TwistedSquirrell88

It is also good to decode GMRS repeater IDs to help identify them.

I am surprised that no one recommended the Jerry Ziliak Morse Code method: After years of hitting a wall at 15 wpm, I used it back in 1995 to get me to 20 wpm for the Amateur Extra exam.
Here is the information from Amazon for the $20 mp3 CD of his original cassette tapes set:
Link to Amazon

I hear ya! I did pass it back when was one of the hardest things I ever learned. Sending is easy reading however is not unless, you go at it hours per day day after day and eventually it will be like a skilled musician can hear a tone and tell you what key it is .
I have not used it in so long I can only pick out individual letters every now and then and that equates to about 3 WPM! No one ever sends it that slow so I get behind in a flash and give up.
I have always heard to learn it learn to recognize words not individual letters, I was taught by the letter.
 
I do keep at hand a pocket decoder has a scrolling LED and runs on 9volt battery very small and very handy.
Rick H...

I've tried several methods to learn the code in the past. I got enough of it with the old tapes to get through the Tech Plus test when it still had 5wpm code on it, and then General a few years later. Extra, though, was after they got rid of the requirement. But I forgot most of my code because I didn't use it. I've tried online stuff, programs, pocket tutors, you name it. The only thing that got me to learn my code well was taking the free courses from CWOps, their CW Academy. It takes a while, because it's an actual class held online, and each class is like 9-10 weeks, twice a week for an hour or so, with daily practice. But it's FREE. You have to sign up in advance and wait for an opening, but I found that it's worth it.
 
Or you can check out the Long Island CW Club. They're VERY good, and have a more individual online training, and work into getting you practicing on the air with a code buddy. I thought about it and decided on CWAcademy, but your mileage may vary.
 
As far as software goes to decode Morse, the best one I've ever used was good old CWGet. You do have to pay for it, but it's cheap and it's worth it. It's the most accurate and the most unobtrusive decoder I have. It's better than the one in my KX3, and that's going some.
 
You can see what CW Academy is about here: https://cwops.org/cw-academy/
Long Island CW Club is here: https://longislandcwclub.org/
 
73,
Gwen, NG3P

Everyone I have met has been cool you are trying to learn CW. Some are bitter that they had to struggle with it to simply get a "Novice". I would just spin the dial and find some one else. Sometimes, even posting to a forum asking about a practice partner for "slow CW" will net some one to chat with via CW. Once you learn it you need to use it or you will lose it shortly.
 
I have been using this smartphone app "morse toad" . 
 
Rather then learning the dit/dashes that correspond to a letter, listen to the tone patterns in your head and do a copy. A ham in my neighborhood (doesn't live here, travels a lot and is using his friend's address) pretty much is strictly CW. If you are musically inclined he said he has seen new user have an easier time with it. Instead of going ".-." equals R in your head and write it down. He said you should try and train so ".-." sound is trained in your head as "R". It is hard to explain in text. You kinda will understand what I am trying to say, if you speak a second language where you are trying to translate the foreign word in your head to your native language, is what you want to avoid. Instead you want to be able to see and apple and instantly translate into apple in any\ language. VIDEO OF WHAT I WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN.
 
Also, I have this as a visual reference. It may help you also.

I now have learned and used all of the letters except Q,X,Y and Z. Those come tomorrow. I can send at 10 wpm and receive at about five with a character speed of 15 wpm. I don't thing that's too bad for only six days of study. But there is a problem however. Every time I use the letter 'V' (...-) The first few minutes of Beethoven's Symphony no. 5 goes through my head for the next half hour.

Try this one: Super-Elastic Signal Stalk — Signal Stuff