Morse Code
Guest
Posts: n/a
That's what they said about using logarithm tables! How many of you know how to use them, or even care? And what about the whiz-wheel? Sliderules became obsolete about twenty five years ago - yes, a quarter of a century ago! I love the whizwheel, for nostalgic reasons, but in real life I use a decent aviation calculator. The whizwheel will go eventually, but pilots will howl and scream all the way!
It astounds me how many Luddites one encounters on Pprune.
The world moves on; it's a damn good job that the average pilot just flies the plane which, let's face it, is not that difficult. You don't HAVE to be that bright to be a pilot. I suggest that if the average pilot had anything else to do with aviation we would still be navigating using radio stations and a hand cranked aerial!
It astounds me how many Luddites one encounters on Pprune.
The world moves on; it's a damn good job that the average pilot just flies the plane which, let's face it, is not that difficult. You don't HAVE to be that bright to be a pilot. I suggest that if the average pilot had anything else to do with aviation we would still be navigating using radio stations and a hand cranked aerial!
Guest
Posts: n/a
The learning objectives with respect to the Communications papers state (word for word) "Students should be able to identify morse code"
As stated, it doesn't come up in any of the 14 theory exams but I would recommend anyone buying a disk from Transair...you can learn it in a day sat at your computer, before attempting any of the flying tests.
------------------
Regards JB007!
[email protected]
Flight Ops,Crewing and Dispatch Moderator
As stated, it doesn't come up in any of the 14 theory exams but I would recommend anyone buying a disk from Transair...you can learn it in a day sat at your computer, before attempting any of the flying tests.
------------------
Regards JB007!
[email protected]
Flight Ops,Crewing and Dispatch Moderator
Guest
Posts: n/a
So, Gerund, how do you ident navaids when flying? Using a GPS to work out where you are, and then look at the map to see which navaids are in the direction that your needle is pointing? Sorry for the sarcasm, but I believe that Morse IS required for safe navigation.
The disadvantage with using the printed morse symbols on the map as and when you need to decipher an ident, is that when you listen to the beeps on the radio you will already have a pre-conceived idea of what beeps you should be hearing.
Couple this with frequent interference/weak signals/ATIS transimssions over the top and (as every pilot should know) the Human Factor of tending to hear what you 'expect' to hear, there exists a far greater potential for mis-ident and navigation errors. Identing the wrong beacon or inattention to the signal has killed people before.
The analogy in navigation, which I am sure most of you will be familiar with, is looking at the ground over which you are flying and trying to match it to your map (rather than looking at your map for features in the area and identifying them on the ground) - a certain way to see what you want to see and get lost.
Far better to dial in the frequency, listen to the morse, think: 'that's D-T-Y' and confirm using your map, rather than look at the map, think 'I'm listening for -.. - -.-- ' then hear -. .--. -- (NPM - example) and be convinced beyond all doubt that you are tuned to the correct beacon.
Whether morse is an efficient way to transmit ident info or not is not the point - the point is that using radio navaids without having a good standard of morse is just bad airmanship.
Another example: If you don't KNOW morse, how will you recognise when TST replaces the usual dots printed on the chart because the beacon is on test, and unsuitable for navigation?
PS My airbus automatically decodes the morse and prints the letters on the screen...sometimes it gets it wrong, and sometimes it cannot ident anything. During capture of the localiser in the London TMA is not a good time to be fiddling with your Aerad for the bit where the morse is printed next to the ILS frequency - nor is it a good idea to establish on 27L instead of 27R...
Happy flyin' y'all
------------------
...proceeding below Decision Height with CAUTION...
The disadvantage with using the printed morse symbols on the map as and when you need to decipher an ident, is that when you listen to the beeps on the radio you will already have a pre-conceived idea of what beeps you should be hearing.
Couple this with frequent interference/weak signals/ATIS transimssions over the top and (as every pilot should know) the Human Factor of tending to hear what you 'expect' to hear, there exists a far greater potential for mis-ident and navigation errors. Identing the wrong beacon or inattention to the signal has killed people before.
The analogy in navigation, which I am sure most of you will be familiar with, is looking at the ground over which you are flying and trying to match it to your map (rather than looking at your map for features in the area and identifying them on the ground) - a certain way to see what you want to see and get lost.
Far better to dial in the frequency, listen to the morse, think: 'that's D-T-Y' and confirm using your map, rather than look at the map, think 'I'm listening for -.. - -.-- ' then hear -. .--. -- (NPM - example) and be convinced beyond all doubt that you are tuned to the correct beacon.
Whether morse is an efficient way to transmit ident info or not is not the point - the point is that using radio navaids without having a good standard of morse is just bad airmanship.
Another example: If you don't KNOW morse, how will you recognise when TST replaces the usual dots printed on the chart because the beacon is on test, and unsuitable for navigation?
PS My airbus automatically decodes the morse and prints the letters on the screen...sometimes it gets it wrong, and sometimes it cannot ident anything. During capture of the localiser in the London TMA is not a good time to be fiddling with your Aerad for the bit where the morse is printed next to the ILS frequency - nor is it a good idea to establish on 27L instead of 27R...
