schrödinger's dog

dit-dah

To add to my collection of obscure and useless skills, I'm trying once again to learn Morse code. This will be my third attempt in my life. However, there are now some very good Morse practice programs available for the computer. These are the next best thing to having a private tutor, and are superior to simply listening to tapes.

The consensus among CW types seems to be that the Farnsworth or Koch teaching techniques are the best. In the Farnsworth school, you practice transcribing code in which each letter is sent at a fast 20 word-per-minute dot/dash rate, but the spacing between each character is fairly wide. When proficient at this rate, you slowly decrease the inter-letter time to increase your wpm rate. In this way, you learn to hear the letters (dots and dashes) as a single sound that you then associate with a letter. You're not supposed to count the dots or dashes, or use visual images at all, since that will only slow you down.

The Koch technique is similar, but both the letter rate and the inter-character rate is really 20 wpm. The trick is that you start with only two letters, and when proficient at that you add another letter, until you have mastered the whole alphabet at 20 wpm.

I'm using a hybrid approach. I found a shareware Morse practice program called cwplayer. I can adjust the timing, and it can send me words made up of random characters of any character set I choose. I'm starting with a 20 wpm dot/dash rate, but intercharacter spacing of 12 wpm. I'm adding characters alphabetically. So far I'm doing 'abcdef' fairly well at this rate, but it requires my full concentration. I know most of the alphabet at a lower rate, but decided to start over with the 20 wpm/12wpm combination. Code at this rate initially sounded like a blur of dits and dahs, but now is starting to sound like letters.

I'm predicting that this whole "Internets" thing is near its end, and that the telegraph will be making a big comeback soon. I intend to be ready.

Jim on 05.07.06 @ 03:04 PM ET [link]

planarity

dit-dah