Posted: 6/7/2014 9:45:28 AM EDT
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So, I'm trying to teach myself morse code using the Koch method. I have apps on both my computer and phone and have been practicing for about a week. I got through lesson 2 with no problems.I can copy the three letters at 20wpm without feeling anxious and with greater than 90% accuracy. But when I moved up to lesson 3 (k,m,r, and s) the wheels fell off! I'm batting less than 50% even on the letters I get over 90% on in lessons 1 & 2.
So my question is do I stay on lesson 3 or go back to lesson 2 and practice on k,m, and r some more? |
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I'd go back to the previous lesson and do it until you're at 100%. 90% is good, but I think you should be at 100% before you move past a lesson, especially if the addition of one new letter is throwing you off that much.
Can you change the speed and do a modified Koch? Do the previous lesson at 18 or 19 WPM until you get 100%, and then do it at 20 until you get 100% again. Then the same way on lesson 3, and just write a dash or something if you miss the new letter, but you should still be around 100% on the old letters you already know. Once you get on the air you'll find all sorts of different speeds, so don't be afraid to adjust it a little now if needed, you're still doing the Koch method. |
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I'm not sure there is a definitive answer, as I'm beginning to believe some people just pick it up faster than others.
For me, the bottom line is it just takes a boat load of practice. I've been working at it for the better part of two years, and I probably can't rag chew faster than about 15 WPM (effective speed). However, I can copy DX operators who are working at 35+ WPM because I know what they are going to say (they all work pretty much work the same). And my keyer is set at 24 WPM and I can send "599 TU" with the best of them. 
So don't get frustrated, because for most of us, it takes a lot of dedication and years of practice to become a top notch CW operator. Keep working at it, and you will see the progress. 
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Quoted:
I'd go back to the previous lesson and do it until you're at 100%. 90% is good, but I think you should be at 100% before you move past a lesson, especially if the addition of one new letter is throwing you off that much. Can you change the speed and do a modified Koch? Do the previous lesson at 18 or 19 WPM until you get 100%, and then do it at 20 until you get 100% again. Then the same way on lesson 3, and just write a dash or something if you miss the new letter, but you should still be around 100% on the old letters you already know. Once you get on the air you'll find all sorts of different speeds, so don't be afraid to adjust it a little now if needed, you're still doing the Koch method. Well, there are basically only two "rules" to the method that I've seen:
 But I don't guess I *have* to move to the next lesson. For all I know, having a deterioration might be normal when you add a letter. I had a small one when I added R but nowhere near as big as after adding S. I was hoping maybe someone else who's had experience with Koch can say whether it's and indication I should back up or just keep going.
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Quoted:
So, I'm trying to teach myself morse code using the Koch method. I have apps on both my computer and phone and have been practicing for about a week. I got through lesson 2 with no problems.I can copy the three letters at 20wpm without feeling anxious and with greater than 90% accuracy. But when I moved up to lesson 3 (k,m,r, and s) the wheels fell off! I'm batting less than 50% even on the letters I get over 90% on in lessons 1 & 2. So my question is do I stay on lesson 3 or go back to lesson 2 and practice on k,m, and r some more? I had the exact same problem. I'm not the best at CW by any means, but I found two things really helped me a lot. 1. Increasing the character seed to 25wpm and decreasing the character spacing to 8wpm helped a ton. 2. Start sending with a practice key of some sort. I used the MorseKey app to start and taught myself to use an Iambic keyer at 20-25wpm. Also as soon as you know the alphabet and prosigns (no matter how slow) get hooked up with the SKCC and they on the air. QSOs are going to make you better and there are a TON of people out there with lots of patience for beginners. Learn how to do contest and DX exchanges and that will also help you. Give the ARRL code practice transmissions a try too. They are a fun away to test yourself. |
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Quoted:
Well, there are basically only two "rules" to the method that I've seen:
But I don't guess I *have* to move to the next lesson. For all I know, having a deterioration might be normal when you add a letter. I had a small one when I added R but nowhere near as big as after adding S. I was hoping maybe someone else who's had experience with Koch can say whether it's and indication I should back up or just keep going.Quoted:
Quoted:
I'd go back to the previous lesson and do it until you're at 100%. 90% is good, but I think you should be at 100% before you move past a lesson, especially if the addition of one new letter is throwing you off that much. Can you change the speed and do a modified Koch? Do the previous lesson at 18 or 19 WPM until you get 100%, and then do it at 20 until you get 100% again. Then the same way on lesson 3, and just write a dash or something if you miss the new letter, but you should still be around 100% on the old letters you already know. Once you get on the air you'll find all sorts of different speeds, so don't be afraid to adjust it a little now if needed, you're still doing the Koch method. Well, there are basically only two "rules" to the method that I've seen:
But I don't guess I *have* to move to the next lesson. For all I know, having a deterioration might be normal when you add a letter. I had a small one when I added R but nowhere near as big as after adding S. I was hoping maybe someone else who's had experience with Koch can say whether it's and indication I should back up or just keep going.I've never used the real Koch method, or at least not from scratch, so I can't say what's normal. It is normal to get thrown off track when you get a new character you don't know, and before you know it two more that you probably knew have gone by while you were trying to figure out the other one. I learned CW back in the late 1970's at 5 WPM and got my Novice ticket. Once I got up to 13 WPM I went and got my General and then Advanced. I had plans to go to 20 WPM and get my Extra back them but just couldn't break past around 18 WPM. Then my interests changed and I never used code again until 8 or 9 years ago, and I could still get to around 13 but I was really rusty. I basically used a modified Koch to not only get good at 13, but to copy well past 20 WPM which I couldn't do years ago when my mind was a whole lot sharper.
