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IZ2UUF Morse Koch CW?
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I strongly disagree. Don't make the mistake to learn the letters at 5 WPM and later switch to a faster speed.
Do it the right way from the start.
I am learning morse code with the above linked method (the Koch method) and I am using this Android app and it works great! Also my transceiver has a morse trainer that works like the Koch method, but I haven't tried it out yet.
I have tried a ton of them over the years on both iOS and Android.
Now I am A big fan of IZ2UUF on Android. Nice the way it can send groups of random letters, and a few seconds later say the letters. Handy for mentally quizzing yourself while driving etc and then hearing the answers and if you are correct or not right away.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.iz2uuf.cwkoch&hl=en_US
IZ2UUF's trainer helped me tremendously. I loved the "speech mode"; it allowed me to learn words while walking (no need to check the screen). It's free, but only available on Android. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.iz2uuf.cwkoch&hl=en
Nowadays, I only use Seiuchy, my own CW trainer/QSO simulator (works on most modern platforms)
I really like IZ2UUF's app on Android - I know it allows you to set inter-word spacing, but I wouldn't be surprised if it allowed you to vary inter-character spacing too.
You can have it read back the strings to you in English after playing them in morse, so you can listen to it with headphones on and no need to have your phone out.
I think now that he's done a major update since I last used it, so can't say how much it's changed.
> IZ2UUF Morse trainer
It's an Android App
If you're on Windows, this app gets good reviews, though I haven't used it: G4FON Morse Trainer
I like IZ2UUF's app - you can have it read the letters out to you, so you can listen to it on headphones.
I set it at 20wpm with speech mode enabled and "time before speaking" set at 1 second.
I've used this one on Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.iz2uuf.cwkoch
I set it to 3-letter groups and then to read them out after a 1 second delay. Then you can listen to them with headphones on without needing to watch the screen.
I've been using this trainer on my phone, at 20wpm.
I have it set to short words with a slightly longer break after each (1 sec, maybe?), and then to read out the letters before it moves on to the next one, so I can listen to it when I'm walking somewhere. For me the break is necessary, because it often takes me a fraction of a second to translate - I know which letter I just heard, but it takes me that moment to tie it to the English name for the letter.
That app starts with the G4FON sequence - M, K, R. M is --, K is -.-, so you can quickly distinguish the difference between the two - one has two sounds, the other has three.
R is .-., so the first real lesson is distinguishing these two triple-character sounds, da-dit-dah, and dit-da-dit. I find it surprisingly hard, although I'm told that musicians often find it easier.
My recognition rate was improving the first 2 or 3 weeks, but unfortunately I've lost my momentum a bit and haven't really made much progress the last 2 or 3. I think I'd be doing a lot better if I had a commute that involved at least a couple of 15 minute walks a day, and I'm sure you could easily get it down in a few weeks.
I've been using IZ2UUF's Koch CW trainer at 20wpm (I think that's the default), but with some spacing after each string.
It's so hard, even for the first 3 letters. If I'm relaxed or my mind's fresh I do quite well, but other times it's just guesswork.
I think I'm aurally dyslexic or something because I can't tell the difference between a dot and a dash - I can recognise K much easier if it's after an M, because I recognise the "first letter" (i.e. the initial sound) is the same. If the only letters in a sequence are K and R it's much harder - as I say I do better if I'm well-rested and relaxed, and once I've listened to enough to get them sorted out in my head.
Yup. Blobs of sound. Per character, then common 2-3 letter combinations. And finally whole words and even phrases. That's the end game. Getting there is very individual. I'm not there yet, either.
Even the blobs (of any size) take time to internalize. I like listening to a list of the 5000 most common English words at different speeds. I also have lists of Q-codes, Prosigns, numbers and punctuation. I can feel the gradual improvement. I've been at this since late last year without stressing about it much. A few minutes a day minimum. Sometimes I listen for a half hour or more in the car.
My current favorite app (because it lets me import my own lists of words (or any character strings) and feed them back to me Koch-style with me selecting how far down the list I want to it to go) is IZ2UUF Morse Koch CW.
