Mythbusters

With apologies to the real MythBusters, I wanted to bust a few myths and challenge a few long-held axioms – some of which have held many of us back as we have learnt and developed our CW skills.

Myth: Morse Code is very difficult to learn.

Fact: Morse Code is NOT difficult to learn if proper methods are employed. Some people will learn faster depending on their background, health, and personal situation.

Myth: I am too old to learn or improve my skill in Morse Code.

Fact: Almost anyone can learn and improve Morse Code skill if they are willing to commit to a training plan with proven methods. There are a lot of credible studies that suggest learning a second language is a great way to delay or slow aging diseases such as dementia, and in some ways learning Morse Code is like learning a second language. At CW Academy we have students in their 70s and 80s who have successfully learnt Morse code.

Myth: Learning Morse Code with look-up-tables is the only way to learn.

Fact: Memorising letters and numbers with look-up-tables is an extremely inefficient way to learn Morse Code. The old “look-up tables” many of us used in years gone by create additional steps for your brain as it learns to decode Morse code. Ultimately, using visual look-up-tables will hold back your progress and lead to frustration. Morse code is an aural language, not a visual one (unless you’re sending semaphore or a heliograph on a ship!). Do not teach the ears through the eyes!

Myth: When learning Morse Code, it is best to begin by receiving and sending individual characters at a slow speed.

Fact: Whilst it might seem logical at first, learning Morse Code at slow speeds (less than 18 wpm) is inefficient and tedious. Students can learn at 18 – 20 wpm or more, and this is a proven approach to rewarding, efficient, and effective learning. Many (including myself) will have suffered through those WIA 5 wpm Tapes in the 1980s and 90s. This approach leads to frustration and difficulty in skills development. At CW Academy (and LCWO) we use the Farnsworth method. The Farnsworth method sets the starting speed around 18-20 wpm character speed and increases the spacing between the characters and words, thereby slowing down the effective word speed. Using this technique, you learn to hear each character, its sequence, rhythm and cadence, as a sound. It’s too fast for you to count the dits and dahs and then refer to your mental look-up-table. From day-1 you are learning to copy and send Morse code.

Myth: I must learn all the letters and numbers before I can use Morse Code.

Fact: Students can learn to hear and use complete words as soon as T, E and A are taught. From week 1 you will be sending and copying words, callsigns, and numbers; making your practice sessions more interesting and engaging. Whilst challenging, it will be more enjoyable than grinding your way through the alphabet.

Myth: I must learn to receive before I can send Morse code.

Fact: Students should send as soon as they learn the first three letters. Using more than one medium is a proven success factor in effective memory retention and learning efficiency.

Myth: I don’t have time to learn Morse code.

Fact: If you have the desire, commitment and thirty to sixty minutes a day, you can learn Morse code in eight weeks.

Myth: I can learn Morse code on my own.

Fact: Yes, you can learn Morse code on your own; in fact, many of us did. But interactive learning with an advisor, mentor, or teacher can provide structure, accountability, feedback and experience; you might be surprised how much faster and easier it is to learn in a class environment. Whether you’re learning as a beginner or wanting to super-charge your skills with advanced classes, CW Academy provides classes to match your goals.