What Morse Code Taught Me
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ต.ค. 2024
- Follow me as I dive head first into learning Morse Code. I've always had an interest in learning Morse, I even downloaded a keyboard for my phone so I could type with it. It didn't last very long... So in my journey to learn Morse I decided it was a good opportunity to create a video to document it, and to teach so I can have a deeper understanding of it. I really tried staying consistent, practicing everyday, but I often let other things get in the way. My goal was to complete a QSO practice at 5WPM with 15WPM Farnsworth timing. Farnsworth timing is something used to help people like me learn Morse Code. The dots and dashes play at 15wpm, but the spacing between letters and words play at the 5wpm, allowing me to catch up in between.
I used the site aa9pw.com/morse... to practice. I took me about 2-3 months to reach my goal and I am beyond happy. This could have been a big waste of time, I probably should have used this time to learn something like coding, but I do not regret it. Morse isn't being used anymore except by enthusiasts, so if anyone would like to learn it so that I could have someone to talk to, that would be much appreciated!
Learning any skill tests your patience, but practicing Morse code has, in a strange way, forced me to be more present, and has helped me listen to others. At my skill level, I have to pay extreme attention to the sounds so my mind can decrypt everything. Some negative consequences, I now hear every small noise coming out of my computer and can't seem to ignore them...
I really hope you've enjoyed the video, and if you'd like to see another video like this, we're thinking of turning them into a series, so comment what you'd like the 47 Filmworks team to learn next. While you're there, let us know what new skills you've been developing. .... .- ...- . .- -. .-. . . - .. . .- .-.-.-
Video created by: Jacob Markham
Information from this video can be found at en.wikipedia.o...
Also if you want an interesting, but very confusing read about Morse Code and VOR stations, check here: en.wikipedia.o...
Archival Footage: archive.org/
Follow me as I dive head first into learning Morse Code. I've always had an interest in learning Morse, I even downloaded a keyboard for my phone so I could type with it. It didn't last very long... So in my journey to learn Morse I decided it was a good opportunity to create a video to document it, and to teach so I can have a deeper understanding of it. I really tried staying consistent, practicing everyday, but I often let other things get in the way. My goal was to complete a QSO practice at 5WPM with 15WPM Farnsworth timing. Farnsworth timing is something used to help people like me learn Morse Code. The dots and dashes play at 15wpm, but the spacing between letters and words play at the 5wpm, allowing me to catch up in between.
I used the site aa9pw.com/morse... to practice. I took me about 2-3 months to reach my goal and I am beyond happy. This could have been a big waste of time, I probably should have used this time to learn something like coding, but I do not regret it. Morse isn't being used anymore except by enthusiasts, so if anyone would like to learn it so that I could have someone to talk to, that would be much appreciated!
Learning any skill tests your patience, but practicing Morse code has, in a strange way, forced me to be more present, and has helped me listen to others. At my skill level, I have to pay extreme attention to the sounds so my mind can decrypt everything. Some negative consequences, I now hear every small noise coming out of my computer and can't seem to ignore them...
I really hope you've enjoyed the video, and if you'd like to see another video like this, we're thinking of turning them into a series, so comment what you'd like the 47 Filmworks team to learn next. While you're there, let us know what new skills you've been developing. .... .- ...- . .- -. .-. . . - .. . .- .-.-.-
Video created by: Jacob Markham
Information from this video can be found at en.wikipedia.o...
Also if you want an interesting, but very confusing read about Morse Code and VOR stations, check here: en.wikipedia.o...
Archival Footage: archive.org/
Would you like to buy a T-Shirt, Hoodie, or More? Visit our online store! 47merch.ca
Would you like to translate our videos? Please use this link to help us out: www.youtube.com...
#morsecode #learn #documentary
What should I learn next?
Jujutsu
Hi what else you like ?🎉
@@KN4YEM I really like chess but I’m not that good at it yet! What about you?
@@Tortelikeatiger Well I like radios and listening and communicating as far my signal can reach. I listen to music and trying to stop smoking cigarettes. Plus stay motivated in life ect.
@@KN4YEM Just keep at it and following your passion, I believe in you!
You should get your amateur radio license and get on the air with it! If you don't have anyone share your learning with, you'll lose it.
Its been almost 9 months since I started to learn morse code. I pretty much now use it every day on the amateur radio bands, either chatting with random people, hunting or activating parks on the air, or whatever. I love it!
