Morse Code
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I'd say that learning Morse by heart is pretty much a useless exercise. I learned it by heart 22 years ago when I started IR training --- but discovered that every time that you ever need to use it of importance --- it is listed in writing right next to the letter identifiers of the navaid you want to identify, e.g., on approach plates. Don't waste your time on such useless trivia.
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Static - that's true but it doesn't help you when you need to differentiate one beacon from another without the paper in front of you (like on the IMC or IR tests) so you're going to have to know it at least roughly...
I've noted down the Morse Aid I used and it's a 54k zip file of a Word doc. Anyone interested please send me an e-mail and I'll pass it on.
I've noted down the Morse Aid I used and it's a 54k zip file of a Word doc. Anyone interested please send me an e-mail and I'll pass it on.
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faacfi - that's wrong for a start mate!
Have you been listenting to mobile phone ringtones and thinking that's SOS?
Actually it's SMS, as in a highly subtle advert for text messaging.
SOS is of course ...---...
Have you been listenting to mobile phone ringtones and thinking that's SOS?
Actually it's SMS, as in a highly subtle advert for text messaging.
SOS is of course ...---...
Dancing with the devil, going with the flow... it's all a game to me.
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First I've heard about needing to know morse for ATPL. Get the facts before spending hours learning it - I learnt it and as far as I know from talking to other ATPL/CPL students it is not required. Sodding typical. 
VFE.
VFE.
Why do it if it's not fun?
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VFE,
Just because it's not required, doesn't mean it's not useful!
My club required me to do a "cross-channel checkout" before taking their aircraft to France. So I booked a PA28 and an instructor for a day. When the day came, the weather between my home airfield and the coast was solid IMC. I don't have an IMC rating, so I was ready to cancel, but my instructor suggested we go on her IMC rating as long as I was happy. The forecast in France was VFR, so an IR wasn't necessary.
While in IMC, I flew the plane, my instructor navigated. Although the workload was very high, I was quite happy flying straight+level, making small turns and tracking VOR radials on the instruments. There was only one point when I inadvertently entered an unusual attitude - that was when I looked down at my knee-board to check out some morse code in order to ident a VOR.
Of course an IMC or IR rated pilot would be far more competent than me at flying on instruments, and would be able to maitain control whilst performing other tasks. But the fact is that if I'd known morse code, I wouldn't have departed from straight+level.
So no, not required - but I plan on learning morse when I do my IMC rating because I believe it's a useful tool to have.
FFF
---------
Just because it's not required, doesn't mean it's not useful!
My club required me to do a "cross-channel checkout" before taking their aircraft to France. So I booked a PA28 and an instructor for a day. When the day came, the weather between my home airfield and the coast was solid IMC. I don't have an IMC rating, so I was ready to cancel, but my instructor suggested we go on her IMC rating as long as I was happy. The forecast in France was VFR, so an IR wasn't necessary.
While in IMC, I flew the plane, my instructor navigated. Although the workload was very high, I was quite happy flying straight+level, making small turns and tracking VOR radials on the instruments. There was only one point when I inadvertently entered an unusual attitude - that was when I looked down at my knee-board to check out some morse code in order to ident a VOR.
Of course an IMC or IR rated pilot would be far more competent than me at flying on instruments, and would be able to maitain control whilst performing other tasks. But the fact is that if I'd known morse code, I wouldn't have departed from straight+level.
So no, not required - but I plan on learning morse when I do my IMC rating because I believe it's a useful tool to have.
FFF
---------
I made all my CPL students learn morse.
When on your test the LAST thing you need to be doing is grappling with the charts frantically looking for the decode. Its just another straw on your back. Its always on test that you get switch pigs and end up listening to the wrong ident. If you sit their dumbly glancing at the chart and go "Yeah - that checks" when it doesn't the examiner will take great delight in failing your ignorant sloppy ass.
It used to be a regular failing on mock tests.
For a few hours work its a useful little skill.
A couple of times I have been operating into Bristol and have found the ILS and DME idents disagree because ATC have changed one and forgotten the other. It ain't life threatening or anything. But its unlikely you's spot such things if you were checking decodes all the time as the very times these things crop up is when you are very busy doing other things slowing down/changing freq/calling for flaps/gear/running checklists etc. etc.
Free simple progams are available on the net.
Go on - impress your examiner.
WWW
When on your test the LAST thing you need to be doing is grappling with the charts frantically looking for the decode. Its just another straw on your back. Its always on test that you get switch pigs and end up listening to the wrong ident. If you sit their dumbly glancing at the chart and go "Yeah - that checks" when it doesn't the examiner will take great delight in failing your ignorant sloppy ass.
It used to be a regular failing on mock tests.
For a few hours work its a useful little skill.
A couple of times I have been operating into Bristol and have found the ILS and DME idents disagree because ATC have changed one and forgotten the other. It ain't life threatening or anything. But its unlikely you's spot such things if you were checking decodes all the time as the very times these things crop up is when you are very busy doing other things slowing down/changing freq/calling for flaps/gear/running checklists etc. etc.
Free simple progams are available on the net.
Go on - impress your examiner.
WWW
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Seems to be a lot of dots & dashes regarding this Morse character.
Under JAA the old CAA morse exam (held in a class) is no longer, a great shame I say !
It does actually fall into the IFR comms syllabus, but is not currently in the JAA ground exam. Unlikely to change I think.