I also use a practice straight key to integrate brain's absorption of the sound blobs with my arm/wrist/finger muscle memory.
I almost got up the courage to answer a very slow call the other day, but I'm not quite confident enough. But, it's only a matter of time before I pull that trigger, and then I suspect my speed will increase just because doing is better the practicing.
I think it's important to be able to work at any speed. How else will you be able to help new operators who are keying at 5-8 wpm?
A - is longer duration than a ·
About three times the duration, if I recollect.
If you have Android, use IZ2UUF's app to learn the first few letters of the Koch sequence.
I've never used that particular plan, but it looks fine. I did use the Koch method all the way and I highly recommend it (though it's true that people do learn differently). Personally I mostly used a phone app ([https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.iz2uuf.cwkoch&gl=US](IZ2UUF Morse Koch CW) specifically, but there are many out there), coupled with the Morse Code Ninja podcasts. I would try to do 15-30 minutes of the phone app a day, and I would listen to Morse Code Ninja during my morning and afternoon commute. The Koch method is still absolutely fashionable now!
Iz2uuf Morse Koch cw app has a "custom string" setting.
Choose -> gear icon -> custom string
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.iz2uuf.cwkoch
Morse machine let's you enable/disable individual characters with a long press but only appears to support ./?= https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.iz2uuf.cwkoch
Use IZ2UUF's app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.iz2uuf.cwkoch
It allows you to set the length of the strings and a pause between them so you have time to get straight which letters they were. You can also have it read out the letters so you can test yourself on headphones, without having to look at the phone - I use it when walking and commuting.
I think IZ2UUF defaults to the same letter sequence (it's called "G4FON" in the settings) of k and m first, then adding r. It should be easy to tell the k and m apart because m is two tones and they're the same length; k is three tones and the middle one is a dot. When you move on to r you'll find it's also three tones, so you distinguish it from k because it opens with a short instead of a long; the opening tone of k sounds like m, whereas the first tone of r does not.
I recommend the IZ2UUF morse app.
It's still fuckin' hard, but you can listen to it with headphones and practice when you're walking or on the bus.
You can have it read out the letters to you, after playing them in morse and waiting a pause, so that you can practise hands-free.
Keep the letter speed up when learning - don't fall into the trap of thinking it'll be easier to learn slow. Allow a gap between letters or words if necessary, but learn to recognise the letters at a natural speed (20wpm or 25wpm, whatever IZ2UUF's default is).
I never got far enough into learning morse to need to write down and check what I received.
Can you use headphones to listen and a voice recorder to save what you listened to?
I haven't tried the current version of IZ2UUF's morse trainer but really liked the previous one because it would read out the sequences in English after playing them in morse. I used it with headphones whilst walking across town - it would play the sequence, give you a pause to straighten your answer out in your head (a Farnsworth pause?) and then tell you what the answer is in phonetic alphabet (mike-mike-kilo). Reading it out saves you ever having to look at the screen - it's great!
I would not really recommend a decoding app while you are attempting to learn to decode Morse in your head! But yes - a Koch method app for sure - I use
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.iz2uuf.cwkoch
I prefer IZ2UUF's app to Morse Toad - you can have it read the words out to you after keying them to you, so you can listen to it on headphones when walking around. It has lots of options.
I found IZ2UUF's trainer effective - it's yet another Koch trainer, teaching to recognise morse at 20wpm (the only right way to do it).
You can customise the speed and the length of words and the gaps between them, and it also reads the words out to you using the phonetic alphabet after sending them, so you can listen to it whilst walking or otherwise commuting.
I used IZ2UUF's app which is based on the Koch method and, I think, G4FON's sequence (although you can select others) and I started at 20wpm.
I used normal character spacing, but a longer break between words, which gave me a bit of time to "process" what I'd heard.
Using IZ2UUF you can set it to read out the words in phonetic letters afterwards, so you can just listen to it with headphones when walking.
The accepted method these days, I think, is so learn at high speeds - the characters "sound different" at low speeds. Start with two characters, then three, and keep adding but only when you can recognise characters perfectly.