That’s awesome!
I believe a common mistake is so try to learn slow speed. It's good to have separation between characters but they should be sent at higher speed for the brain to really learn them as a sound instead of a collection of dots and lines.
That's exactly the principle of Koch & Farnsworth combined.
Yes that would have been smart…
Watched the video ...and loved it....but at the end you asked "Why learn something that isn't used anymore?". As you no doubt know from the comments section ....the code Jedi's, are still out there and USING it daily! May the Morse be with you my young Paduan. :)
I can't believe how awesome of a community this is, there is so much support and it's so cool to know that people are really passionate about keeping morse alive.
This is a quality production. music, theme, progression, acting , narration
This is an excellent short film!
At 74 I’ve lived a life of inexhaustible curiosity. This resulted in a working knowledge of many skills, arts, languages and sports. Just keep learning, everything and anything that causes that need for knowledge and understanding. Remember knowledge is power and protection. Good luck.
I started CW in 1988. I struggled at the wall (10 WPM) but to help, I was told to just play it in the background all the time without writing anything. Before I knew it I found myself thinking in morse. Now, all these years later….. I love it more than ever.
Hi Jacob
keep going with morse and don't give up. What a cool video. 73 from PY5WTS
Bang on! Stay interested. I'm 61 and I think you've convinced me to learn morse.
Music to my ears! Best of luck!
The production quality, editing and feel of this are insane. Such a great video. Thank you.
Thank you! I really appreciate it and am so happy you enjoyed it
I actually watched this all the way through. (most 'learning morse videos are crap) A very personal video about your journey learning morse made it quite interesting. learning morse or other 'forgotten' skills can be simply enjoyment for its own sake. You don't have to justify it.
Thank you so much, you don’t know how much that means. I’m guessing you’ve learnt morse code?
Thank you for posting this. When my elderly neighbor fell in her apartment last week and was unable to get up, she pounded on a wall in her apartment. I interpreted the pounding as my neighbor was hanging pictures. Granted, it was after eight pm, but that’s what I took the tapping to mean. It was exactly the sound of someone tapping nails into a wall. When I talked to other people since I mention S O S and no one I spoke with from forty to eighty five years of age knew what S O S meant or why to use it.
As to you sharing honestly your journey with creating a project to gain a certain proficiency with Morris Code. I’m at the end of my life. You are at the beginning of yours. Seeing your video reminded me of what it’s like to be young person in today’s world. I guess, that if I need to tap out S O S I’ll just have to hope someone hears it and responds to “That funny repeating pattern.”
I got introduced to Morse Code in 1990. I was at a village fete in Wales and there was this old guy in a VW camper in there with the door open and the sound of morse. I was drawn to it like a moth to a flame.
He told me that he was talking to people all over the world in Morse code, showed me the list of people that he'd spoken to that day and, to my amazement was able to hold a (verbal) conversation with me while also carrying on a separate conversation with someone else in code.
I was blown away.
"I could never do anything like that..." I said.
"I'll teach you", he replied.
Trevor was one of the ships radio operators on HMS Newfoundland during WWII. I learned from a man who was a part of history. A man who, very well may have been the man who sent the notification that the Japanese surrender had been signed back to London.
He patiently taught me and practiced with me. I learned. After about six months I was up to 14wpm, over and above the examination level that I needed to get my own (full) radio license.
Then came the day of the exam, and he was one of the three volunteers who examined me.
I cannot emphasize how much of a life-changing experience learning Morse code has been for me. It taught me that I could do things that I believed were impossible, even 'superhuman', if I were willing to invest the time in doing it.
I owe much of my success in life to this lesson, and to the man who gifted it to me.
RIP Trevor, GW4XQK - Silent Key.
This is a beautiful story, thank you so much for sharing. It’s amazing to have people like that in your life who believe in you more than you do yourself.
Learning is never a waste of time. You should get your HAM license now. I am 56 and learning Morse Code now as well. I have casually used Morse Code for over 3 decades as a pilot. Great job young man!
I'm struggling now learning morse code. Your video is very interesting now i see that persistence is key.
Don’t give up! It will come, and soon enough you’ll be way better than me
The Long Island CW Club teaches Morse code.