However, like WWW I think it is essential for IMC/IR pilots.
You must POSITIVELY indentify the beacon, not just think that sounds right. Otherwise you are told fly to the "CT", select the wrong frequency and get "CIT" say "I heard the C & T" I must be right. Fly off in totally the wrong direction and fail your IR.
The above incident did ACTUALLY happen.
Morse is not as difficult to learn as people think, it just needs application and regular practice ideally with an old fashioned cassette tape.
To summarise - not required for JAA ground exams, flying YES.
Under JAA the old CAA morse exam (held in a class) is no longer, a great shame I say !
It does actually fall into the IFR comms syllabus, but is not currently in the JAA ground exam. Unlikely to change I think.
However, like WWW I think it is essential for IMC/IR pilots.
You must POSITIVELY indentify the beacon, not just think that sounds right. Otherwise you are told fly to the "CT", select the wrong frequency and get "CIT" say "I heard the C & T" I must be right. Fly off in totally the wrong direction and fail your IR.
The above incident did ACTUALLY happen.
Morse is not as difficult to learn as people think, it just needs application and regular practice ideally with an old fashioned cassette tape.
To summarise - not required for JAA ground exams, flying YES.
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As I remember, Morse was the most-failed of all the CAA ATPL exams, and it's probably the one subject that has everyday usefulness in the air. I wonder if those two facts are related?
Knowing Morse is a basic airmanship requirement as long as the beacons you navigate by are identified by Morse code. You should see how often my steed, that wonder of French aviation technology, the A340, gets its Morse identifications wrong!
Knowing Morse is a basic airmanship requirement as long as the beacons you navigate by are identified by Morse code. You should see how often my steed, that wonder of French aviation technology, the A340, gets its Morse identifications wrong!
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Learning Morse
Hello All,
Well I have passed my CPL, and I have my IR next week. I have tried several of the "Learn Morse in weeks" courses. I got through my CPL even though I nearly misidented a beacon POL. I was waiting for the ---, didnt come checked the box and hadnt switched over.
Anyway I got a copy of loop...hole's little word file. Read it through twice and redid the morse tests I bought and guess what...yep it works and it only takes about 20 minutes to get a very good grounding.
Thanks loopy I owe you one, as WWW and others say, the slightest thing you can do to relieve pressure in the cockpit is worth doing.
Morse should be tested as part of JAA. As important as being able to read roadsigns in your driving test, but I would say that cos I understand it now.
Poor old Romeo with his eyes too close together...
You should write a book my friend.
Dibley
Well I have passed my CPL, and I have my IR next week. I have tried several of the "Learn Morse in weeks" courses. I got through my CPL even though I nearly misidented a beacon POL. I was waiting for the ---, didnt come checked the box and hadnt switched over.
Anyway I got a copy of loop...hole's little word file. Read it through twice and redid the morse tests I bought and guess what...yep it works and it only takes about 20 minutes to get a very good grounding.
Thanks loopy I owe you one, as WWW and others say, the slightest thing you can do to relieve pressure in the cockpit is worth doing.
Morse should be tested as part of JAA. As important as being able to read roadsigns in your driving test, but I would say that cos I understand it now.
Poor old Romeo with his eyes too close together...
You should write a book my friend.
Dibley
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Thanks Vicar...
... You've made my day.
I'll have another pilchard and lemon curd sandwich.
I'll have another pilchard and lemon curd sandwich.
I originally suggested you e-mail me for the Morse Aid file (54k zipped Word doc) but I should have said use the Private Message facility. Apologies to those who had trouble getting through.
Last edited by Loop... Hole; 24th Nov 2002 at 15:35.
Dancing with the devil, going with the flow... it's all a game to me.
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My advice?
Learn it before you start the ATPL writtens and the CPL/IR. You'll have enough on your plate at the time to keep you stressed.
Also, once you've learnt it keep on top of it. Amazing how quickly information is lost from the brain.
VFE.
Learn it before you start the ATPL writtens and the CPL/IR. You'll have enough on your plate at the time to keep you stressed.
Also, once you've learnt it keep on top of it. Amazing how quickly information is lost from the brain.
VFE.
Loop... Hole
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Morse?
I'm looking for a document that I've once saw, it's called learn morse in 80 minutes or so. I've posted a few private posts to people that where also looking for it, but no reply 
Anyone could send it to me I would really appriciate it.
Anyone could send it to me I would really appriciate it.
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I have a MORSE tape on mini-disc, when I get round to getting my new MD player can see about getting it set up as an MP3 file and send it to you. Not sure that it is the one that you are looking for. But is MORSE lessons anyways.
Not sure how long it will be as waiting for new MD format to come out.
-273
Not sure how long it will be as waiting for new MD format to come out.
-273
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I used a Rant demo that comes with the Bristol CD to learn morse. It has an option where you listen to the code and then it enter the answer, either characters or idents. Do that for an hour and a half solid and you will learn it in that time.
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There are many Learning programmes available for morse on the internet..nearly all are free and very usefull... just do a search for Learn morse code software
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I think what you are after is "Learn Morse in 84 minutes - or less!" a collection of all the different memory aids - It is written by Dominic Marsh - and it does do exactly what it says on the tin!
I have a copy, it was free and linked from here, so I am sure not a problem if you want it
I have a copy, it was free and linked from here, so I am sure not a problem if you want it