Callsign | VR2GW |
Name | Dominic Ho |
QTH | SIU SAI WAN CHAI WAN HONG KONG SAR, PRC E 114.15' N 22.15' |
Grid Square | OL72DG |
Zone | ITU 44 CQ 24 |
![]() | AS-006 |
Local Time | UTC + 8 hr
|
QSL Info. | G.P.O. Box 7191 HONG KONG |
ICQ | 23787374 |
Louise Ramsey Moreau, W3WRE
The ARRL Operating Manual, 6th Ed., The ARRL Newington, 1997, pp. 17-25
1. |
Do not waste your time in taking slow speed training below 12 wpm, this not only wastes your time but also
builds up the bad habit of "Translating". Please refer to Farnsworth Speed and Koch Method.
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2. |
Do not recite or study any code chart including "dot-dash", symbol and any kinds of visual clue for the codes. Do not even
study the "Di Dah" table, it can only be referred to from time to time. Do not remember codes by correlating them to
any sound alike words or counting the short/long composition of a code. All these will only build up / reinforce the
"Translating" habit.
3.
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Do not "Translate". Once you get the habit of translating, you have to painfully struggle to throw it away before
you can pass your exam. By "Translating", it means when one hears a code, he has to go through conscious
thinking processes before he can write down the code. Such thinking processes include searching a mapping table in
one's mind, correlating the sound and counting the dot-dash of the code etc... The Morse we are learning should be a
reflex which does not require any kind of conscious thinking. After you hear the code, you can then write it down right away.
You can find lots of Morse learners (especially unsuccessful ones) introducing or describing their different kinds of charts
which help them to remember the code. But you seldom hear a good telegrapher mention similar things. It is because they
do not translate. It is not possible to "Translate" in high speed Morse. | If you do not comprehend, please refer to this example. When somebody spell you a word "AT" and ask you to write it down, you will write "A" when you hear "A" and write "T" when you hear "T". No one will think about the sharp roof of a village house, and then add a dash inside so as to write an "A". If somebody really do so, he will still be thinking about the second alphabet when people start to spell the next word.
4.
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As Morse is a trained reflex, the most effective way of learning is "practise, practise, practise". It would be better if we
can arrange a daily schedule for practise. If time is limited, a 15 minutes section each day is always better than a two
hour section once a week. The best and only effective way to learn Morse is "More practise"! |
5.
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Practise listening or copying first and try sending only after one has achieved accurate copying at the right timing
and speed. If you copy, write it down and file them for monitoring purposes. You can use a computer software or
electronic device to generate good codes for copying. One should avoid copying QSOs on air unless it is specially
designed for training purposes, it is because those QSOs may have included personal styles or even wrong
timings and beginners find it hard to differentiate goods from bads. Sending practise can also be setup with similar ways, but do not expect
any decoder to decode 100% of the codes you sent. Normally, when a decoder can accurately decode 85%, you are
ready to take your exam. Finding an OM to listen to your code and give you advices from time to time is, of course,
very important. |
6.
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The keys for learning Morse are "Method" and "Persistence", your cleverness or proficiency in English does not really
make any difference. Good "Method" may vary with your style, situation, habits and time limitations. Below are some
web pages which content very useful information for beginners and telegrapher of different levels. It will definitely be
rewarding to spend some time studying them.
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This article is extracted from the "FAQ" pages that I wrote for two of the local HAM societies' web pages when I was their FAQ editor. Those pages are not maintained anymore and most links are dead. So, I repost it here.
Morse Links