[Fists] Frustrated

Wed Sep 7 21:22:57 EDT 2011

Hi Matt

You say you learnt Morse the traditional way counting dots and dashes, 
but is there a traditional way?

Morse code is a language and it is like saying I learnt to speak english 
by spelling the words, but you actually learnt how to speak by listening 
to the words from your parents and you did not bother about the 
spelling. Using the Koch Method you actually learn the characters by the 
sound of the character not by the dots and dashes. I with 30 others 
learnt from scratch using the Koch Method and none of us had any real 
problem learning. The whole point is you learn 4 characters and when you 
are happy with them you add another and when you are happy with that you 
add another one and this is what Ray G4FON  has done with his program. 
when you have completed all the characters you then start to shorten the 
spaces between the characters.

With Ray's program, the slowest character speed is 15wpm but you can set 
it for a word speed of 3 words per minute. If someone came to me for a 
Morse assessment at 5wpm but with the character speed of 15wpm I would 
be happy to do it because I know he would not be hampered with counting 
dots and dashes and all he would have to do is to keep decreasing the 
space between the characters to improve his Morse speed.

I agree with Casey that you must look at other sources of Morse but 
would only recommend that when you have mastered all the characters.

I think I can say that I am fairly experienced with Morse code and by 
teaching and examining Morse for years I know the pitfalls and heartache 
it can cause in the learning process also the frustrations of trying to 
increase your speed which can be a mountain to climb for just a speed 
increase of 5wpm. I am certainly not an expert in the subject and always 
open to suggestions, but with a few years of operating under my belt, i 
can see pitfalls and it is frustrating to find that people are teaching 
others in such a way that you know the poor student is going to struggle 
because the tutor was not experienced enough.

When the RSGB decided to re-introduce Morse tests I was asked by the 
Regional Manager to register as an Assessor, and was appalled by the 
fact that they still wanted to do the 5wpm Morse test. It was ony after 
two months of pressure from the RSGB Regional Manager that I finally 
registered with the RSGB. and my views on the 5wpm test are well documented.

It was nice of Dan to agree 100% with me and can see why he had a 
chuckle as I know my frustrations will continue if nobody makes a stand, 
but would it not be nice if a bunch of experienced old fogies were 
consulted and some sort of standard was reached making Morse a pleasure 
to learn, though the student has to be dedicated as well, rather than 
someone passing the 5wpm Morse test and start teaching it.

On another tact which Dan mentioned I was talking to a G3... tonight 
about the "Music of Morse" and although my average speed on the pump 
handle is 18wpm I am willing to work at 12wpm though any slower my arm 
starts to ache. I send Morse with a Scottish accent and he said that if 
everyone sent good Morse with correct spacing you would take the 
pleasure out of using Morse and lose 80% of Morse operators on the band.

Make your own minds up

73's

Ian G4XFC
Webmaster www.g5fz.co.uk
Member of Fists #13276, CTC, RAOTA & RSGB
RSGB Registered Morse Code Assessor