If i would live in the states i would join them but i live in the Netherlands 🥴
This is really cool. I am a techno producer, drummer, and dancer, and writer. Now I'm starting to think about how I can use morse in my techno and create stories with rhythms. Minimal techno is often made of bleeps and bloops so the sky is the limit. If I could learn morse I could play out stories live with modular synthesis or sequence interesting things!
That’s such a neat idea! Please do it!
A modern day plato? "be bored or interested but never idle" I found this fascinating. Good work young man, hope you continued your morse code journey. Pursue amateur radio where you can use your new skill. I can also compliment you on a very well filmed, edited and produced video, you've got some awesome skills in this discipline too.
Haha 😂 thank you! I’m really glad you enjoyed the video. I’ve definitely discovered how active the Morse code community is with this video and it’s inspired me to pursue it further. As for video, it’s been a passion for all my life. You’re compliments mean a lot, thank you.
I was initially impressed with your diligence in learning a new skill. I'm now even more impressed with your skills of filmmaking and how thoughtful you are at a young age.
I'm sure you don't consider yourself at a young age, I didn't either when I was your age. As someone who took a really long time to learn Morse code, I can appreciate how challenging it is. The documentary that you've created is definitely impressive. The thought that you put in to the perspective, given how different it is from the world that you grew up in, is super impressive!
I am still slowly learning morse code. I started as I am at risk of vision loss. A lot of visually impaired have learned morse code as an input method on smartphones. With only a dot and dash, you don't need vision to use the touch keyboard.
I am also doing it for the cool factor and as I also tend to learn whenever I get time unusable for other activities. Like I might learn to tie a knot, learn a new navigation buoy or draw a chinese character, while waiting for a bus.
I’m really sorry to hear about you having that risk, but I think it’s so cool you’re learning Morse code just in case. It’s amazing how something so simple can make such a profound impact in someone’s life. That’s also amazing that you’re picking up all of those hobbies! Makes me really happy knowing people are spending time doing things they enjoy and learning new things.
I have taken the don't take learning too seriously, if it interests me, I just start learning, with no goals basically just do it. It has worked out well, I know grammar and partially 2500 words in 4 languages, am learning kayaking, next sailing, then navigation. Hoping to design and build a really small simple boat this year, another first. Have written a sound analyzer to help visualize sound, so I can try and write a morse decoder. Had to learn some math like ffts to do that. Also learning math for bezier curves to help with boat design. Don't get me started on how much fun playing with microcontrollers is ... lol. That sums up my last 3 years. Lots of ideas in there.
@@bsheldon2000 That is spectacular... that is my dream, just to follow a bunch of hobbies and learn everything I can about the world. Have you been documenting your projects in any way? I'd love to see the boat once it's finished.
9:12 SK stands for Silent Key. It referse to a CW (Morse) operator that is deceased or has sent their last contact.
Summits on the Air, Parks on the Air
I think that's a good thing that you're always trying to find something to learn. I live my life by that, 'learn something new every day". I love your Dad's sense of humor, reminds me of mine.
Morse code has always interested me, but I've never been able to process that fast. Also, I was always worried that because I stutter, I would also stutter in Morse Code (joking, kind of). Congrats on learning it.
What have been your favourite things that you have learnt? Also, if Morse interests you, I think you should at least give it a try!
It’s a reminder that binary communication long preceded the mechanical or electronic systems that we currently use.
It is still used. It does not require a computer. It has advantages over other modes when you need something simple and signals are weak. It has saved lives when voice modes were not strong enough.
I identified with every frustating moment! I decided to learn MC at the age of 58 for my ham radio hobby, and I'm still working at proficiency. What a great fillm! And what a fabulous quote at the end....
When common people with zero background try to learn CW they usually make the same mistakes.
First one I noticed here was writing down dits/dahs. That's exactly what you shouldn't do and it slowed you down for sure. You must learn directly the sounds. Without any counting of formants (in this case dits and dahs). And exactly because of that, the speed of the code should be fast enough to prevent exactly this mistake. Your "goal" should normally be a starting point! In that case it will not allow you writing dits/dahs then translate them "offline" and force you directly learn the sounds.
Looking back now, this makes a ton of sense. I didn’t read or watch any videos about how to learn Morse before starting but I definitely should have. What speed do you suggest to start at?