Check out "IZ2UUF Morse Koch CW" https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.iz2uuf.cwkoch
It is free. The side tone is harsh to listen to. Has prosigns. Can speak. Settings aren't easy to figure out and seem limited on what can be adjusted. Doesn't appear that individual characters or prosigns can be studied. I haven't tried but I don't care for the interface much.
Of all three I've suggested, I like the first. There will come a time where I am looking for more and might go towards the second one. The second, line the first, you can choose what your practice. The second seems to have a lot of what the first does.
I'm not sure if second can be fed txt files or short stories like the first. The second can convert rss feeds to cw. That might be good later. I've had suggested having a trainer send short children's stories with simple words in them. That can be done with the first. The second might have more abilities, but I just recently bought it so I haven't played much with it. I haven't gotten used to it sending words at full speed yet.
The first can be dialed down and you can gradually build your in between character speed until you're copying at full speed standard spacing.
I'd suggest the first one to learn on, then the second when the first, you outgrow it and want something more. Prosigns, are important though. At least the most used. I don't know why the first one, the dev, thought it would be more important to learn all punctuation and special characters over the most used prosigns.
here's what i'm using:
http://www.g4fon.net/CW%20Trainer.htm
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.iz2uuf.cwkoch&hl=en
it's been a lot of trial and error finding the apps that worked best for me.
Thanks for the interest! Operating with CW is my favourite part of this hobby.
So CW is a mode of operation (usually just called a "mode"). Modes are just methods of transferring information via radio. There are many other modes that are utilized in different applications, such as FM (frequency modulation), AM (amplitude modulation), SSB (single sideband), PSK (phase shift keying), etc. My point in all this is, what mode is utilized is not necessarily dictated by what frequency is being utilized.
Now, all that being said, legitimate CW contacts and conversations in amateur radio are almost exclusively the domain of the HF band (between 3 MHz and 30 MHz). In VHF/UHF it is often times used as a way for repeaters to autonomously identify themselves in order to meet FCC requirements. Unless you have money burning a hole in your pocket though, I would hold off for the time being on buying an HF rig. For one, a normal station rig (a rig that is capable of working all amateur bands, and outputs power of around 100 watts or greater) can be quite expensive. Also, if you're living in a dormitory, it would be very difficult to find the space necessary to set up an antenna for HF. QRP rigs are an option (portable rigs that are usually designed to output around 5 watts, the general idea being to power them with batteries and set them up and use them in the field). Since you're in college, is there a ham club at your school? Or is there anyone else you know of that's in the hobby? If you have a vehicle, it's very likely that there is a ham club in your area, and they may have a shack that you could use if you're a member (that's what I did in college).
Finally, the big hurdle with CW is learning the code, and this usually takes some time. Do not learn it from a chart. Charts only train your eyes, and you need to train your ears. The goal here is to train to the point where you've wired your brain to understand what the letters sound like. So if you hear ".-", you're not counting the dit and the dah and mentally looking up that it's an A, you just immediately hear "A". This takes time and a lot of practice. There are many free and paid resources to learn to receive code. One of the most popular ones is Learn CW Online, and my personal favourite (if you have an Android device) is IZ2UUF Morse Koch CW. I would recommend using the Koch method, and learning at at least 15 WPM. Any slower than 15 WPM, and your brain starts to want to count out individual dits and dahs, which is what you want to avoid. 15 WPM and greater, and your brain doesn't get the chance to count, and you force it to have to recognize the way the characters sound.
Sorry for the long comment, I started typing and I didn't realize how long it had gotten. Again, I'm glad for your interest! Amateur radio is a great hobby, and CW is my favourite aspect of it! Please let me know if you need any help or have any questions about anything else!
I believe IZ2UUF's app does post audio vocalization.
There's also the IZ2UUF app which lets you select what it plays. Might work for you.
OK, here are my suggestions:
Use the Koch method of learning morse and the two best online sources for that are:
If you have an Android phone then a good app for that is:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.iz2uuf.cwkoch&hl=en_US&gl=US
For iPhone:
If you seriously want to learn the morse code then you do not want a decoder app. You want to be able to decode it in your head, on paper, or on a keyboard yourself.