On 07/09/2011 19:14, NA7U wrote:
> Sending CC's may delay your post. If you feel that your post needs to go to more than one destination please send them separately.
>
>
>
> Matt,
>
> I probably made the most progress with the Koch method, but I would
> hardly recommend that you use it to the exclusion of other methods. I am
> using it again to try and move my speed up from about 18 wpm to 25 or
> more, but I mix it with other methods such as:
>    - listening to samples QSOs (you can find these in text form or mp3
> form on the 'net)
>    - listening to QSOs on my rig or using a WebSDR site to use their
> radio (easier to spot CW)
>    - listening to just words.
>    - The ARRL code practice sessions are good, also.
>
> I think G4FON has the best software for learning as you can use Koch and
> also listen to word files or sample QSOs (you have to bump the letter
> count to 40 to turn on these latter methods in the program).
>
> Next runner-up would be CW Trainer, both free programs.
>
> 73,
>
> Casey, TI2/NA7U
> cloud-warmer.blogspot.com
>
>
> On 9/7/2011 7:43 AM, Matt Maguire wrote:
>> Sending CC's may delay your post. If you feel that your post needs to go to more than one destination please send them separately.
>>
>>
>>
>> I learnt morse the traditional way, counting dits and dahs, and passed the 5wpm sending and receiving test required for the Novice licence many years ago. I wonder now, if I went back in time and learned the code using Koch method with its 20wpm character speeds, would I have still been able to pass that 5wpm test ok? Has anyone here learned CW by Koch method only? How hard is it to send and receive at 5wpm? (Actually, for the sending test, I don't think there was a limit to how fast you could send. You just had to complete within the time given, which meant you had to send at least 5wpm. I think you had to do it on a straight key though).
>>
>> 73,
>> Matt VK2ACL.
>>
>> On 07/09/2011, at 9:59 PM, Ian Fulton wrote:
>>
>>> Sending CC's may delay your post. If you feel that your post needs to go to more than one destination please send them separately.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> As the UK National Hamfest gets closer, my frustration peaks about slow
>>> Morse and the 5wpm Morse test. To preserve Morse code, as a society
>>> should FISTS not concentrate on the ethics of learning Morse code and
>>> speak out against bad practices, especially to national societies who
>>> promote them.
>>>
>>> In 1965 at the tender age of 18 I joined the RAF and was trained as a
>>> Wireless Operator Special and after 10 months passed out of the training
>>> school able to receive Morse at 20wpm and later upgrading to a Special
>>> Operator Telegraphy at 30wpm. /Please note the "receive" as I never
>>> touched a key till I was taking the Morse part of my amateur licence./
>>>
>>> I have not taught Morse for years but when I did, I always taught the
>>> Koch Method, as this was the way I had been trained in the RAF and I had
>>> found it fairly easy. Today with computers when asked for advice I
>>> recommend Ray G4FON's Morse Trainer as it covers the Koch Method and I
>>> recommend a daily intake using it.
>>>
>>> I have talked to a few M5's who took the 5wpm Morse test in the late
>>> 80's who would really like to progress but have found it difficult to
>>> get away from counting dots and dashes so have not really progressed. My
>>> advice to them is to re-learn Morse Code using the Koch Method. /(I was
>>> a Morse examiner then and objected when they brought out the 5wpm test
>>> also David Finley agrees with my views)/
>>>
>>> The extract below from the website of David Finley N1IRZ at
>>> http://www.qsl.net/n1irz/finley.morse.html"So You Want To Learn Morse"
>>> (/which is well worth a visit) /confirms my views.
>>>
>>> /"I fell in love with radio in grade school, but was kept off the air
>>> for 30 years because I found traditional code training just too
>>> frustrating. During those decades, I tried several times to learn Morse,
>>> but every time gave up in frustration and disgust -- my progress was
>>> just too slow./
>>>
>>> /In 1991, I became one of the first 500 people to enter ham radio by way
>>> of the no-code Technician license. After becoming bored with repeaters
>>> and HTs, I decided to make one last attempt to master the code.
>>> Fortunately, I stumbled on information about Koch's method, and found
>>> that it was the only thing that would work for me. In 1993, after
>>> diligent work at my computer, I took my first code test and passed the
>>> 20 wpm exam on the first try."/
>>>
>>> Although not an active member on air, I am always promoting Morse as it
>>> is my main mode of operation and I operate GB 2CWP and other special
>>> event stations and will also be taking my part in operating GB11NH at
>>> the National Hamfest as well as conducting Morse Assessmentsthere.
>>>
>>> 73's
>>>
>>> Ian G4XFC
>>> Webmaster www.g5fz.co.uk
>>> Member of Fists #13276, CTC, RAOTA&   RSGB
>>> RSGB Registered Morse Code Assessor
>>>
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