in your 11 minute video than I have in a year of studying with online trainers. Thanks & 73s de W4GJT
Some years ago, when I was a teenager, I asked a railroad CW operator about how did he learn the Morse Code. He surprised me saying he didn't know the code, dih by dih and dah by dah, but only knew the sound of every symbol.
First off, thank you (and your family) for your service and sacrifice! Dad was Army signal corps in WW-II. He tried to teach us in the way he was Army taught. I couldn't get it, just like I couldn't get languages in MS and HS. Anyway, I'm trying to learn now in my late 50s and I think you've got the best way at least for me. Sad part is if I listened to code training tapes or CDs 100th of the time I spent listening to music in the car, I've had it down years ago. Take care stay safe de W3KKO
great tips! Thanks for taking the time to make these videos... I unfortunately learned the wrong way, 50 years ago. Probably why I never took to code. You are inspiring me to learn the right way now.
Thank you for this video. I passed my General license but very interested in learning Morse code. Just started learning on my own but the way you teach it makes more sense. Will be practicing it this easy way. Thanks again. I just subbed to your site!!!
Excellent video, Jim. Indeed, character- and word-recognition as rhythm patterns helps with retention. Something I'm learning better as I try to develop my Morse Code skill. To all those here who have served in any armed force(s), thank you for your valiant service. 73 de N5RLR 🙂
I still have the key I bought from Radio Shack back in the 70s. Made a heavy lead base for it from melted fishing weights, and glued a cork base to save the furniture. Got up to about 8 wpm on my own, at a time when the ham operator test in Canada required 10 wpm. Or was it 13? Too long ago now. The simplicity of the telegraph has always fascinated me, even with our modern technology.
Thank you for your service and taking the time to produce these informative instructional aids for the likes of myself beginning in morse. For some time now I have been considering learning morse for the advancement of my radio hobby. Maybe I was overthinking things but I was always concerned I would start to learn it by an incorrect method effectively doing more harm than good hampering progression. I watched your presentation and something clicked for me........ I have THE METHOD now thanks to you. It probably seems obvious to many but I some how missed the "learn the rythm like a song" approach. It's opened the mental door to morse for me...... I somehow now believe that I can learn it.......... Thank you so much. 73's D.E M7FES away to listen to the rythm of the songs of morse 👍🏻
This is like a refresher course for me. I was trained in comms back in 1972 60wpm was the pass mark in the British RAF back then. The few stations still using it now on SW are so slow I can work it out. Its a case of if you dont use it you lose it.... and at my age that is what is happening lol 73's and thanks for the video.
You remind me of RM1 J.P. Texaria (Radioman First class). He told me once that you can tell who is sending Morse code by their keying style. Of course you've had to had some kind of experience with the other operator. A few years later I learned of "burst technology" regarding Morse code. Fascinating.
My teacher did this 40+ years ago - and his energy went into rhythm - and his favourite for practice was Best Bent Wire which has a very musicalo feel, especially as you get faster and faster. The downside was your sending speed gets faster and faster, and for me, my receiving wasn't as fast. Back then, we were tested at a Maritime coastal station, and I sent the words on the card at a blistering speed. As a consequence, he then sent it back at my speed - way above the 12 wpm needed for the test, but oddly I passed. To this day though, I have no idea what I wrote down - I didn't get a chance to read it!
Excellent! Exactly how I passed Xtra 20wpm in 1991. Passed general dit dah method, but barely. Realized rhythm was only way to exceed general code speed barrier.
Great pointers. I am learning CW. I pretty much have the numbers and letters, but I want to get a little more savvy with the prosigns and abbreviations before I go live. Thanks for sharing. 73
Yes. The memorization of aural forms. We are using our brain's main evolutionary function -- pattern recognition. Thank you for sharing your skills. I was taught to grip the hand key rather than tap. Thank you so much...from a young CW fan. 73!
Dang man. I wish I had leaned this way when I first got my license. I did EXACTLY what you said NOT to do. Now... I've been away from ham radio for 20 years and just now getting back into it. When I got away from it, I was a tech plus, and sent at literally 5 wpm.... every single letter was SLOOOOW LOL I only remember cq de kd5ayy and various short hand letters like .-., 73, 5NN, etc. I think I want to relearn the full code now. This was eye opening!!
when I took the cw course for the license I was taught in a classical way and I struggled a lot, then after a short absence from the radio I resumed studying it with this method, joining sound to the letter, but even if it may seem more cumbersome, also joining a sentence to a letter it helps to remember, then you will only join the sound to the letter. Congratulations on the video.
