Good ways to learn Morse Code

[Elbowmac]

Hello,

    Currently a gmrs new user. Wanted to ease into the idea and hopefully will go for my amateur radio license. I am especially interested in morse code and am wondering about new techniques or resources that have become available since I last tried. FWIW that would be back when it was still a requirement for a ham license. Thanks for any assistance

[SteveShannon]

I use and like an app called Morse Mania on my iPhone and iPad. 

[WRXB215]

I use Just Learn Morse Code on the desktop and Morse Code on my android phone.

Beware when using wireless headphones or wireless earbuds. I think they have a tendency to "sleep" or some other kind of switching very quickly to preserve battery. This results in missing the first dit or dah sometimes and it doesn't seem to matter which program or computer/phone I'm using.

Also, while you are studying for the test, think about taking the tech and general in the same session. It will save you one $35 fee and also open up a lot more privileges on HF so you have more spectrum to use for CW.

Edit: See @SteveShannon clarification below.

Edited 2 hours ago by WRXB215
clarification

[Davichko5650]

1 hour ago, Elbowmac said:

Hello,

    Currently a gmrs new user. Wanted to ease into the idea and hopefully will go for my amateur radio license. I am especially interested in morse code and am wondering about new techniques or resources that have become available since I last tried. FWIW that would be back when it was still a requirement for a ham license. Thanks for any assistance

Others I see are recommending various apps, a good way to start the learning curve for CW. In additon, YouTube has scads of videos on the subject. AS you're working on it, a good suggestion is to listen, if possible, to the W1AW bulletins they send in CW, with increasing word per minute speeds, the frequency and times are listed on their website arrl.org.  I learned it many a year ago in the Army starting with A, but the "di-dah is Alfa Sir!" method is a bit dated.  Listening for it on the HF bands, try as you're learning to pick out what stations are sending.  Contests especially, can be good, but operators are usually sending at pretty hi rates. But picking out callsigns and words being sent like "Test" will tune your ears to the music that is CW...

 

Good luck, don't hesitate to ask more and report back with what you've found works for you.

[SteveShannon]

18 minutes ago, WRXB215 said:

Also, while you are studying for the test, think about taking the tech and general in the same session. It will save you one $35 fee and also open up a lot more privileges on HF so you have more spectrum to use for CW.

FYI - upgrading your class of amateur license does not require a fee. Just new licenses, renewals, rule waivers, and vanity calls incur the $35 fee. 
https://www.arrl.org/news/new-fcc-application-fee-will-not-apply-to-amateur-radio-license-upgrades

[WRYS709]

I am a BIG FAN of the Jerry Ziliak High Speed Morse Code System.

These were originally on cassette tape, but after Jerry Ziliak passed away, his estate must have licensed the transfer to CD and now Amazon sells them.

His theory is simple:  He teaches you each letter, number and character one at a time at 20 WPM sending of the dots and dashes.

But as he expands to words, he sends each character at 20 WPM, but by putting in more space between letters, he starts out at 5 WPM.

Then as you get comfortable, he starts to "increase" the speed by deleting some of the spacing.

In this way, your brain hears 20 WPM right from the start, instead of other teaching methods that make you relearn each letter, etc., as your speed increases.

I can send you a sample if you like; send me a PM.

[WRXB215]

@SteveShannon thanks for the clarification. Maybe it was the testing fee. Anyway, good info. 

[SteveShannon]

5 minutes ago, WRXB215 said:

@SteveShannon thanks for the clarification. Maybe it was the testing fee. Anyway, good info. 

Yeah, some testing locations will charge a small fee. We don’t here. FCC rules limit the fee to actual costs. VEs don’t get paid for our time. 

[WRYZ926]

Our club charges $15 to test. Of course our head VE is old fashion and snail mails everything in after one passes their test. There was no FCC fee when upgrading from Technician to General.

I can't give any suggestions on learning CW since I haven't even started learning it myself.