There were many times I just couldn't get 100% at 20 or more, but if I slowed down to 18 or 19 for a couple minutes until I was 100%, then I'd get 100% when I switched back to 20. |
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Your score is SUPPOSED to drop when moving up a letter, even the ones you used to get at 90%. Basically you are starting over each time, but adding a letter. I does help to slow down some though, mainly the spacing between the letters (at least this helped me). YMMV.
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Quoted:
OK, thanks, guys. I'll keep plugging away at it. I've found that if I do a couple of runs on lesson 2, then move to lesson 3, I do much better. Maybe I just need some warmups. I woke up this morning and tried to start fresh on lesson 3 and freaked out a little. It sounds strange, but lessons 3-5 were the worst for me. One other app that I recommend is Ham Morse It allows you to drill on: A-Z Punctuation Callsigns 0-9 Prosigns Common Words Simulated QSO News pulled from 1 of 26 news sources online all in addition to the "Koch" button that goes through the "lessons" You can set char speed, char spacing, and tone. I think it costs 5 or 6 bucks but I still use it and find it useful. |
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i have lost track at the number of times i have tried to learn MC. my brain simply doesn't work that way. no matter how much i tried i just can't seem to get it. What is bad is learning it when your 9. I could send 23 wpm + with a straight key. About as fast as it would physically go. Only key I ever had. I could copy just about anyone. Now that I'm older and the hearing has some ring in it. It sounds like someone torturing mice or something. It just sounds so different. I can pick up some things but not near enough. |
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Quoted:
OK, thanks, guys. I'll keep plugging away at it. I've found that if I do a couple of runs on lesson 2, then move to lesson 3, I do much better. Maybe I just need some warmups. I woke up this morning and tried to start fresh on lesson 3 and freaked out a little. Just keep at it. Also it was pretty normal for me to drop to 50-75% copy (overall) when moving up a letter. |
| Keep going. I've been at it for 13 months and can copy 22wpm from a program with just a little extra spacing. My problem is getting on the air. Most people don't send perfectly and it throws me off. When I was super new I was trying QSOs before I was really ready and had a guy tell me to get off the air. Now I am paranoid to get back on the air even though I've improved a ton. Once I truly have it down pat I will get back on the air. |
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When I did it, I tried Koch, but it didn't stick with me.
My dad bought me this program back when, and it worked well. Supposed to train you up to 35 WPM. http://www.cq2k.com/ Code Quick. It is kinda interesting. IIRC, you learn initially with pictures as well as phrases to help you remember. That was 15 years ago and I still remember some of the code because of those weird phrases. |
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Here's the drill I used to get me to the 20 wpm that got me my Extra: I listened to code that was WAY faster than I could possibly copy. But I started picking out letters and numbers with greater frequency. After about 10 minutes of that, I went back to slower code (13 wpm, as it had been years since I had copied code) and it got MUCH easier for me. I kept it up till I was able to pass the 20 wpm test*.
Do this too: When copying, hold your pencil for one character. When you hear A, hold your pencil. When you hear B, write A; when you hear B, write C. This discipline takes a lot of the stress off, and doubles your recognition time. Lots of hams hold the pencil for 3, 4, 5 characters and it works for them. *The day I took the test, I'd gone in for the written part ONLY. They convinced me to sit for the code anyway. So I got lots of info without actually copying letter-for-letter: xxxxDIPOLExxx20ft xxxxx YAESU 902 xxxx DAXXAS TX... so I got his antenna, QTH, height of antenna... several other pieces of info and I passed the quiz! |
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when I want computer training time, I use cuteCW (http://www.hamtools.org/cutecw/releases/).
When I'm driving and nobody is on the radio, I'll use one of the koch apps on my phone to play a series for me and just "brain copy" it. I don't know my accuracy while on the road, but I don't really care. Just trying to get used to listening and copying. With cuteCW, I'll get up to 8 or 9 letters and wind up with something in the house distracting me. I'm not proficient because I typically only keep with it for a few days at a time. |