@@Tortelikeatiger 20 WPM (100 CPM) but with intercharacter spaces adjusted for less... maybe 10-12 WPM. With "correct" value you should be under certain pressure.
I find that when I listen to characters at 30 words per minute with spacing much slower I can no longer hear or count the dis and dahs, so I am forced to hear the sound. I have been at it off and on for years. I am almost there.
Well done, Sir. Learning MC was likely the most difficult activity i hav ever undertaken. I was desperate for a job, & one requirement was that i be proficient in MC to 12wpm. The other 3 gents hired with me ace'd in a few months, they were all musicians, so their brains were already for this. Took me 10mo & any day that I missed practice I found I slid back. One day o had a code QSO with Japan. That made it entirely worth the effort. Best 73 de VA3ROD
This is a great story, I'm so happy for you! and I agree, that would make it all worth it.
I am now 73. I got my HAM license at the age of 15, WA4VCN and worked what is called CW Traffic Nets. CW stands for carrier wave which is switching on and off the radio frequency being transmitted to create the morse code. Traffic nets are something like Western Union where messages are sent from one HAM to the other and sometimes relayed by phone to the "send to" name on the message. Then the local HAM calls that person on the phone and relays the message. This is a standard message. Remember before cell phones, phone calls were charged at high long distance rates.
The purpose of this is to provide a back-up and ongoing emergency communications system in case of a disaster. The traffic nets were always in place and ready to go. When all else fails, morse-code could be the only form of communication.
My advice is learn how to copy before you try to send. Select a course and take a group of 5 or so characters at a time. |
DO NOT ADVANCE until you have mastered each group.. Don't touch a key until you can receive all the characters without thinking about it.
The rhythm is extremely important. Don't try to send until you know exactly what each character sounds like.
Those traffic nets are interesting. I'm learning that Morse had a huge impact on the progress of human communication (more than I knew before). Also, thank you so much for the advice, I'm sure I would be far to scared to send anything out until I am "fluent" so no worries!
Wishing you the best!
Luv'd this. TY
Well done young man!!!
Hey man how you doing just want to say keep posting your fabulous top notch video ik you are not getting as much views as much u should get but honestly speaking I have this gut feeling your channel is going to explode soon keep grinding my man
Top quality production
This means the world… I love making videos like this, but I often let work get in the way. All of these comments are really inspiring me to take some time off and get back to my love of learning. I’ll definitely make more in the future! What would you like to see?
Switch to head copying. It will allow you to increase your spead.
Why? Because you can.
As a young boy, I said "I can't" and did I ever get an earful from an elder about how he never wanted to hear that word out of me again!
If you think you can or you think you can't, you're right.
And hey, nicely produced video. Apparently you can do that too ;-)
I can't agree with you more. It's so important to believe that everything is possible, because if you truly think it isn't, then you'll never try. Thank you so much!
Quite an interesting little film there about doing something that one might expect to have been hard, dull work for you, and _excruciatingly_ boring for us - quite an achievement in itself! (When I say 'dull' and 'boring', I'm talking about the actual learning process; _having_ Morse Code is a different thing entirely! Kinda like how it would be a chore to watch someone learning guitar, but you'd pay good money to listen to Rory Gallagher or Nels Cline...)
Anyway, something you mentioned towards the end there, about how you can tap out Morse Code (acoustically). Of course this is one of those tropes of old prison movies; probably real Morse if POW's, and presumably working laboriously through the alphabet like Hector 'Ding Dong' Salamanca in Better Call Saul, if regular convicts - but is this actually possible (the Morse version)? I mean, I can tap out SOS (the only Morse I know) on the table top... but you can't do a 'long' knock -- there's just 'knock' or 'no knock'! Same thing goes for "Don't answer unless they give the secret knock", etc. For simple signals of that sort, it's not a big deal, you can just do it instinctively, but if you think about it, it seems as if the knocks are actually the spaces, and the spaces become the dits and dahs, and when you are actually thinking about this consciously when you tap out 'SOS', it suddenly becomes somewhat harder to do! I suppose what I'm trying to get at is, is that 'all' that tapped - out Morse Code is? Just regular Morse, but 'in negative'? And if so, does one have to employ extra knocks, to 'bracket' silences so that they are understood to be spaces (as in 'not~spaces'!), and not just, you know, silence? And finally, for a practiced Morse Code operator, would using it in this fashion feel natural and instinctive, or would it be more a case of kind of grinding it out, tongue sticking out from between your teeth - kind - of - thing? I realize (if this is a recently posted video) that you probably still consider yourself a student and may not be so proficient that Morse feels entirely natural to you yet, but this is something I've wondered about for years (believe it or not!) and I figured you, or someone here in the comments perhaps, would have enough of an idea to put me straight on this issue... (Thanks, in hope!)
