How to learn Morse Code?
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How to learn Morse Code?
To everyone who has learned Morse Code,
I have to learn the good old Morse Code for my IR. I have some tapes, but I'm finding it very difficult to learn from them. Can anyone tell me what's the best way to learn Morse? For example: computerprogrammes (downloadable or not), will these work?
Thanks!
DJG
I have to learn the good old Morse Code for my IR. I have some tapes, but I'm finding it very difficult to learn from them. Can anyone tell me what's the best way to learn Morse? For example: computerprogrammes (downloadable or not), will these work?
Thanks!
DJG
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Amateur radio clubs are a good source of inexpensive training. Starting off at a high speed is best, with the simplest letters. E, for example, is one dot (dit). Just listen to a stream of Morse, picking out that letter only, then add another, such as T, which is a dash (dah), then I (2 dots), M (2 dashes) and so on. In a few days you could be up to 20 words a minute.
Good luck
Phil
Good luck
Phil
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I learnt it by
1) Using a tape to learn patterns e.g.
Elephants in straw hats....
E I S H
. .. ... ....
2) Making some flashcards with morse on one side and the letter on the other and running through as fast as possible
1) Using a tape to learn patterns e.g.
Elephants in straw hats....
E I S H
. .. ... ....
2) Making some flashcards with morse on one side and the letter on the other and running through as fast as possible
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Hi, I have to be able to send / receive morse for my Radio Amateur's A Licence. It was suggested to me that I learn it in letter groups, eg all letters beginning with a single dot then, two, thre etc, repeat for those starting with a single dash etc. There are also slow morse transmissions for people wishing to learn morse. These are provided free by the Radio Society of Great Britain and the dates and times can be found on their website at http://www.rsgb.org.uk Hope this will help you. Good luck. M3WOM 
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Transair Pilot Shops in the UK (www.transair.co.uk) sell the following:
Morse Cracker
Studying Morse Code remains an integral part of all pilot training exams, and is suitable for both civil and military use. When in flight, having practiced with the ‘Morse Cracker’ will help you I.D those NDB’s easily! This interactive CD makes learning this useful code easier to master. Includes three learning functions. A ‘text to code’ option which allows you to enter a letter of the alphabet and the computer produces the morse conversion, both visually and audibly. A ‘Mouse Key’ option allows your actual keying accuracy to be assessed, and there is a random test with “reveal” window to check learning progress. For use on your PC, just load the CD ROM and it will auto run.
Morse Cracker Multi-media CD Ł12.95
I haven't used it but was planning on picking it up this weekend.
Morse Cracker
Studying Morse Code remains an integral part of all pilot training exams, and is suitable for both civil and military use. When in flight, having practiced with the ‘Morse Cracker’ will help you I.D those NDB’s easily! This interactive CD makes learning this useful code easier to master. Includes three learning functions. A ‘text to code’ option which allows you to enter a letter of the alphabet and the computer produces the morse conversion, both visually and audibly. A ‘Mouse Key’ option allows your actual keying accuracy to be assessed, and there is a random test with “reveal” window to check learning progress. For use on your PC, just load the CD ROM and it will auto run.
Morse Cracker Multi-media CD Ł12.95
I haven't used it but was planning on picking it up this weekend.
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I had to be able to send and receive 18 words per minute when I was in the army.
There is no easy way to learn it. It is a pain in the neck and time consuming. The best way is to learn in 6 letter groups. I forget what they are but a previous poster mentioned a link which might help. Start at 6 wpm, it is just right for learning the letters. Then once you have the letters down pat increase the speed a bit until you reach whatever speed you need. About two hours a day is enough time to spend on it.
It is frustrating but possible for anyone to do.
Oh and search the net for a morse player, there are plenty about for free which are quite good. That’s what I used to help me as well as tapes.
Good luck
There is no easy way to learn it. It is a pain in the neck and time consuming. The best way is to learn in 6 letter groups. I forget what they are but a previous poster mentioned a link which might help. Start at 6 wpm, it is just right for learning the letters. Then once you have the letters down pat increase the speed a bit until you reach whatever speed you need. About two hours a day is enough time to spend on it.
