How to Study Morse Code

By an eHow Contributor
Morse code consists of two distinct sounds that can be combined to form letters, numbers and other
characters. Thousands of ham radio operators use it to communicate every day.
Instructions
Things You'll Need:
2 Blank Cassettes
HF eceiver Ham adio !"uipment
Cassette Tape ecorders
Ham adio # $mateur adio !"uipment
Ham adio # $mateur adio !"uipment
Ham adio # $mateur adio !"uipment
%encils
%encils
&piral 'otebooks
Morse#code (nstruction &oftware
Morse#code &ounders
%encils
Basic Comprehension
Find a Morse code practice audiotape or a Morse code tutorial pro)ram for your computer.
&tudy code by sound *listenin)+ rather than by si)ht *readin)+.
%ractice twice daily for ,- to ./ minutes.
0rite characters as you hear them.
%erceive whole characters rather than listenin) for individual dots and dashes.
1isten to characters sent at a rate e"ual to ,- words per minute.
1isten to characters sent with spacin) between characters e"ual to a speed of - words per minute.
1earn letters in )roups related by sound. For e2ample, $, 0, 3 and , are formed by a dot and se"uential
dashes.
efresh your knowled)e before movin) to new letters.
!nhance your memori4ation by translatin) si)ns, billboards and other written material into Morse
characters as an e2ercise.
%ut off sendin) Morse code until you can identify all letters by sound.
$fter learnin) all letters, increase your comprehension speed by usin) a sounder to send Morse code into
a tape recorder.
&et aside each tape you make for two to three days, then play it and attempt to copy it.
epeat all e2ercises. epetition is the key to success.
Real Signal Practice
Be)in to listen to Morse via a radio receiver once you can copy machine#)enerated code.
Choose band accordin) to reception conditions and time of day.
Monitor $1 code practice transmissions at scheduled times.
Tune receiver and filters for best reception.
!nhance knowled)e by copyin) routine ham operator5s conversations.
epetition is the key. 1isten to Morse code for a few minutes every day.
Morse Code Tutorial
(n the tables below, a dot* . + represents a short si)nal, be it a tone, flash of li)ht or other, and a dash* _ +
represents a lon)er si)nal.
Morse Code Tables
Letter Signal Letter Signal
A . _ N _ .
B _ . . . _ _ _
C _ . _ . P . _ _ .
! _ . . " _ _ . _
# . R . _ .
$ . . _ . S . . .
% _ _ . T _
H . . . . & . . _
' . . ( . . . _
) . _ _ _ * . _ _
+ _ . _ , _ . . _
- . _ . . . _ . _ _
M _ _ / _ _ . .
(t5s handy to note some of the easier letters to remmeber, for e2ample, the letters !, (, & and H are made up
from one dot, two dots, three dots and four dots, while T, M and 6 are made from one dash, two dashes and
three dashes respectively. Most of the letters can also be paired off with their opposite, or mirror.
For e2ample,
A is the opposite of N
B is the opposite of )
# is the opposite of T
B is the mirror of (
" is the mirror of .
Choose one of the methods, but not both.