I have also been thinking about that same thing for years! I am really not sure, but hopefully someone here knows. Maybe once someone becomes really proficient, they are just able to hear the letters instinctively.
Well done Jacob, Keep the morse up and get on the air, Looking at your other videos you may even enjoy getting out portable. A length of wire a small transceiver and you can work the world with CW. Subscribed Great video well done.
I just think about morse code even I only know the name of morse code... So, I search about it and after two or three videos I found your video. I don't know I will continue to learn morse code or not, but I fell very lucky to found a great channel on TH-cam...
I really like your documentary style, who you present you journey to learn. I Just love❤ your video...
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s means a lot. Is there another skill or hobby you’d like to see explored?
@@Tortelikeatiger pen spinning...
BTW ... scouting no longer has any requirement to learn Morse Code. Also study for only 10 minutes at a time, then take a break. I have been using code for over 70 years.
You need a typewriter so you can quickly take down dots and dashes and transmissions as they come through. This can be done faster than by hand, especially if you're good at typing, like me.
Long time ago I learned Morse Code in order to become a radio amateur. First goal was to learn the code sign by sign. Increasing the speed took a long time of training. Some years later when I solved my military service, I could improve my Morse Code listening and sending speed up to about 20 wpm.
As told in this video, Morse Code is not teached to naval officers anymore. In our region there is a 'Marcom' club. It's members have been worked as communication officers. They try to conserve Morse Code communication as part of our technical heritage.
Another thing, Morse Code is related to, is civil aid in cases of emergency. It's rather easy to built a transmitter or receiver for Morse Code, much easier than for spoken speech. So when there isn't any communication network, sometimes during catastrophes radio amateurs helped to contact rescue teams by means of simple devices. So this ancient communication system can be used to save lifes. Well, sometimes we can see such things in action movies, where people knock their message. But, what is the difference between an 'long' and a 'short' knocking?
When I baught a pair of "Walkie Talkies" 20 years ago, the devices offered a push button for sending Morse tones. That seemed to be rather normal to me.
But at a newly built children's playing ground in my home village, a wall shows the Morse Codes of letters, numbers and some signs. That was a real surprice to me at a time, when almost every toy contains a computer.
So I'm sure that Morse Code will be survive as technical heritage as sail ships, steam locomotives and horse-drawn vehicles do.
I thank you, Jacob, for your challange, that braught almost forgotten Morse Code back to present time.
AM receiver is much simpler than CW/SSB :) even transmiter is not really that simple if you have to prevent clics. Regarding Neanderthal level, yes, CW is the simplest transmitter possible. But that one would fail any spurious emission test.
Actually, Morse code is used everyday by radio amateurs throughout the world to communicate with each other. Most public safety and utility services in the U.S. use Morse code to identify their call letters, as required by the federal government. Although not used as much these days, there are many of us who enjoy using Morse code. 73, de K3WR
That’s cool to know about the utility services still using them and I’m happy to know the Morse code community is still strong!
It was a long time ago but it seems like 13wpm is where you start to "copy behind". That is where the character you are writing is behind the character you are currently hearing. Don't worry. With practice it comes naturally.
Interesting...
fantastic video.
Glad you liked it!
No idea what the fist part said in intro but damn itd be a great sample in music
I hadn't known that morse code was a 'dead' skill. I knew that the requirement to know it was dropped from all amateur radio license classes but didn't know that navies had dropped it also. Maybe I'll learn Latin instead.
Learn them both!
Morse Code is not dead. It is the most efficient way of sending a message over the air and across multiple languages.
I absolutely agree! Being a binary code it can reach long distances without as much interference,unlike other forms of communication today
It is not "most efficient". Many digital modes are much better. This one (CW is still digital mode) has only one advantage: it can be sent and decoded without computer.