I've been trying to learn Morse Code since I was a Scout in the early 80s. Not continuously, but off and on. It has never stuck, and just frustrated me. As an "M Brancher" in the Navy, I didn't get to go through code school, so it has always impressed me when "R" and "T" Branchers would just do it second nature. I even knew an "R" that could code while having a conversation with us. That's like super human level stuff to me. As a musician, this makes all the sense in the world. I never tried thinking about as a rhythm type medium.
As a no-code tech license, I never learned morse code, but the repeaters I would talk on would ID in morse code... to this day, I can remember the beginning of it 20+ years later, and I remember it as the rhythm: - . - - . - . . . . . . Beyond that, I don't remember anything... but watching this, I realize that was KC5, so it makes sense.
I got a G8 call in 1974 then passed the Morse Test for this G4 in 1976. It took about 3 months to get to about 14 wpm ready for the test at supposedly 12 wpm. I think he sent faster. I started about 6 wpm and built speed up. It's hard work, missing letters because you're still wondering what was that last one but it does come. U.S.A. novice station appreciated me slowing down for them and saying you're my first G. At first hearing and writing letters, then recognising short words, then getting better and eventually reading in your head and only writing important information like names, signal report, QTH etc. G4GHB.
Thank You. When I took the Novice test From a Ham friend in 1980 or 81. I managed to get up to 13 wpm pretty quickly. Suzi Gave.my General Test a month.or to later. I did work a good bit of code but did mostly phone on 75 and built a lot of electronic stuff and several 4z1000 Amps. i still have my old TR4 and RV4.. I eas the ham on Satellite Radio on C-Band FM America. FMA was a fun thing using the clark birds as man made Skip. 1986-88. I find it use full or did to string words together as well as characters. it really get speed up. But I never was Much faster than 20 wpm or so. When you learn to hear the CW word you can even anticipate the next word too. Thank You sir. Ron T. KA4WYO.
Thank you very much for taking the time and making the effort to create this useful series of morse code lessons. I have tried to learn morse before but by learning the word and then the dit-dah way. It never worked for me and I dropped away. Your approach with rhythm (US Navy) just makes perfect sense, already it has started to form up in my 67-year-old brain. It's going to do it the world of good. I have now subscribed and will soon go on to part 2. This is my winter project. Thank you again.
Thank you so much for the comment. I will be 69 in a month and it becomes harder to retain. But someone else here said it perfectly, “Hear the sound, think the letter.” I am so pleased it has helped you. Keep practicing! Jim W5FIV
In 1984 I started my career as a police officer. At that time, we only had radio communication, no kdt’s or computers in the cars. Every so often, if the radio was quiet, our central dispatch would broadcast the frequency call sign in Morse code. I was only with that department for about a year or so, but I can still remember the code like it was a little song 😂. (_._. …._. …._ _ _ _ _ _ ._ _ _ _) I think that’s how it went.
Jim, I’ve learned the alphabet in code & I’m working on the numerals and punctuation marks. You’ve given me a lot of inspiration and can be a great help to me! I appreciate it & will watch your other videos. If you operate on SSB, I hope to hear you on the air sometime. I operate most on 40, 20, and 15m. Thanks, and 73 de KG5JAW
I work SSB on 40 Many mornings at 3-4 a.m. Central time. (7.195) I also work 10 a lot during the day but the times are much more random. Would love to visit with you. Thanks for watching my channel and I'm so happy you found it helpful. Jim W5FIV
Hello W5. You popped up on my front page this morning so I strung along. Morse isn't my thing but I have always been curious about it. If I'm understanding correctly, it's not about counting shorts and longs...it's about being familiar with the whole package. Just 36 of 'em or so. A whole new way to listen to SOS. As a three letter package just about everyone gets that one. No thinking. When you hear the *sound* three dashes makes the letter S registers up in your noggin... No counting. If I'm understanding correctly. Well, I never thought of it that way. 36 distinct sounds. Not a string of incomprehensible bleeps and bloops. Even if I'm wrong I think I'm further down the line than I was. Super thanks!
