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The trick to getting good at Morse code is to learn how the letters (and eventually words) sound, rather than parsing individual dits and dahs. I wouldn't recom

The trick to getting good at Morse code is to learn how the letters (and eventually words) sound, rather than parsing individual dits and dahs. I wouldn't recommend using this on anything but the "fast" speed, and even then, it's almost too slow. I'll second the recommendation of https://lcwo.net https://lcwo.net . That's how I learned it, and I was able to get up to about 10 wpm after a couple months of practice.

mikece 5y ago
I believe the technique you're referring to is called the Farnsworth method where the letters are keyed at a faster speed than the overall transmission speed (eg: at 5 words per minute the letters are sent at 13; when learning at 13 the letters are sent at 20). Another thing about learning Morse code is to NEVER try to learn it visually if plan to send/receive aurally. Before I joined the Navy I had been proficient with Morse code at around 15WPM; I was able to read the flashing light codes being sent between ships but I had to "hear the light." The Signalmen had the opposite phenomenon: since they had learned Morse code visually in order to copy Morse code by ear they had to "see the sound." I'm sure between the fields of neuroscience and psychology there could be an interesting discussion as to how that cross-sensory translation takes place but it certainly does.
rprospero 5y ago
I'll second this as someone who NEVER learned Morse code. We did lessons on it time and again during scouts, but, not only was there a near fetishistic emphasis on the dots and dashes, there was also an angry rejection of the idea that rhythm and pauses were a part of the process. Yes, multiple combinations of dots and dashes lead to the same pattern, but you were just supposed to determine the difference from context. The adults would give us a message like the one below and then despair that our generation was full of idiots. ..... .-... -..-- -.--- --.-. .-..- .. Sometimes they took it further and had us try to decode call signs and license plates, which gleefully removed that extra layer of context. -.-.- .-.-. .---- ----- --... .---- -..
- wrycoder 5y ago
  Some people don’t know what they’re talking about! If you do want to learn code, try the Ham Morse iOS app.
- Johnythree 5y ago
  > Yes, multiple combinations of dots and dashes lead to the same pattern, Sorry, but this is nonsense. There should always be character spaces and word spaces to break up the pattern. Without character spaces, it's not morse!
otras 5y ago
That's a great perspective. I'm so unaccustomed to parsing it that even the "Fast" setting felt lightning fast to me! I went ahead and added a new "Faster" speed. It may be running into the limits of how precise the Web Audio API can be, but hopefully it should be a little closer to a more proper speed. Thanks! Edit: after a little more research and experimentation, the Farnsworth method you mentioned is actually an even better experience for both listening and inputting - went ahead and added an option for it, defaulting to on. Great call!
- SaberTail 5y ago
  Thanks! And it's great to have more and different games for practicing, so thanks for making this.

mikece 5y ago

I believe the technique you're referring to is called the Farnsworth method where the letters are keyed at a faster speed than the overall transmission speed (eg: at 5 words per minute the letters are sent at 13; when learning at 13 the letters are sent at 20). Another thing about learning Morse code is to NEVER try to learn it visually if plan to send/receive aurally. Before I joined the Navy I had been proficient with Morse code at around 15WPM; I was able to read the flashing light codes being sent between ships but I had to "hear the light." The Signalmen had the opposite phenomenon: since they had learned Morse code visually in order to copy Morse code by ear they had to "see the sound." I'm sure between the fields of neuroscience and psychology there could be an interesting discussion as to how that cross-sensory translation takes place but it certainly does.

rprospero 5y ago

I'll second this as someone who NEVER learned Morse code. We did lessons on it time and again during scouts, but, not only was there a near fetishistic emphasis on the dots and dashes, there was also an angry rejection of the idea that rhythm and pauses were a part of the process. Yes, multiple combinations of dots and dashes lead to the same pattern, but you were just supposed to determine the difference from context. The adults would give us a message like the one below and then despair that our generation was full of idiots. ..... .-... -..-- -.--- --.-. .-..- .. Sometimes they took it further and had us try to decode call signs and license plates, which gleefully removed that extra layer of context. -.-.- .-.-. .---- ----- --... .---- -..

wrycoder 5y ago
Some people don’t know what they’re talking about! If you do want to learn code, try the Ham Morse iOS app.
Johnythree 5y ago
> Yes, multiple combinations of dots and dashes lead to the same pattern, Sorry, but this is nonsense. There should always be character spaces and word spaces to break up the pattern. Without character spaces, it's not morse!

otras 5y ago

That's a great perspective. I'm so unaccustomed to parsing it that even the "Fast" setting felt lightning fast to me! I went ahead and added a new "Faster" speed. It may be running into the limits of how precise the Web Audio API can be, but hopefully it should be a little closer to a more proper speed. Thanks! Edit: after a little more research and experimentation, the Farnsworth method you mentioned is actually an even better experience for both listening and inputting - went ahead and added an option for it, defaulting to on. Great call!

SaberTail 5y ago
Thanks! And it's great to have more and different games for practicing, so thanks for making this.