Morse code on the amateur radio frequency will open the world to you - literally. And this is coming from someone who has an amateur radio license and has yet to learn his first letter
Great job! I am learning CW now - I am 65 and a HAM. I want to learn and use it since it's part of HAM Radio history. I try to learn something new every day. One can not discount the benefit of learning. Work the mind and stay sharp! Thanks for sharing your journey. KI5IMV
Started at 20wpm char speed and 5-10wpm spacing. Immediately went to 25wpm char speed so I couldn’t count and had to feel the sound of each char. It’s actually crazy that after a while without even paying attention my brain can tell the difference between 5 and H or V and 4. Definitely can’t count that fast but your brain can tell the difference somehow.
That’s where I am now 25wpm and 10wpm spacing. I can do 15wpm but it feels like I’m struggling to keep up and get lost easily.
why waste time writing the dots and dashes?
Good point. I guess at the time I just felt that it was easier to see it visually as well as hearing it.
because you can
A great documentary!
Two days as I started learning morse. So... I know all the alphabet... understand 60% of what I recieve.. "Bored or interested, but never idle" is really what was pushing me further past two years, this also corelate with reason I started diving deep. Atleast one of them, the second is because of blackouts and i need a way to communicate with friend.
dunno what else to say so...
- .... .- -. -.-/ -.-- --- ..-/ ..-. --- .-. / - .... . / ...- .. -.. . ---/
.. - ... / .-. . .- .-.. .-.. -.-- / .-- . .-.. .-../ -- .- -.. ./
---.. ---..
An interesting adventure.
HAMs use international Morris code daily, you chose to learn it wrong. An instructor would say:
Visualize the letter "A" and then send an "A" at fifteen words a minute!
Knowing how to copy at five WPM is useless. Can you send it with your hand? That is taught in HAM classes in your nearby HAM club, at least a few of them. Ron W4BIN
Congratulations ! You can become a Ham now. Best 73
I been there, dude! 😅
5 WPM means most people can send and receive with some practice. Much less than 20. Larger audience.
Great way of looking at it!
Good job!!
Others are interested in ASL but that's limiting IMHO.
Audio, light, steganography, and others.
Hi Jacob, learn radio and electronics with Amateur radio! Put your morse to work! I can think of no better learning engine. Many young radio amateurs go on to great careers in electrical engineering, software or STEM in general...
I'm extremely tempted! It's just been hard to find the time to put towards my hobbies recently, but it's on the list of things I would like to explore. Thank you so much for watching my video!
Was that a school assignment or something? Pick a skill and make a documentary about your experience with it? You should be very proud of your progress with it. Well done! One point og correction though, morse code is not dead! Get your hands on a shortwave receiver and tune around. You'll find it out there. Happy SWL! 73's KF0FDF
I'd like to get your opinion on something that I think could make learning morse code easier as well as maybe revive it from the dead. I think if the dah where one octave lower than the dits our brains wouldn't have to work so hard to distinguish them. I read somewhere that they tried this with a group of students and they actually did better. I KNOW there's quite a few morse code die hards our there that would vehemently disagree with me but I think it's something worth exploring.
it is not even close to the principle of the receiver (which is basically the same as for SSB)
2nd - CW is not about SOUND signal. It is a digital (!!!) protocol using electromagnetic pulses with defined timing with the same frequency. That's why sidetone is still the same (sidetone is a difference between received signal and beat frequency oscillator in detector).
I definitely think it would be easier to distinguish, but like @tulenik71 said, Morse is traditionally sent and received as pulses of the same frequency. If you different sounds were used other equipment would probably be needed.
I’m not the expert though so I’m not really sure what’s possible!
I started to learn in 1969, got to 5WPM, but life happened
and I was away to long, now at 74 years old I wish I had kept
it up. Don't be like me....... ✋73's🎙KD9OAM🎧📻📡
That seems you didn't use CW extensively. When used systematically for long enough time it will become "permanent brain damage".
But in the beginnings, yes, any pause is a step back.
@@tulenik71 Yes like many things, I also took a course in spoken Japanese, but now couldn't order sushi, even if I wanted to eat raw fish.
DO NOT write the dits and dahs. Write the letter. Writing dits and dahs will only slow your learning process.
9:29 - "Morse code is only used by enthusiasts".
No. Morse code is still used in aviation. A lot of nav beacons transmit their identifiers as morse.
