I've been picking up Morse Code on my walkie-talkie when I'm scanning regularly. Apparently GMRS radio-repeaters share the same frequencies as FRS (FRS being the "common walkie talkie" protocol). So while my FRS-radio is unable to use those radio-repeaters, I'm able to hear their Morse-code callsigns (a GMRS requirement is to broadcast your callsign at least every 15 minutes).
I don't know if I actually want to be "proficient" in Morse Code, but... I've been wanting to understand these dits and dahs enough to get the callsign of this nearby GMRS Repeater station...
I don't know why I want to do it. I guess I just happened to hear these callsigns and I'm curious. Its probably just going to be a jumbled nonsense sequence though (callsigns aren't exactly English-sounding, they're almost just a collection of random letters and numbers).
And furthermore: your ears are *ridiculously* good at sounds, language, and coding. Don't try to do this visually. Use your ears, they're practically designed to decode language.
I’m currently working to improve my CW proficiency to be able to work QRP more effectively. I absolutely second your recommendation against trying to learn the Morse alphabet visually. It’s counterproductive.
The usual advice I’ve encountered in the CW community is that it’s much better to start learning the aural rhythms of the letters from the outset; otherwise, you put yourself at a pretty serious disadvantage when you’re trying to think in terms of dits and dahs rather than letters and letter groups. You’re interposing a step that will always slow you down in both copying and sending.
https://lcwo.net/ is a great resource to start learning using the Koch Method (characters are learned at 20 wpm speed from the beginning, but with larger spaces between characters to reduce the overall effective speed to make it easier).
For the more dedicated, https://cwops.org/cw-academy/ offers a series of online courses with live instructors. I’ve heard great things about them.
Its very little to do with Morse Code itself, and more to do with "morse code mindset". Maybe something to watch before you begin your studies.
There's enough simple examples in the film that it "shows you how to learn". Like, how the "ear" thing and "rhythm" is actually really easy for your brain to work with.
GMRS repeaters (which use the same receive frequencies as FRS channels 15-22 if your radio has them) do not strictly require identification (the Morse code you hear), but many do it anyway as good practice. Users ARE required to identify every 10 minutes of conversation (and at start of conversation).
It’s really fun to learn Morse well enough to catch these IDs. FWIW, GMRS licenses generally (always? I think) start with W, and are seven chars long; the first four are letters, followed by three numbers. Some idents follow ham conventions and are followed by “/r” meaning “repeater”.
> Some idents follow ham conventions and are followed by “/r” meaning “repeater”.
One of the few things I have caught is that the end of the Morse code is: Di-dah-dit (or "r" as you mentioned). So that makes sense!
> followed by three numbers
All letters are 4-or-fewer dits/dahs. All numbers (0 through 9) are 5x dits/dahs exactly.
I've caught the pattern of 3 numbers in there for sure, but I'm not competent enough to know what numbers they are exactly. I'm good enough to count "oh, 5x dits/dahs" but not translate (or even remember the dits/dahs after they're sent)
Its not like this repeater warns me before it sends Morse code. It just sends it all in maybe a span of ~5 seconds, so its one of those things thtat I probably need to be trained in Morse Code before I can just remember / write down what was transmitted. Fortunately, it does seem to send it every ~15 minutes or so (I haven't timed the exact pattern quite yet, so maybe it is 10 minutes like you suggested...)
Interesting to see this page branding itself like a SaaS startup with the long form descriptions on each page and the features section of the home page: “Fully Secure”, “Easy to Use”, “Stunning UI”, etc - is there some sort of SEO ad or incentive I’m missing?
For example:
> Specifications
> Generate morse code for letters and numbers
> To secure the data like password, OTPs, security codes, Date of birth, name, score, etc, you can use this morse code generator. It will generate strong morse code for you that creates a strong encryption channel to prevent the information from leaking. You can generate morse code for numbers easily with this tool.
Morse code as encryption? I’m not sure I understand.
18 comments
[ 2.9 ms ] story [ 47.2 ms ] threadI don't know if I actually want to be "proficient" in Morse Code, but... I've been wanting to understand these dits and dahs enough to get the callsign of this nearby GMRS Repeater station...
I don't know why I want to do it. I guess I just happened to hear these callsigns and I'm curious. Its probably just going to be a jumbled nonsense sequence though (callsigns aren't exactly English-sounding, they're almost just a collection of random letters and numbers).
----
Anyone out there who wants to properly learn Morse Code probably should start with this tree: http://www.cranburyscouts.org/MorseTree.htm
And furthermore: your ears are *ridiculously* good at sounds, language, and coding. Don't try to do this visually. Use your ears, they're practically designed to decode language.
The usual advice I’ve encountered in the CW community is that it’s much better to start learning the aural rhythms of the letters from the outset; otherwise, you put yourself at a pretty serious disadvantage when you’re trying to think in terms of dits and dahs rather than letters and letter groups. You’re interposing a step that will always slow you down in both copying and sending.
https://lcwo.net/ is a great resource to start learning using the Koch Method (characters are learned at 20 wpm speed from the beginning, but with larger spaces between characters to reduce the overall effective speed to make it easier).
For the more dedicated, https://cwops.org/cw-academy/ offers a series of online courses with live instructors. I’ve heard great things about them.
Its very little to do with Morse Code itself, and more to do with "morse code mindset". Maybe something to watch before you begin your studies.
There's enough simple examples in the film that it "shows you how to learn". Like, how the "ear" thing and "rhythm" is actually really easy for your brain to work with.
GMRS repeaters (which use the same receive frequencies as FRS channels 15-22 if your radio has them) do not strictly require identification (the Morse code you hear), but many do it anyway as good practice. Users ARE required to identify every 10 minutes of conversation (and at start of conversation).
It’s really fun to learn Morse well enough to catch these IDs. FWIW, GMRS licenses generally (always? I think) start with W, and are seven chars long; the first four are letters, followed by three numbers. Some idents follow ham conventions and are followed by “/r” meaning “repeater”.
One of the few things I have caught is that the end of the Morse code is: Di-dah-dit (or "r" as you mentioned). So that makes sense!
> followed by three numbers
All letters are 4-or-fewer dits/dahs. All numbers (0 through 9) are 5x dits/dahs exactly.
I've caught the pattern of 3 numbers in there for sure, but I'm not competent enough to know what numbers they are exactly. I'm good enough to count "oh, 5x dits/dahs" but not translate (or even remember the dits/dahs after they're sent)
Its not like this repeater warns me before it sends Morse code. It just sends it all in maybe a span of ~5 seconds, so its one of those things thtat I probably need to be trained in Morse Code before I can just remember / write down what was transmitted. Fortunately, it does seem to send it every ~15 minutes or so (I haven't timed the exact pattern quite yet, so maybe it is 10 minutes like you suggested...)
Whelps, I'm out then. My ears are too broken to pick up any sounds.
For example:
> Specifications
> Generate morse code for letters and numbers
> To secure the data like password, OTPs, security codes, Date of birth, name, score, etc, you can use this morse code generator. It will generate strong morse code for you that creates a strong encryption channel to prevent the information from leaking. You can generate morse code for numbers easily with this tool.
Morse code as encryption? I’m not sure I understand.
The author does not understand encryption and does not understand that there are people who can decode morse code out there.