It is frustrating but possible for anyone to do.
Oh and search the net for a morse player, there are plenty about for free which are quite good. That’s what I used to help me as well as tapes.
Good luck
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DJG
Did you say you needed it for your Instrument rating!!
Come to the US, where we have learned that radios for voice communication can be bought for about $5.
This is yet again an other artifact that proves how very staid the systems in Europe are, in their reluctance to accept change,and actually do something meaningful toward aviation progress.
Imagine that you had to study why aircraft crashed due to pilot errors. This is only a rhetorical question, because no CAA official would be caught doing so, of course. But just imagine that you did this, and wrote down the top 1,000 causes for pilot error. Ok, so exactly WHERE on that 1,000 item list would we put the item, "Didn't know Morse Code"?
I rest my case. If I had to train my son to fly, and worried that his brain could hold only so much useful information, why, oh why would I waste his intellectual capacity on that?
As you study the code, just picture the facts you COULD be learning on wind shear, VRS, icing, combustion, fuel hazards, rotor balance, ..........
Oh, I give up!
dit dit dit dah dah dah dit dit dit
Did you say you needed it for your Instrument rating!!
Come to the US, where we have learned that radios for voice communication can be bought for about $5.
This is yet again an other artifact that proves how very staid the systems in Europe are, in their reluctance to accept change,and actually do something meaningful toward aviation progress.
Imagine that you had to study why aircraft crashed due to pilot errors. This is only a rhetorical question, because no CAA official would be caught doing so, of course. But just imagine that you did this, and wrote down the top 1,000 causes for pilot error. Ok, so exactly WHERE on that 1,000 item list would we put the item, "Didn't know Morse Code"?
I rest my case. If I had to train my son to fly, and worried that his brain could hold only so much useful information, why, oh why would I waste his intellectual capacity on that?
As you study the code, just picture the facts you COULD be learning on wind shear, VRS, icing, combustion, fuel hazards, rotor balance, ..........
Oh, I give up!
dit dit dit dah dah dah dit dit dit
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Just relax!!!
Use the tapes but relax, you might be concentrating so hard that if you miss a letter you are so focused on the missed letter that you end up missing the next 2-3 letters.
I think tapes are the way to go as they are consistent. Several years ago I had (past tense) an ICOM receiver and I noticed that different ham operators actual had their own unique keying style, giving the morse code a slight twist. It was fun until lightning struck my long-wire antennae and fried the insides.
Use the tapes but relax, you might be concentrating so hard that if you miss a letter you are so focused on the missed letter that you end up missing the next 2-3 letters.
I think tapes are the way to go as they are consistent. Several years ago I had (past tense) an ICOM receiver and I noticed that different ham operators actual had their own unique keying style, giving the morse code a slight twist. It was fun until lightning struck my long-wire antennae and fried the insides.
Helicopter Pilots Get It Up Quicker
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It's also interesting that the 'original' users of morse - the merchant marine stopped using it several years ago, the coast radio station operators were a pleasure to listen to.
I can no longer send it nor receive it without great difficulty - learnt it about 18 years ago and never ever used it in anger!
I believe that the relevant authorities are also going to scrap it's requirement for an HF amateur licence in the near future.
I can no longer send it nor receive it without great difficulty - learnt it about 18 years ago and never ever used it in anger!
I believe that the relevant authorities are also going to scrap it's requirement for an HF amateur licence in the near future.
Iconoclast
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Sez who?
It is frustrating but possible for anyone to do.
To me it was a stream of lights. The same was true when I went into the radio shack and the radiomen were transmitting using a “Bug”.
Nick beat me to the punch on this one....
Morse code is something I remember my old man learning back in the '70's for his ATPL. What an atiquated idea.
Considering the poor quality of pilot that is produced from your average IFR course, I fully agree that there are more important things to be concerned with. Perhaps they should ditch the morse and teach some operational GPS IFR skills instead?