Happy flyin' y'all
------------------
...proceeding below Decision Height with CAUTION...
Guest
Posts: n/a
If you're all that serious about your flying, then surely it's worth learning Morse anyway. One advantage I can think of is that it could reduce the cockpit workload slightly when using radio nav aids. - That advantage alone is enough for me!
Guest
Posts: n/a
Is it not on the Syllabus !! Now that is a surprise.
Its certainly on the Irish CPL/ATPL exams and must be passed before a Licence is granted.
Everyone is brought into a small room and made to listen to a recording of 20 letters and write what you think they are into the sheet provided....you must get a pass rate of 90% or else you're back in approx 3 months time to try again.
Personally I think every Pilot should know Morse and echo everything Affirmbrest says.
Its certainly on the Irish CPL/ATPL exams and must be passed before a Licence is granted.
Everyone is brought into a small room and made to listen to a recording of 20 letters and write what you think they are into the sheet provided....you must get a pass rate of 90% or else you're back in approx 3 months time to try again.
Personally I think every Pilot should know Morse and echo everything Affirmbrest says.
Guest
Posts: n/a
Teroc. that how the old CAA exams were, examined on what you were expected to know, the JAA don't examine what your expected to know, just stuff nobodys heard of before!
Ladies and Gents; before this ends in fistycuffs, may I suggest that if a idiot like me can learn Morse anyone can, a little computer programe for 5 mins a night or so, and I had it nailed. the program I used was MRX morse tutor (Free to non commercial users), best morse prog ever. you could configure it to the speed you wanted, it would beep it out then say a letter, it has a teaching sylabus with tests and you could practice seending morse code, which is what really drummed it in.
Ladies and Gents; before this ends in fistycuffs, may I suggest that if a idiot like me can learn Morse anyone can, a little computer programe for 5 mins a night or so, and I had it nailed. the program I used was MRX morse tutor (Free to non commercial users), best morse prog ever. you could configure it to the speed you wanted, it would beep it out then say a letter, it has a teaching sylabus with tests and you could practice seending morse code, which is what really drummed it in.
Guest
Posts: n/a
try:
www.mrx.com.au/
or
http://www.shianet.org/~mowery/links.htm
best regards
------------------
Half man, Half jalfrezi.
www.mrx.com.au/
or
http://www.shianet.org/~mowery/links.htm
best regards
------------------
Half man, Half jalfrezi.
Guest
Posts: n/a
as Blindside linked www.mrx.com.au
I can safely say this is the best morse code tutor aviable, and its Free!
I can safely say this is the best morse code tutor aviable, and its Free!
Guest
Posts: n/a
And lets face it people if you can stick it on your CV that you can do it, it can only be good. And you can BS it in the interview you are going to make your mark!!!.
And away from flying i have used it a few times sailing boats in SMC ( sh*te met Conditions) when VHF is pants and as luck would have it Oban coast guard speaks the lingo. Not the sexy voice on 67 but the gunmpy old sod on 16. When the s hits the fan it always works up until the point the radio packs in.
MJ
Who had a evil Q who made him learn it the hard way.
[This message has been edited by mad_jock (edited 02 June 2001).]
And away from flying i have used it a few times sailing boats in SMC ( sh*te met Conditions) when VHF is pants and as luck would have it Oban coast guard speaks the lingo. Not the sexy voice on 67 but the gunmpy old sod on 16. When the s hits the fan it always works up until the point the radio packs in.
MJ
Who had a evil Q who made him learn it the hard way.
[This message has been edited by mad_jock (edited 02 June 2001).]
Guest
Posts: n/a
I can't believe this discussion. Morse is one of the very few things examined under the old CAA syllabus that is actually relevant to modern flying. When flying IFR you use it dozens of times in a trip, and although it's possible (and allowable) to read it from a crib sheet, it triples the workload involved. I learnt it from a couple of cassettes during a car journey from Tadcaster to Bradford and back: not exactly a major learning task.
[This message has been edited by Pub User (edited 02 June 2001).]
[This message has been edited by Pub User (edited 02 June 2001).]
Guest
Posts: n/a
I use Morse every single day at work. I fail to see how not knowing Morse would benefit flight safety. It is easy to learn and a pleasure to master. Its absence from the exams is a disgrace and those that expose the view Morse is redundant have at best only a feeble grasp on the techincal and operational realities of life.
WWW
WWW
Guest
Posts: n/a
Everyone should be using it, even if only flying VFR a navaid would ideally be selected and identified IMHO.
I use it every time I fly and referring to the chart is a waste of time, AND more time spend with head not looking at instruments/out of cockpit.
I use it every time I fly and referring to the chart is a waste of time, AND more time spend with head not looking at instruments/out of cockpit.
Guest
Posts: n/a
Found a free programme that some might be interested in.
Here's the link: www.kay-dee.demon.co.uk/cpl.htm
Here's the link: www.kay-dee.demon.co.uk/cpl.htm