Yes! I was actually reading about that. Extremely cool
Get an Amateur License, as others recommended you before and stop mess around with 5wpm and Farnsworth. Farnsworth is bad and will keep you from getting proficient. Start with 12 wpm real speed by "PARIS" standard. learn 2-3 new characters every week and give your brain time to build up the wiring. If you are lazy and only grain 30 minutes a day you still will be able to read more or less flawless 12-15 wpm after half a year of training. If you are training like a madman, you can achieve that goal in about four months, maybe even more than that, maybe 20 wpm if you are very talented. Means you only get there with training, much of training, talent will help you a bit but it's not that essential.
Training is.
I learned Morse code around the time you recorded this clip here, about end of September 2021. I went on the bands with my poorly skills half a year later and worked on them until now, a year and a half in, with a year on the bands and daily training, also on the bands.
I survive 30-60 minute QSO, means what people call rag chew at around 18 wpm, sometimes 20 if I have a good day and that's also the speed I can send on a straight key.
Longest time on the band was last weekend, 5½ hours of QSO in SKD "straight key day" in Europe, while I was listening in for at least another hour and was calling CQ for at least another hour. So I was on the bands for a full day for that, which is something, that I should have done earlier and it actually brought me further in training than anything the computer could have given me. I recommend that.
Morse is a language. First it is a language, so learn it like a language, speak it with people, who are fluent in it, who are natives. Then you learn it. Don't do book-learning, don't do scout-Morse 5wpm and such follies. It gives you a wrong impression of what is proficiency. Learn head-reading, means you hear the code, the words spell out in your mind and form as words as while listening to the strange sounds, that a human voice can do. It is just another strange voice. That's all.
Do not write dits and dahs on your paper, write down the letters. Write small handwriting letters, current, not printing press style, that's too slow. To distinguish the letters write ū to distinguish from v, write e like ε to distinguish from small L, write ∅ for Zero to distinguish from o. Write clear and well readable, learn to write fast. Normally you come from school with about 10 wpm writing speed get it up to 12, which is easy. To get it up to 20 is hard and will take some time and training. After reaching 20, start training to head copy. You need the writing to build up the reflex in your brain. Do first copy with pencil, only with pencil, not with typing or the reflex will not build. After a year and a half my writing speed is about around 25 wpm, which is the speed I'm training to do, but I'm not there yet of course. My limit is around 18-20 wpm. Depending on the quality of the signal and my daily form.
So, this skill is something that needs serious effort and there is a reason why there never were too many operators for this.
Why Morse today? With Cancel Culture we all experienced, that the ability to communicate world wide might be barred from us, if we say the wrong thing, and some Silicon Barons or some government tyrants might not let us on the net anymore, or our computers get confiscated, we all have seen, that even a free society can come to this. With Morse code your transmissions on the airwaves are 17 dB (factor 50) better than voice communication and this means with just 5 watts, nothing but the power of a 9V battery block, you get your message all around the world, if you know what you are doing. You might call this a doomsday or emergency skill, but for me it's more than that. It is independence from services that are granted, it is understanding that communication should be free, means unbarred, unbarrable by others, and this is a basic right. But like all real rights you won't get them without a fight. So, I am fighting for my freedom of information by learning the code. Which makes me independent from anything to practice this right.
You can't stop the signal, Mel.
And this is the reason, why it is still important. Like your second amendment. No, you don't usually need a weapon to go against the powers that are. Until you do. And if everybody can execute his right without the parental allowance of a government that might lose their minds, only then we all are free, can feel free and every attempt to stop us communicating, talking with each others and exchanging information must fail. Take away this weapon from us and they might try.
And in an emergency? Well. You are stuck in a building after an earth quake or in a car wreck after an accident. You might be stranded in the wilderness. And then? With nothing but a mirror you can call for help over up to 25, maybe 40 km, with a whistle you can call for help for 4 km, with a small minimal radio, you can call around the world, if you must. With Morse. With nothing else.
DE DL7HH
dDdDd
Well done. Don't ever underestimate the importance of keeping Morse code alive. You gong to need it again in the future as part f the resistance.
Haha! Exactly.
Exactly.
try learning violin. that will keep u busy
Question is now do you still know it?
.. .----. -- / ..-. .. .-.. .-.. . -.. / .-- .. - .... / .-- .- -. -.. . .-. .-.. ..- ... -
I've picked up skills before, all are now dull and rusty because I don't use them enough. I want to learn morse because I have an interest in radio and signals, but I guess I'm in some way fearful that it'll just be another skill I only half remember.