For Android the best app for really learning the morse code is this one:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.iz2uuf.cwkoch&hl=en_CA
If you prefer to do it online then:
https://cwops.org/cw-academy/cw-academy-options/
or:
I would also suggest this for learning to send:
Well firstly I'll just copypaste a general intro about learning morse code in case you didn't already know: (This is from an old comment I wrote in another thread)
>To learn morse code by sound (the most recommended way), try these programs:
>
>G4FON Koch CW Trainer (Version 9) (For Microsoft Windows) (I can't say anything about Version 10 because I haven't tried it, but Version 9 definitely works very well)
>
>lcwo.net (For web browser)
>
>IZ2UUF Morse Koch CW (for Android)
>
>To just learn the dots and dashes by eyesight (not recommended), use this service by Google (it does have an audio feature but it seems to be broken): https://experiments.withgoogle.com/collection/morse (For web browser)
Here's some more useful information from that same thread (From u/slick8086):
>If you learn the visual way first, when you hear the sound you will think if the dots and dashed first then try to translate that into a letter. It will be forcing you to go through extra steps.
>
>When you learn to hear morse code letters at a character speed of 20 words per minute (or faster), instead of hearing the individual dots and dashes, you will hear the rhythm of the letter and learn to translate that straight into the actual letter. Most people that use morse code today use it at speeds faster than 20 words per minute.
>
>If you use that site http://lcwo.net you can make each letter play fast, but put a gap between the letters, so you still hear the rhythm of the letters but have time to "remember" what that letter sounds like. As you learn all the letters you can make the gap between letters smaller to increase your over all speed.
>
>If you start by trying to learn the dots and dashes you will be trying to think of the dots and dashes in your head and then figure out which letter goes with the pattern of dots and dashes, and you will probably never get faster than 12-15 words per minute.
>
>People figured this all out a long time ago. The method for learning the letters a few at a time at full speed is called "the Koch method" and the idea of making bigger gaps between full speed letters at first is called "Farnsworth timing" If you look up these terms in google you will find lots more information and more learning resources.
>
>Also a guy posted here a little while ago he's posting morse code lesson on youtube.
>
>Warning: if you try and learn morse code visually first it WILL make it harder to learn hearing it. Also you don't want to start with the letters too slowly or you will not be able to get past a certain (very low) speed.
So back to your question, if you weren't already doing all of this, try that. If you have already been doing this stuff, then I don't really know what to tell you. It really is 'just keep practicing'.
If you need any more help regarding morse code, maybe try r/morse, which a bigger subreddit. Or try posting here then crossposting to r/morse to ensure that the most people see your post.
That is most definitely NOT the way to learn morse code. Ignore that website. Check these two instead:
If you must have an app for an Android device then use this one:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.iz2uuf.cwkoch
I am not sure what sort of morse app you mean. If you mean one where you use the Android keyboard and it translates the key press to morse then that is really not useful for amateur radio. If you really do want to learn the morse code (both sending and receiving) and be able to pass an exam and converse in morse at conversational speeds then you want an Android app then my suggestion would be this app for learning the receiving:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.iz2uuf.cwkoch
For sending you should get yourself iambic key paddles and a morse code oscillator and try to duplicate code sent from the app with exactly the same speed and timing, starting at 15wpm. Here is a very good, inexpensive starter for sending practice:
I like the Android app IZ2UUF Morse Koch CW by Davide Achilli. It's free and I practice with it almost every day.
I've been using a Koch-method morse app which seems quite good.
For me it's about trying to make a connection from ear to pencil. If I have a keyboard handy it means I have a computer that can read the code without me.
I found this set of audio files from the Chuck Adams Code Course to be really helpful. It's a CD iso file, but I ripped the tracks to mp3s on my phone.
I mix it up between those, ARRL practice files, listening to live QSOs on the radio or websdr.org, and IZ2UUF Morse Koch CW Android app for random sets or custom sets of problem letters.