How can the JAA system be touted as the epitomy and still have standards from WWII. Please God, don't let this get out of the EU!
But on the other hand, Morse may be handy the next time I am trapped in an upturned ocean liner for communicating with the search parties...
I sure hope they've done their IFR
Morse code is something I remember my old man learning back in the '70's for his ATPL. What an atiquated idea.
Considering the poor quality of pilot that is produced from your average IFR course, I fully agree that there are more important things to be concerned with. Perhaps they should ditch the morse and teach some operational GPS IFR skills instead?
How can the JAA system be touted as the epitomy and still have standards from WWII. Please God, don't let this get out of the EU!
But on the other hand, Morse may be handy the next time I am trapped in an upturned ocean liner for communicating with the search parties...
I sure hope they've done their IFR
Gatvol
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Yes, Nick beat all of us here in the States. Whats to learn, Listen to the sound compare it to the diagram on the Charts....
Another Antiquated Licensing system yet to be revamped. Im betting they still have tubes in their Radios.
76s guys
Another Antiquated Licensing system yet to be revamped. Im betting they still have tubes in their Radios.
76s guys
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Come on guys, if they can teach it to boyscouts...........
And you still have to positively ID any beacon, localiser, VOR's and what have you..........last time I checked !
.-. --- - --- .-. -.. -.-
And you still have to positively ID any beacon, localiser, VOR's and what have you..........last time I checked !
.-. --- - --- .-. -.. -.-
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Some of you may laugh at this idea, but I've been using Microsoft FS 2000 to learn morse code. Just locate the aircraft at various airfields in your area, tune in to various VORs and NDBs in your area (on your sectional chart), and listen to the broadcasts. The airnav.com website also has a list of radio aids, along with the usual AFD (which I don't have). An AIM/FAR has the morse code chart, so with this, a nav aids reference and Microsoft FS 2000 (or 2002) you're in business.
BTW, I've found that FS 2000 is useful for a few things, like learning morse code, learning the basics of how to capture a VOR radial or an ILS, practicing some cross country with nav aids, learning the basics of GPS navigation, stuff like that. It's actually quite useful for practicing certain aspects of IR training.
BTW, I've found that FS 2000 is useful for a few things, like learning morse code, learning the basics of how to capture a VOR radial or an ILS, practicing some cross country with nav aids, learning the basics of GPS navigation, stuff like that. It's actually quite useful for practicing certain aspects of IR training.
I'm afraid I'm part of the great unwashed who doesn't know Morse. Identing a VOR or NDB the pilot part of me gets irritated that I haven't learned it and I should, the engineer part of me wonders why the hell they can't put a voice ident on it. Can anybody recommend a good self-teach tape or tapes - I spend a couple of hours a day driving so that would be my preferred route.
Incidentally, back in WW2 the SOE operatives in France and Benelux (spies) used to transmit back to the UK in encrypted Morse. It was a matter of policy that the same UK end operator used to communicate with the same agent. The reason was that if an agent had been captured and their codebook obtained, although the Germans could try and transmit, they could almost certainly never manage to correctly imitate the misfortunate agent's "fist".
G
N.B. We only learned semaphore when I was in Boy Scouts. Would probably have been of some use had we been sea Scouts, but never seemed all that useful on night hikes.
Incidentally, back in WW2 the SOE operatives in France and Benelux (spies) used to transmit back to the UK in encrypted Morse. It was a matter of policy that the same UK end operator used to communicate with the same agent. The reason was that if an agent had been captured and their codebook obtained, although the Germans could try and transmit, they could almost certainly never manage to correctly imitate the misfortunate agent's "fist".
G
N.B. We only learned semaphore when I was in Boy Scouts. Would probably have been of some use had we been sea Scouts, but never seemed all that useful on night hikes.
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Thanks for your many replies and help! Don't get me started about the importancy of this code, but it's something I have to qualify for in order to fly my IR exam.