For the most part! Like with any skill, if you don’t use it, you’ll definitely start to lose it. There are some that are more like riding a bike (like juggling has been for me) but I haven’t been practicing Morse and I’ve gotten worse.
It might be a bad way to go about things, but I enjoy the act of learning the skill more than having it, so I tend to move around to different hobbies and never really master anything except for a few specific ones. And I’m okay with that!
Many people's spelling is atrocious- what do you do about that?
lots of abbreviations and it's more like:
cq cq (calling anyone) k12345
k12345 (this is) n12345
I hear you well (NY)
I hear you well too (Europe)
73 (bye)
73
@@jamescollier3TY for the explanation. That makes sense
How flexible is Morse Code, either audio or visual, compared to ASL or anything else?
Especially slow code, which is easier to master.
I would say it’s extremely flexible as you’re just replacing symbols for long and short signals. The big drawback is just speed because you have to spell out everything compared to something like ASL.
Well, in CW there really is something we call "slow code" but it is REALLY slow, it is NOT sent/received by human ear but using computers (but it is possible visually from waterfall given the signal is strong enough) and it can be used for QSOs in complicated conditions, like solar cycle minima, because of extremely narrow bandwidth = low noise level.
Real CW is not really that flexible, because in telegraphy, no plain words are used (usually). It would take too long to send/receive messages. Q codes and abbreviations are used instead. Sending any long text is quite naive idea. On the top of that there are of course better methods of sending long(er) messages by radio (JS8Call, Winlink/Vara HF, ...).
CW has only one advantage - you don't need computer for coding/decoding the signal. But modern digital modes (yes, CW really is a digital mode!) are way better.
@@tulenik71 I'm spending way too much time on TH-cam to quickly learn Morse Code.
It has other advantages, not just for the want to be WW-II spy reenactors.
@tulenik71 Don't need a long message to send "Bismarck and Prince Eugene passing west by me."
@@greggweber9967 still too long for telegraphy - telegraphists aren't masochists (mostly).
In normal QSO, there often is not any plain word used. Even your message would be sent quite differently than you think.
There are approximately 30 Q-codes you need to know for HAREC ( = top operator class in EU - even if CW is not mandatory in most countries anymore, these codes are used even in text messages and some even in phone) approx. 20 of which are regularly used. These are subset of general Q codes (from QAA to QZZ, maybe some are missing) used in aviation and navigation. Then there are approx. 400 abbreviations, many of them are synonyms, the number of regularly used is of course smaller (it's enough to know one synonym for your exam, it is not so difficult to recall synonymic abbreviation you are not actively using if you receive it). At the end, you have "language" with some 500 words and good enough active vocabulary is approx. 100 of them. The advantage is, you can still get the Q code or abbreviation from the context even if some character(s) will be missed due to distraction/band noise/interference.
If you want to send plain text much better option is RTTY, which is also quite old and it is direct evolution of teletype. Used in navy from early 40s (when talking about large scale use), also easier to tune (frequency shift is given), of course nowadays better options are available. In ham radio, JS8Call is pretty effective even when band conditions are poor (like last several days... and in solar minimum).
The only advantage of CW is decoding by ears/brain.
First of all, do not think of “dots and dashes”. Think of “dits and dahs”.
11:35 "I" di dit.
A little dramatic about it, huh?
Rewatching this, yeah you're totally right haha
Does 50 words 😮
Hahaha, yes extremely impressive. Definitely took liberty in saying I know Morse code…
@@Tortelikeatiger Thanks for taking your time on creating this video. Very interesting to me. I'm taking a Morse Code class soon. Keep it going thanks Alot !!!🖐️💯
Thanks so much, that means a lot! And good luck with the class! That sounds awesome. Definitely keep me updated
Sure it’s a waste of time. Til Aliens invade the planet or your best friend get lost in an evil dimension.
Facts
I learned morse in high school so I could get my ham license. That was in 1970. Morse was a requirement to get your license back then.
Great video!
I haven't learned Morse code. Only the S.O.S.
Awesome way of approaching life.
Best Wishes from Montana M.H. KG7LOK.
Thank you so much! Really glad you enjoyed it. Wishing the best for you too from Manitoba!