Well the latest amature itch that needs scratching is to give learning CW some serious head space.
Any pointers people who have gone down this rabbit hole have learnt?
I guess the main question I have is straight of paddle key? my understanding is straight you make the . / - while with a paddle left or right makes the appropriate . / -
Cheers
John
Come join the dark side!
Personally I highly recommend Morse Mania on Android (it may be on iOS too). Also try Morse Walker in a Web browser.
Keep listening and keep practising. It will come to you and will suddenly click. Also, don’t panic about sending nothing but perfect code. My fist is atrocious but I keep trying and I get the job done.
Get on the air when you can send and receive at a pace that suits YOU. Good operators will QRS for you. Take your time and don’t panic!
I started off as pure SSB. These days I rarely operate on HF SSB, it is all CW. I have developed a massive passion for CW which I didn’t quite expect as I had zero interest in it at all.
The same may happen to you!
Oh and p.s., collecting and/or making 3D printed keys is super addictive!
72!
It is easy and it then becomes hard again.
GL with it. Takes much persistence !
Hi John,
There is already a plethora of great advice on the reflector.
A search on here will provide you with a good amount of existing posts with some great recommendations and paths people have taken in learning morse.
A recent post, less than a week ago for instance covered Android apps.
As someone who is about 5 months into their CW learning journey. I have ALOT of thoughts on how to learn. Sorry for the long post but here are my thoughts on how to learn CW - Join CW Academy or the Long Island CW Club (LICW), you will NOT regret it.
CW Academy is a great choice if you are serious about learning CW and want a more structured, mentored approach.
The biggest difference with CW Academy is that it is faster-paced and more formal. Classes start on a set schedule, so you usually have to sign up and wait for the next session to begin. Once class starts, you meet twice a week, have more homework, and get much more one-on-one attention from the advisor.
You are more closely mentored and watched compared to some other learning options, which can be a good thing if you want accountability and feedback.
The beginner class starts at 25 WPM character speed with a slower Farnsworth/effective speed, around 6 WPM. That may sound intimidating at first, but the idea is to learn the sound of each character instead of counting dits and dahs.
CW Academy is also 100% free.
Knowing most of my letters before starting CW Academy helped a lot. If I had started CW Academy without already knowing some letters, it would have been much harder.
Overall, I would recommend CW Academy above anything else if you are willing to wait for classes to start, can handle a set schedule, and are okay with more homework and a faster pace.
Long Island CW Club, or LICW, is also excellent, especially for getting started.
One of the best things about LICW is the carousel system. You can start and stop anytime, and if a class feels too easy or too hard, you can simply find another class that fits you better. That makes it much easier to jump in without waiting for a specific class cycle to begin.
LICW felt more like a relaxed check-in style class to me. There is not nearly the same amount of one-on-one time as CW Academy, and the overall pace is slower. That can be a big advantage if you want something less stressful and more flexible.
LICW starts around 12 WPM character speed with about 8 WPM Farnsworth/effective speed. There is a small yearly membership fee.
I learned most of my letters through LICW, and I have nothing bad to say about it. It is a wonderful resource and a great place to start. For me personally, though, I eventually wanted something a little more intense and structured, which is why I really liked CW Academy.
If you want the easiest way to get started, I would start with LICW.
If you want more structure, more accountability, more homework, and more direct mentoring, I would recommend CW Academy.
My personal ideal path would be:
Start with LICW to learn the letters and get comfortable hearing CW, then move into CW Academy when you are ready for a more serious and faster-paced class.
LICW is great, but it is more relaxed than what I eventually wanted. CW Academy was harder, but I really liked the one-on-one attention and the structured pace.