DJG
DJG
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Come on Mr Lappos, you're supposed to ID your Navaids (which transmit at about 5wpm) and if you know the code at that speed it saves a bit of frigging around with your Jepp.
I remember being a co-pilot in an S61 watching with amazement as the (Senior) Captain turned unflinchingly towards a North Sea NDB which was pointing nicely but with the wrong ID and which little event would have RUN US OUT OF FUEL. When we move to voice ID, then forget morse, in the meantime it can matter.
As a matter of interest I learned it when I was 10 or 11 and it stuck, at least at slow speeds.
PS In a survival situation at night you can even send intelligent messages like "Need Brandy and Dry ginger" rather than setting fire to things, prancing about and hoping someone gets the message!
I remember being a co-pilot in an S61 watching with amazement as the (Senior) Captain turned unflinchingly towards a North Sea NDB which was pointing nicely but with the wrong ID and which little event would have RUN US OUT OF FUEL. When we move to voice ID, then forget morse, in the meantime it can matter.
As a matter of interest I learned it when I was 10 or 11 and it stuck, at least at slow speeds.
PS In a survival situation at night you can even send intelligent messages like "Need Brandy and Dry ginger" rather than setting fire to things, prancing about and hoping someone gets the message!
Old paddlers die, it's a shame the young don't want to learn all the tools
In the American documentry.Independance Day.
I recall that the Bill Pullman lead a counter attack, and the orders were sent out in Morse Code.
I say Lady G: The Americans are doing away with one of their own ----- Samuel Morse.
How's the semaphore progressing?
And in case you don't know: to paddle refers to a type of morse key.
I recall that the Bill Pullman lead a counter attack, and the orders were sent out in Morse Code.
I say Lady G: The Americans are doing away with one of their own ----- Samuel Morse.
How's the semaphore progressing?
And in case you don't know: to paddle refers to a type of morse key.
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Boiling point!!
At first I laughed when I heard the U.K C A A/jaa are making candidates for instrument ratings learn Morse code, but then I cringed! 
It is really just another piece of pathetic pommy irrelevent B.S, that only makes an already overpriced course even more expensive and further out of reach to a regular hard working devouted Joe Bloggs trying to get his/ her foot in the door, by funding it him/ herself, or even a recreational Pilot trying to improve his/ her skills and make him/ herself a safer pilot!
Studying Morse Code is not an integral part of all pilot training!
However, Good flight planning is!
I definitely believe that one day someday, somebody with a bit of pull and a lot of balls will stand up to the CAA and say
"Stop, dishing out pointless, useless total and utter crap, and stop making things more awkward, and expensive then it has to be and stop using the mantra all in the name of safety, cause its not any safer then the FAA or most other Aviation Authorities for that matter! And just more thing, get with the times, or your all fired!"
I fail to see how saturating your brain with so much irrelevant outdated technology is supposed to make you a superior pilot!
But unfortunately my phsycic powers don't envision this happening any time soon.
How any up and comming self sponsered European pilot is going to make a living in this business is beyond me!
Hopefully I am wrong!
It is really just another piece of pathetic pommy irrelevent B.S, that only makes an already overpriced course even more expensive and further out of reach to a regular hard working devouted Joe Bloggs trying to get his/ her foot in the door, by funding it him/ herself, or even a recreational Pilot trying to improve his/ her skills and make him/ herself a safer pilot!
Studying Morse Code is not an integral part of all pilot training!
However, Good flight planning is!
I definitely believe that one day someday, somebody with a bit of pull and a lot of balls will stand up to the CAA and say
"Stop, dishing out pointless, useless total and utter crap, and stop making things more awkward, and expensive then it has to be and stop using the mantra all in the name of safety, cause its not any safer then the FAA or most other Aviation Authorities for that matter! And just more thing, get with the times, or your all fired!"
I fail to see how saturating your brain with so much irrelevant outdated technology is supposed to make you a superior pilot!
But unfortunately my phsycic powers don't envision this happening any time soon.
How any up and comming self sponsered European pilot is going to make a living in this business is beyond me!
Hopefully I am wrong!