Learning CW: How Difficult is it?

    Ham radio is full of fun and unique modes. FT8 is by far one of the most popular digital modes. Many hams find joy in ragchewing on SSB or AM. But for many hams, one mode remains a favorite - CW, or to the common folk, Morse Code. Morse Code has been around since the dawn of the amateur radio days. Back then, hams only used spark gap transmitters, which created interference across the bands. It even began to interfere with naval operations!

     Morse Code is extremely efficient. Where voice and digital modes fail, the narrow bandwidth (as low as 10Hz of bandwidth out of 1kHz!) passes right through the noise. So just how hard can it be? Surely it's for everyone, right? Wrong. Out of many of the hams that I know, the vast majority of them either barely use CW or have never touched a straight key.

    But I am a different breed of operator, one that seeks challenge. So over the winter break that we have coming up, I am taking up learning CW. I'm using an online tool called LCWO.net. Here's some more information from the website directly:

"A new website to learn and practice Morse telegraphy has been launched:

http://lcwo.net/ - Learn CW Online

There are already hundreds of training programs, MP3/CD courses and practice aids available, but LCWO follows a radically different concept: While sticking to well-proven methods for learning and practice, all you need for using LCWO is a web browser!

This gives the user the liberty to practice CW wherever an internet connection is available, always retaining the personal settings, scores and statistics.

Currently the site, which is available in 33 languages offers a complete Koch method Morse course, code group practice, callsign- and plain text training modes and also allows to convert random text to Morse MP3s.

A high score list is available to compare results with other users, personal statistics help to track training progress.

LCWO.net is a non-commercial project. Creating a free account only takes a few seconds, and you can start practicing CW right away!"

-Fabian Kurz, DJ1YFK

    LCWO gives you the opportunity to learn code at your own pace. It uses the Koch method, which gradually adds another letter over the one that you've previously learned. You must get at least 90% correct before you move on. All you have to do is create a FREE account (yes, free!) to save your progress, or learn without an account. 

    Of course, when you get on air, send at the speed that you are most comfortable with. You don't have to send a million wpm! Eventually, you may work up to incredibly fast speeds, but a good rule of thumb is to send at a speed that you can copy at. For example, if you can copy messages at around 15wpm, then you should send at 15wpm. 

    So what are you waiting for? Go try it out for yourself and see how you do! Hope to hear you on the air! 73s