Learning CW (CW is a communication method that uses Morse code over radio waves to transmit data using amplitude modulation), is a long-term process, and you will encounter many obstacles and inevitable bottlenecks. The best way to succeed is to build your confidence and interest in the process itself.
Learning CW is a process that starts with interest and progresses gradually, eventually leading to the subconscious recognition of all "taps" and their combinations. This is combined with practicing sending and receiving signals using a key, culminating in the ability to confidently communicate over the air.
It's important to emphasize the first point here: CW (Continuous Wave) is all about encoding! And, most importantly, encoding! And, most importantly, encoding! If we consider encoding versus transmitting based on percentage, I believe that encoding accounts for at least 80% of a CW operator's abilities, rather than transmitting.
As for learning methods, I personally recommend learning on a computer. Specifically, I learned through the lcwo website. Mobile phones can only be used to supplement learning; they should not be considered the primary learning tool.
Learning CW can be divided into several stages. I would like to share my personal learning experience, focusing on the aspects of "mind, ear, hand, mouth, and key," which are based on my own understanding. Please note that this is just a personal learning experience and does not represent a completely correct or comprehensive method.
Heart:
First, you need a strong interest in amateur radio. Ideally, this would involve being part of a positive and supportive community. (This is particularly important for beginners, as amateur radio requires licensing from the government, and adhering to regulations is essential. Being part of a good community will help sustain your interest and allow you to progress more effectively.)
Two, you need to have unwavering confidence. This is a long process that requires you to mentally prepare for a prolonged and challenging battle. The initial phase will be particularly long and tedious, with most people requiring 6-12 months of continuous learning. This varies depending on individual factors, time constraints, and other circumstances.
Three, in the initial, tedious phase, I believe it's important to develop a habit of continuous persistence until the period of tedium is overcome. This process typically lasts between 7 and 30 days (although this can vary depending on various factors, and many people will give up CW during this time).
Four. In the middle of learning, you've already passed the boring phase. Don't compare yourself to others who are studying together; don't focus on who is learning faster or whose coding speed is better. Avoid feeling inferior or arrogant. Instead, learn at your own pace. If you have time, study and practice more. If you don't have time, study and practice less. If you can improve your dictation speed, do so. If not, dictate at the fastest speed you can manage, and gradually increase it later.
Five. If work and life are too busy, it's okay if you don't have a day or two free; don't worry too much (there might be surprises). Focus your mind, and don't overestimate yourself; avoid blindly moving on to the next step of learning (early progress will be slower but more solid, while later progress will be easier, as the foundation determines the outcome).
Six, please remember, please remember, please remember!!! Before practicing the recording, do not attempt to operate the transmitter. Do not attempt to operate the transmitter. Do not attempt to operate the transmitter. Do not touch the control panel! Do not touch the control panel! Do not touch the control panel!
Ears:
1. The transcription speed should be as fast as possible, with a minimum character speed of 20 wpm and an effective speed of at least 15 wpm. Find a pace that suits your individual needs.
Two, don't count the notes, don't count the notes, don't count the notes! Instead, rely on your sense of pitch to identify them.
Three, in addition to the effective rate and character rate, it is necessary to adjust the delay between each group of characters. If a character is unintelligible, skip directly and listen again, repeatedly until all groups of characters are transcribed and submitted for review (My personal experience is to use two colored pens to record the transcribed characters: first with black, then with red, which allows me to identify which characters I heard more faintly).
Four, it is recommended to repeat listening and writing each character multiple times to form an unconscious memory, so that you can recognize the character simply by hearing the sound without having to think about it. (Personally, I listen and write each character at least 100 times per lesson.)
Five, in the later stages of learning (after mastering all letters, numbers, and symbols), focus on increasing speed. The recommended character rate is 30 wpm, with an effective rate of 25-30 wpm. Shorten the time between character groups. It's best to start learning at this pace (most people who start too fast quickly lose interest and give up). You can gradually increase your pace based on your own feeling, but at least maintain an effective rate of 15-20 wpm, so you can no longer count the characters quickly enough; you can only rely on hearing to distinguish them.
Six, once you have completed all the lessons in course 40, make sure to practice writing and recognizing call signs repeatedly, as many times as possible!
Seven. During the fifth activity, familiarize yourself with common Q-speak and CW communication abbreviations. If possible, practice listening to others' CW communications to reinforce the use of common abbreviations in CW communication and adhere to the relevant standards. (Remember: control your desire to transmit; only listen.)
