[CW] KOCH Method

[David J. Ring, Jr.]

On the KOCH method.  I think that is an interesting method, but it isn't the
ONLY method and I don't believe it is the best method.

I prefer my own method.

Here is the way I teach CW.

Many students "listen" for the end of the character to determine what the
character is.

If they learn EISH5 and then the letter C, they write down C whenever a
character starting with a dash is sent.

To eliminate this, I use a method of teaching the longest characters first.

I start with 0, 9, 8, O, 7, COMMA,  Z, Q, G, M, 6, B, SLANT, X, D, C, K, N,
and T.
The same thing is done with the "dot" letters:  5, 4, H, 3, V, S, 2, ?, F,
U, I, 1, J, P, W, period, L, R, A, E.

The "method" of this is to force the learner to listen to listen to the
entire character that is sent before "deciding" it is a certain character.

The only problem with this method is that the learner is not "refreshed" by
the accomplishment of being able to copy recognizable words as with other
methods.  You can't make many words when the two most common letters are the
last ones introduced.

William Pierpont's book "The Art and Skill of Radiotelegraphy" has this (or
a variation) and other code training methods in his book.

The Armed Forces of the USA - and other countries - spent thousands of
dollars developing the fastest method of sending code.  Since their "bottom
line" was to produce competent operators quickly, their methods can't be
overlooked either.  But that doesn't mean they found the best way.  It
probably means they found an acceptable way.

My method works very well as long as the students can enjoy just copying
letters.  Some tell me they wish they could copy words, and I tell them that
will happen soon enough, and when it does, they will avoid "wrong guessing"
which is the purpose of my method.

There are advantages of teaching EISH5 TMO type of approach - one of which
is that it is very easy for the student to SEND.

I usually teach the students to send dots for FIVE minutes and to practice
this until they can send dots continuously for fifteen minutes at home, the
same thing with dashes.

The EISH5 TMO method reinforces that rhythm.

I believe the most important ingredient in teaching Morse Code is an
enthusiastic teacher, Katachi Nose - (original holder of KH6IJ) was a radio
officer and physics teacher at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu.  He had
success rates of teaching from "no code" to 17 wpm in the fewest hours that
I've ever heard.  He loved CW and even when he had a stroke in the mid 1980s
got back on the air with a keyboard.  His beautiful keyer fist was lost due
to the stroke, but not his love for CW.

73

David Ring, N1EA