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Learning Morse Code The Ludwig Koch Way:
Most countries have dropped the requirement for learning Morse code to become a ham radio operator. Because of that, you might think Morse code is dead. But it isn't. Some people like the nostalgia. Some like that you can build simple equipment to send and receive Morse code. Others like that Morse code is much more reliable than voice and some older digital modes. Regardless of the reason, many people want to learn Morse code and it is still a part of the ham radio scene. The code has a reputation of being hard to learn, but it turns out that is mostly because people haven't been taught code in smart ways.
[...] If you want to learn the code, or if you want to learn it better than you know it now, the Koch method is pretty simple. If a bunch of students can learn code in 14 hours, you should be able to, as well. Even spending an hour a day, that's only two weeks.
There are plenty of resources, but one we like is LCWO (Learn CW Online — CW or Continous Wave is ham-speak for Morse code). The site costs nothing and will track your progress. Once you've learned it, you can practice text, words, callsigns, and common ham radio exchanges.
Even if you don't need Morse for a ham license anymore, it does open up new opportunities. If you don't want to do ham radio, think of all the Arduino projects you could do where the device could signal you with a blinking LED and you could command it with a single switch contact. Not that we'd use a scheme like that to count blackjack cards. We'd never do that. If you don't want to use the computer and still need a coach, you could try this 1939 code trainer.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by anubi on Saturday February 29 2020, @12:46PM (2 children)
I'm afraid your age is showing. Morse predates both ASCII, Baudot, and EBCDIC as a method for sending messages along a wire or any other medium.
I'm not trying to get uppity...my age shows too...try to discuss modern programming languages with me and I have a similar deer in the headlights response. C++/Assembler is the last language I consider myself much fluent in. As far as I am concerned, if I get complex projects, there should be a library for that. Just as libraries for driving chips for Arduinos save me a lot of time. This new stuff has become for me like trying to find needles in haystacks. It's all too easy for me to not find a tiny bug that causes a helluva big mess.
I am doing the same Morse stuff on my van's Arduino.
It is how I am going to covertly communicate with the van's computer should I find myself in a hijack situation. Or in the event someone steals it, they won't be able to make the van behave. I know exactly what that computers gonna do. It will stall when stopped and refuse to restart. And mimic a dead battery. I am counting on it to help me wage my own private war on those who compel me into valet parking.
I don't want nobody messing with my machinery. Wanna borrow my van? Go learn morse! I can always bypass my doings should I need the help of professional mechanics, so it works like stock. I won't be calling in professionals for electronic issues. That's my bag.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 29 2020, @01:45PM (1 child)
Every time you say "van" all I can see is creepy rape guy.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by anubi on Sunday March 01 2020, @02:47AM
Actually, I like having my stuff with me, and keeping the rain and other people's fingers out of it.
Besides, the DMV considers a van to be classified as a personal use vehicle, but they watch me like a hawk if I haul a load in the bed of a pickup truck unless I register it as a commercial vehicle. More tax.
I am retired, and like the idea I can just load my stuff in the van, maybe buy a trailer, and get the hell outta Dodge, should the local governments become too pesky.
The van is about the lowest TCO solution for me.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]