Hand:
1. If you plan to use a computer to record every time you communicate with others, and use the keyboard for taking notes (primarily for competitions), I recommend that if you prefer to take notes by hand, you should do so when taking notes, and then review your notes before class. Personally, I find that typing on a keyboard and writing by hand feel completely different. Once you are proficient in using a computer, it becomes difficult to write or keep up with the speed when writing by hand.
Two. I recommend preparing a notebook and making notes, then reviewing them later to build your confidence. You will see that you are making progress every day, and the sense of accomplishment you get from recording everything on paper and then discarding it disappears.
Three, when learning at your own pace, you can estimate the approximate time it will take to complete the course in advance. Try using the "key" method 3 months before starting, and get used to the rhythm of pressing keys. It is recommended to start with hand-typing (automatic key is easy to master; if you cannot endure hardship or pain, you can use automatic key; if you only use automatic key, this learning time will be sufficient).
4. The maximum adjustment for the downward stroke and force of the hand key is achieved. Place a watch or clock nearby (one that makes a "tick-tock" sound, with the second hand striking once per second, repeated continuously for 5 seconds, followed by a brief pause, then another 5 strikes, repeating this cycle to build muscle memory, ensuring even spacing between the strikes). When striking, sit upright with good posture, relax your arm naturally, and press down quickly and decisively using your thumb and wrist. Practice for at least 20-30 minutes each day. It's best to start with a shorter period (at least one month) before gradually increasing the duration. If you are a beginner and prefer to sit on your knees, be careful not to strain your thumb joint excessively.
5. Once you've established a sense of rhythm and developed an initial muscle memory (this process shouldn't be rushed; at least allow 2 months), find some resources online to practice with (specifically, documents that focus on practicing multiple strokes in sequence). Print these out and use them to guide your practice by tapping the letters according to the specified intervals: "滴" = 1 tap, "嗒" = 3 taps, "滴嗒" = 1 tap, between characters = 3 taps, between words = 7 taps. The accurate description is: 1 tap for each "嘀", 3 taps for each letter, and 7 taps for each word.
Six, you can try using some auxiliary software or devices to facilitate communication. It is important to note that while assistive devices can be helpful, excessive reliance on automatic decoding can hinder the learning process for beginners (the intention of software and devices is good, but it is crucial to determine the right time to use them; it's better to start later than too early).
Mouth:
1. When learning to encode, you also need to memorize the decoding key. This refers to reading the key aloud, not just silently repeating it.
Two, by reading aloud the "tick-tock" rhythm in a clear and distinct manner, you can print out an English article (the content doesn't matter, since we are only reading letters and don't need to understand what is written above), and then read it whenever you have free time. (Don't worry if you haven't learned everything yet; just skip over the parts you haven't learned and don't try to memorize all the letters at once. Focus on maintaining a steady pace and rhythm while reading, paying attention to the pauses between characters.)
Three, when driving, walking, or during free time, if you see a license plate or road sign in English, you can read it aloud. If you are concerned about others around you, you can also silently read it, but the effect will definitely be better if you read it aloud.
Four, reading codes serves two purposes: establishing a rhythm and strengthening subconscious memory in the brain. This helps both listening and speaking skills, eventually leading to subconscious recognition where characters can be read without conscious thought, and letters can be pronounced without deliberate effort.
Key:
1. Regarding the correct hand position and techniques for using automatic keys, as well as the selection of electric keys and automatic keys, it is difficult to explain in writing. I recommend consulting with an experienced ham radio operator for guidance (if you know someone who has been a ham radio operator before, then cherish them). In my opinion, practicing standard hand signals from the beginning will be very helpful in the long run. While amateur radio doesn't have such strict requirements, theoretically, as long as you can communicate effectively, good habits will significantly improve your hand signal speed and the accuracy of the other person's reception.
Two, please remember that if you develop bad habits with manual or automatic typing early on, it will be very difficult to correct them later. This is why it's recommended to learn typing by copying first, before learning to type from dictation. Rhythm is important; start by listening and developing an unconscious sense of rhythm, then practice typing characters based on that rhythm. Although this process can be long and challenging, bad habits in typing are irreversible.
Three, next, continue to persevere. Once you have blisters on your hands that have formed into calluses, then congratulations! You are now a qualified CW operator!
In summary, it can be seen that learning CW is neither easy nor difficult; it's a process of mastering a skill through practice and subconscious learning. The difficulty lies in maintaining focus and developing good habits.
This article summarizes my personal learning experience and the mistakes I made along the way. I hope everyone can achieve academic success, 73!
闽ICP备2021006864号-7
闽公网安备35020602002794号
互联网举报中心