[Elecraft] OT: Learning the code

[Ray Sills]

OK.. maybe not too far off-topic... since Elecraft rigs are very much  
CW oriented.  But to those who get concerned or intimidated about  
learning the code... it's just not that hard.  Different, but it can  
be done at -any- age.  Youth only has an advantage in the respect that  
-everything- is new.  Seniority has the benefit of knowing that you - 
can- do it, but it will take some practice.

There are many on-line resources, but the key is to simply listen to  
the sounds of the characters.  And start with a short list.  Do the  
Dit letter characters... E I S H  ... then the Dahs: T M O.. and you  
have the basis of a lot of common words:  IT  IS  THE TIME TO TEST...  
for example, just with 7 characters.  Maybe you can add 5 and 0 (zero)..

Another school of thought is to do the lesser used characters first:  
Z, J, Q... but I don't think it matters.  And then add one new  
character each day.

If you have the ability to learn a new word in your spoken vocabulary,  
then you certainly have the ability to learn morse code.  It's really  
not any more complex.  Every spoken word has a beginning, and an end,  
and when you hear it spoken, you have to wait until the word is  
finished before you "understand" fully what the word is.  Your brain  
"buffers" the incoming sound, and then when you "decode" the sounds,  
then instantly, you "know" the word.  Sure, context and experience  
help you decode things more quickly.

It is exactly the same with a morse character.  And the more you use  
it (practice), the easier it becomes.


73 de Ray
K2ULR