Different people have different styles of learning. Amateur Radio Operator KB3BYT in Jim Thorpe,
Pennsylvania, suggests that this
code listening tool may be very helpful to some beginners just getting started on learning
the International Morse Code. If it looks like it might be helpful to you,
give it a try. Here are his steps for using the Decoding Tree chart below to learn Morse Code:
- Print the chart on your printer.
- Place your pencil on START and listen to Morse Code.
- Move down and to the right every time you hear a DIT (a dot).
- Move down and to the left every time you hear a DAH (a dash).
- Here's an example: The code DAH DIT DIT is sent,
which is a dash, then a dot, then a dot.
- At START you hear a DAH, so move down and left to the T.
- Then you hear a DIT so you move down and right to the N.
- Then you hear another DIT so you move down and right again and land on the D.
- Then comes a longer space, so write down the letter D on your copy paper.
- Jump back to START waiting for your next letter.
- Listen to computer practice code (or code tapes) while tracing out this chart.
You will soon find yourself writing down the letters without the aid of the chart.
- The chart brings repetition together with recognition,
which you don't get from any other type of code practice aid.
You can use
Signalman Sam's Morse Code Transmitter
to send you lots of practice messages.
Just type in some text and click "Play". To use this chart you'll want to set the speed
low at the beginning - try "Speed" 8 wpm and "Farnsworth Speed" 2 wpm for a start.
Of course there are still punctuations and prosigns to learn. However, if you've mastered
letters and numbers you are very well on your way. A few more words of wisdom from KB3BYT
for the beginning Morse Code operator:
- The key to learning the code is hearing it and comprehending it while you hear it.
- The way to get there is to practice just ten minutes every day.
Here we introduce the entire alphabet potentially all at once,
but at a rate slow enough that you can use the decoder tree chart until you
become familiar with the sounds and begin to associate them directly with the
characters.
Signalman Sam's Morse Code Course takes rather a different approach.
There we introduce each character individually and
you learn to associate the sound with the letter from the first.
You certainly can combine the two approaches and use the messages from Sam's Morse Course
at very slow speed with the decoder tree. Even though you're using the chart,
you need not tackle the entire character set immediately.