It’s like when you spell something out to someone if you spell too slow and off speed they lose track but if you’re smooth rhythmic they understand you easier you’re so right about Morse code make it like a melody in your head smooth and rhythmic ..-. F 😎👍🏻✨
Hi Jim, just stumbled onto your channel and wanted to check this out! I have always wanted to know Morse Code and you're SO right about trying to remember the dits and dahs, and it definitely will rack your brain! Patterns is the...key, pun intended 😆New subscriber as well, take care, Chuck from NE Florida! 😎
Gday sir from M0TDM over the pond. Your video emphasise the fundamentals needed to lean the code. Think of it as a song ,listen to the rhythm let it flow,do not interpret,do not guess,do not get ahead of yourself,if you can hold a conversation at say 8-10wpm with no errors this is so much better than trying to up your speed and then your error rate climbs dramatically. Don't be afraid to ask the operator to slow down pse qrs,in fact a good operator will take note of your rhythm and speed and should adapt to match you. Very good basic principles sir. I started as a class B licencee,here in the UK before the new licence structure you had class B which granted you access to vhf and above,and you had to pass the 12wpm morse test for full HF access and privileges which I did. The annoying thing about my callsign is that it doesn't reflect the sacrifices I did to learn and pass the Morse test . Here in the UK the morse test is no longer a requirement to be a Ham. When I go on air I would like people to understand via my callsign that I had the drive and commitment to learn the code as with the old G class callsign. We ran out of G class and so the M series of calls was born, then they changed the licence structure to 3 classes. Some will say does it matter and just enjoy your time on the air,well yes I do but I would like for you when we work each other for you to immediately know yes this guy passed his 12wpm and did it the old way. I've approached the licence authorities here in the UK as they are reissuing old G callsign but I would have to surrender my old call for over a year and then reapply.. Crazy..sorry for the long winded reply sir . All the best and hope to meet you on the air sometime. Roger M0TDM
I am a M7 UK foundation call currently. I want to learn morse and hold QSO's. I have absolute respect for operators such as yourself and the work you put into getting your license. I respect experience and value all it has to offer. Even more so when those who have spent their lives building their experience and knowledge choose to share it freely. Especially to enrich this most amazing hobby of ours that is radio. 73's D.E M7FES ⚡
This vid was a good one. The most important thing i got out of it was the timing of each letter ! how you made it clear its all about the timing ! Even if only 5 wpm. So cool. Ive applied it to our practice. Thanks for sharing 🍸p.s. you should put up a small box in the corner with all the codes.with my crappy table, I Cant do both 😕 poor person.
Some years ago I learned enough Morse to pass the General class test (when it was still necessary) and I practiced the same way; during my usual long snail-pace work commute in SoCal on the 405 freeway I translated the highway signs to Morse, it really helped. The sad part is I then never used code again and promptly forgot it but recently, and now retired, I am tempted to pick it up again.
I was the lone certified CW operator on a small Navy ship in the early 70's. If it all hit the fan it was up to me to bring up a 500 watt transmitter and make contact with help. Fortunately only had to do that once. Thanks for watching the channel. Don't overthink the code. Just listen and let it come to you. Read everything in code. My email is on QRZ page. Don't hesitate to contact me. #5 W5FOV
Most excellent!!! I was in a Marine Corps communication platoon many years ago. Some of the guys got taught Morse code. I wanted to but was always in the field. I appreciate you taking the time to make such an informative video. I am getting older now and Morse was one thing I wanted to know.
Some people have good luck learning code using the Code Quick system. It's based on sound a-likes to learn the letters. Had someone say once you get letters to learn the sound rhythm of frequently used words.
I wish someone had told me about the rhythm of morse forty five year ago, I learned it dry from a book when I was about ten, then relearned it again programming my Vic 20 to dryly send and receive, then again in my late twenties and lastly in my mid forties. It has never stuck, now I know why!
Jeah, it's pretty hard in the beginning to start learning with the ears and not with the brain. I just started to learn a year and a half ago and the best way for me was to have the letters so fast, you don't count the dots and dashes (18-20 wpm) but have some space between words. That way you learn to hear the letter.