| Author |
Message |
    
Chester
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 04, 2004 - 10:37 am: | 
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A question for only those who have successfully passed the Morse code test.
What training method did you use? And how long did you study?
Forum members, I know about the plans to drop the Morse code testing. But I still would like to learn this.
I am just looking for advise on learning.
Thanks! |
Crafter
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 04, 2004 - 1:48 pm: |
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I used super morse on the computer and Gordon West tapes, Study time truely it took about a year not that its hard but I'm nearly deaf due too 50cal machine gun in my ears for years. There is also code quick I tried and it helped abit. Best bet is the w5yi tapes or gordon west tapes. I recently donated mine to that yahoo group to give away, they give them to people wanting to upgrade and pass them along. I still got Super Morse if you want it though. |
Barracuda
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 04, 2004 - 2:54 pm: |
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Chester,
While I have not yet taken the Element 1 test, I am studying for it. I asked a similar question of local hams. Several suggested the Koch Method CW trainer software (freeware) put out by G4FON. I have used it and find that it works well for me. It has a number of interesting features that let you customize the learning experience or just use their method. It can also read and "play" text files, so you could get QSO files from other sources and use them.
Some neet features are variable signal strength, noise level, QRM and QSB, plus variable character speed and effective speed.
Anyway, like I said, it seems to work for me, maybe it will work for you too. The cost is right in any case.
Just my 2cents,
Good Luck,
Barracuda |
Kb5lpa
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 04, 2004 - 8:37 pm: |
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Chester,
I passed all three code exams that were given (5,13,and 20 wpm). I used the Gordon West tapes from Radio Shack to learn the characters. At the old Novice speed of 5 wpm, your brain works on a look up table system. For that speed that system will work. For the faster (no longer tested speeds) I used tapes from Wayne Green of 73 magazine(sk..the magazine not him). They were sent using 5 character groups in a 1 hour format cassette. The first 15 minutes was devoted only to letters. The second 15 minutes was letters with numbers mixed in. Mostly numbers. On side "B" the next segment was letters, numbers, and punctuation. Emphasis on the punctuation. The final 15 minutes of the tape was random groups. Could be all letters, could be all numbers, could be all punctuation. Fact is if you truly know the sounds, you can copy it. No worries about memorizing it either. No way. I passed the 13 wpm with 100% copy. Used his 20+ wpm tape for the test and it worked equally well.
As far as how long to learn depends on the individual. I spent 15-30 minutes a day while learning the letters,numbers and punctuation. Took about three weeks to get confident. As for the others I spent about 1 month prior to the tests hitting it every day. Since the higher speeds are no longer given,allow 2 weeks or so. Again depends on how much practice and time you put in.
Learn it with fast characters sent with big spaces. That way when the spaces get smaller, the sound is the same. You'll be copying at comfortable qso speeds in no time.
73 de KB5LPA |
Radiodude
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 04, 2004 - 11:29 pm: |
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Dont bother to study you wont need to. Take the tech and wait till they make it a non-requirement then you auto become a general class. CW is an outdated mode and has very little use these days.
As Sam Morse said " this is to be used till something better comes along".
Something has!! |
Kb5lpa
| | Posted on Thursday, February 05, 2004 - 8:25 am: |
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RD,
What you say is probably going to happen in some form or the other. However, if one decides they want to learn the code, then they should get as much info about it as possible.
I am not a big cw operator. Sometimes I do enjoy a casual qso with the old straight key. It is a fun way to communicate and this hobby is about providing a service and having some fun while you are doing it. Also by learning the code a person has one more available mode to use. This is always good as Mother Nature sometimes does not see fit to allow very good voice communications.
With that said, I have never really understood the need for a code exam(past) but in the vernacular,I am a newbie(only licensed 14 years) so I did not take my tests in the FCC offices. I only had to draw a diagram on my Novice test. The rest were VE sessions and the study books were multiple choice. So to some I don't know what amateur radio is all about.
I always hear the argument that code will get through when ssb will not. There is some truth to that. CW is also very good when working dx because some of the ops in dx countries do not have the luxury of as good of equipment as many of us do. I can say that in my years as a ham there has been one instance where cw allowed me to complete a qso when ssb faded into the noise level. Was working a Hawaiian station and surfing the grey line and the grey went to complete dark. We switched over to cw and concluded our contact. Aside from that one instance, that was it for me.I know more times than I can imagine this situation comes up. I am a casual op so I don't get real worked up if the conditions change. Now a serious cw op would argue that point until the "cows come home" but I don't bother with those types either. Wastes time. CW is old and that is a fact. It is still on the books as a mode of operation and my take is get the license, continue to learn and enjoy the radio. If learning cw is something one wants to do, "Git-R-Done".
73 de KB5LPA |
Ozzie
| | Posted on Thursday, February 05, 2004 - 8:36 am: |
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I passed two exams - one in Australia and one here. In Australia I just let the CW tapes play in the background while running around in the works truck (8-9 hours aday)over a two week period. Passed CW at 13wpm first time round.
Re-learned CW 10 years later for my exams here and had more trouble with 5wpm than I had at the higher speed. Here I used SuperMorse (Thanks Crafter).
Hey RadioDude _ What Better Has come along?? CW will still get thru when other modes, including digital modes wont. CW can be used on a radio that only keys up but wont pass any audio thru the transmitter. Not arguing, per se, just wondering what you believe is better?? |
Phineas
| | Posted on Thursday, February 05, 2004 - 9:51 am: |
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Code Quick, and a program called Numorse. Passed the CW test in 2 weeks.
Phineas |
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