KOCK Method Morse Code - Your Progress???

Started by Sunflower, September 16, 2012, 03:24:16 PM

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Sunflower

I am only on lesson two after maybe 4 good days (6 total) over about 10 days. I was reviewing some pointers on the web (sorry I forget by who). Fifteen to thirty minutes a day is recommended by one, and 10 min. a day by another source.

Another poster on this site indicated studying for two years. I am not that patient. Quick results will keep me interested.

I am on the third letter/sound "U". K and M seemed daunting at first. Tossing in a third letter is bruising my enthusiasm today. 

Among the real newbie Morse code students here, How is your progress? When did you start? Which letter are you on?

Anyone else on the first few letters still?

BTW, how do I pronounce Kock correctly?
Thanks.

gil

Hello Tess,

I'm on lesson 24. Problem is, I can only copy at about 10wpm on a good day..
Try http://lcwo.net, they help a lot, especially their "Morse Machine."
Morse has been, and continues to be really hard for me... I'm sticking to it!

Gil.

Sunflower

Quote from: gil on September 16, 2012, 03:34:41 PM
Hello Tess,

I'm on lesson 24. Problem is, I can only copy at about 10wpm on a good day..
Try http://lcwo.net, they help a lot, especially their "Morse Machine."
Morse has been, and continues to be really hard for me... I'm sticking to it!

Gil.
Wow.
How long have you been "sticking with it"?
Months?

gil


Paul

The 'secret' to learning to copy code is to just listen to it.  It really is that simple.  That means learning the alphabet and numbers and punctuation first.  Then it's lots of listening.  Don't pay attention to how the dots/dashes look on paper, but how they sound to your ears!  It's easier to do that if someone/something sends that character and announces what it is.  If you learn the charaters by looking at the dots/dashes you will have to transition, or forget what they look like and just hear them.
Is there a simple fast way of doing all that?  No, there isn't.  It takes time.  How much time depends on how much you are willing to dedicate to that learning.  It's work!  But it does pay off.  It only -seems- like it never will.  :)
- Paul

KC9TNH

#5
[Paul's entire post] Good stuff.

What he said. I used Koch to get some cobwebs out of something I thought I'd lost. I do believe that what really helped is that I had a key, as well as an oscillator. I practiced copy at various times; provided an opportunity for my grand-daughter to teach me what one of those cheapy ipod thingies is and loaded some lessons on that. Likewise I practiced sending 5-character random groups out of a couple of US & UK service manuals.

By the time I made my first civ contact it wasn't fast, but the mentor who could do 30+ with his bug or idle along on a key for folks like me gave me the best compliment (I learned later) that I could get. "u hve a vry gud fist" This comes from not just copying, but being able to translate what good code sounds like. Practice sending, trying to emulate the sound & rhythm of good code, will really make things easier - do both.

Now one thing about that compliment in shorthand; there's a fair amount of shorthand in modern CW contacts as before. Whatever works, it's what other ops do also. BUT - remember to strive for a speed that lets you have no-BS copy.  Many times as you get deeper into a QSO you'll find yourself getting better & faster even while it's going on.  But the speed at which you get your best copy is your default speed. It's taught that way in the military for a reason. With random groups you can't "assume" you know what the next character is. (You could acknowledge a message only to find it won't decrypt later.) When copying our mother tongue we tend to mentally start to fill in the blanks and when we start assuming we STOP listening.

Just listen to the lessons and find a way to also practice some sending & emulate the sound of good code.  As you're copying initially at a faster speed, KEEP GOING.  Don't dawdle trying to run the table in your head of "how many dits was that?"  "is that a V???  "maybe it was a 4..."  :-\
Now you're 5 characters behind.

It's a learned skill, and it's not magic - it is learn-ABLE.
Get a ticket. When you get ready to test, prepare for the General, HF gives you a bunch of options. Even if you don't, there are still CW areas for Techs in some of the bands. There are also folks who "hawk" certain frequencies just to give some newbie their first slow-speed CW QSO.  Some who could happily converse at 40+ will troll the "Elmer" frequencies calling CQ at 10wpm to help out a newbie who may be timid about calling CQ, but would answer someone who sounds as slow as they feel.

This is totally doable.  :)
Edit: and very satisfying when solar or geomagnetic activity have put the voice bands in the toilet. It really doesn't take much to get a simple carrier moving around.



AB9NZ

Sunflower,
  I failed miserably (like most) with the Koch program. Once you start adding characters it gets very difficult. The Code Quick program worked very good for me. It takes you by the hand and teaches you the the code. It uses a system of sound a likes to teach the characters. You'll be doing things like writing the letters in the air with your hand to help imprint them in your mind. Look at the reviews on E-Ham. I found this method to be easy and fun. The warnings from people that say the sound a likes will cripple you are from people that didn't use the program and are unfounded, a few years on the air and now I'm copying 30 words per minute thanks to Code Quick.
Very best of 73, Tom AB9NZ

Sunflower

 ;D
Nice to hear from you. When I get some time, I will look into your recommendation. This is encouraging.-Thank you.