Frequently Asked Questions
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Please use the same email address on both PayPal and morseDX.
Does morseDX work on smartphones, tablets, and desktops?
Yes, morseDX was designed for a variety of platforms. Just make sure you have JavaScript enabled. (Most devices have it on as default.) Try it on all the platforms you intend to employ during the trial period.
How do I cancel a subscription?
You can cancel by going to your personal PayPal page and following their instructions for managing subscriptions or by sending us an email (much easier!).
How would a ham license be useful?
- You can stay connected on camping trips, mountain hikes, and expeditions
- Keep in touch long after your smartphone has lost all bars
- Communicate without the need for fragile infrastructures
- Enjoy a hobby second to none!
Is there a minimum age for getting a license?
Absolutely not. Kids as young as four years old(!) have obtained a Technician license.
Do I have to retake the test periodically?
No. Your license is good for life so long as you renew every ten years.
Can you take the Technician, General, and Amateur Extra exams on the same day?
Yes. Just let the examiners know ahead of time. You will have to take the tests in sequence and you will get a license for the highest class of license that you pass. Quite a few individuals pass all three successfully.
Do I need to learn Morse code?
It is not a requirement any more. But it’s a fun learning experience on morseDX.com. Try it after you get your Technician license and have some time. Among other things, it will allow you to fully experience QRP (low power operation) with simple homebrew equipment if you’re technically inclined.
How many times do I need to go over a question pool?
It all depends on how good your memory is. Keep on going through the pool and taking the random-question tests until your scores are well over the 74% passing grade. A score of 90+% is recommended to compensate for any nervousness during the actual exam.
When do I get my license?
It will appear on the FCC website database within a few days with your assigned call sign.
Can I save a code session and play it back later?
Yes — on PCs just right-click on the embedded player and save the file. You can give it a meaningful title and store it anywhere — disk, memory stick, the cloud… wherever. On Macs, click on the right-hand dots and you will be presented with the option to download the file. Or do a two-finger swipe on the touchpad.
Why is Morse code the best way to introduce kids to ham radio?
Did you see the movie A Christmas Story? Remember how excited young Ralphie got when he received the Ovaltine Little Orphan Annie decoder ring in the mail? Why do you think that is?
In Ralphie’s mind, that decoder ring was the ticket to the mystique, mystery, and adventure of avoiding deadly icebergs in the North Atlantic, guiding a spaceship to Venus, contacting lost climbers on Aconcagua, and everything else that fires everyone’s imagination.
Kids today carry smartphones that allow them to talk and text with anyone in the world. How exciting can listening to a QSO be when carried out in a voice or digital text mode? Answer: not too much — “Oh, I see, it’s just like an iPhone!” But a CW contact has all the elements of mystery and intrigue. It’s Ralphie’s decoder ring on steroids! Each decoded character and word is far more exciting than listening to some SSB or FM ramblings about VSWR on the feed line!
- It’s a technology from that romantic age of steam locomotives, the early days of radio, hurried telegraphed press dispatches, and clandestine communications from behind enemy lines. (See The Paraset Radio: The Story of a WWII Spy-Radio and How to Build a Working Replica by Hiroki Kato) In a way, it feeds the Walter Mitty in all of us! But it’s far from antiquated.
- It’s a superb brain exercise. You could spend a lot of time and money playing games on various brain training sites like millions of people, or you can push your neurons to the limit and end up with a useful skill like Morse code. Even the U.S. Government is exploring this area with a major new initiative.
- You can communicate in an emergency using very simple means: a car horn, a whistle, a shiny object, whatever. Or just knocking on a cell wall to talk with another prisoner in the dungeon of the Chateau d’If and plan your escape.*
- You can buy or build simple, inexpensive, low power (QRP) radio transmitters and receivers that (with an amateur radio license) will enable you to communicate in Morse code across the world. They will work even when all other more modern means of communication are disabled or rendered ineffective due to natural or man-made causes.
- Radio amateurs (ham radio enthusiasts) constitute the largest worldwide user group.
- U.S. Intelligence units still train new recruits in Morse code.
- Several special military units (such as the U.K.’s elite SAS) continue to use it very effectively.
- Until recently, U.S. Special Forces Communications Sergeants were required to gain Morse proficiency and many still swear by it.
- The FCC tests applicants’ ability to receive and send Morse code as part of the requirements for the First, Second, and Third Class commercial radiotelegraph operator’s certificates.
- Commercial pilots still learn Morse code, primarily to be able to identify navigation beacons.
- The Boy Scouts of America introduced the Morse Code Interpreter Strip in 2012 as official recognition of Scouts and Scouters who demonstrate an ability to communicate in Morse code.
- And some severely handicapped people depend on it as their only means of communication.
Why learn Morse code, a 19th century technology?
* The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. One of the more than two dozen morseDX books you can enjoy!
Who still uses Morse code?
Why is there a resurgence?
The resurgence in the interest in Morse code by the amateur radio community is primarily a reaction to the technology shifts of the past several decades. There was a time when the fundamental workings of a radio station were in plain view. With some understanding of basic principles, a transmitter and receiver could be repaired or constructed on a home workbench with little more than a set of schematics and a hot soldering iron. Parts were readily available to build equipment whose performance rivaled that of much more expensive commercial gear. Immense satisfaction was derived from these rudimentary tube and transistor marvels that before the latter part of the 20th century formed the backbone of the hobby.
Then things began to change. The introduction of integrated circuit (IC) chips into commercial amateur gear hid the inner workings of the circuitry and the ability to tweak its performance characteristics. Yes, the technology undoubtedly became far better but somehow less satisfying. Discrete transistor designs had a hard time rivaling the performance of even the simplest ICs.
And then came firmware embedded in on-board processors and software running on PCs. These made the commercial radio a veritable black box (in terms of both hardware and software) that could run circles around anything you could realistically build yourself on a home workbench. Far worse, truly understanding the inner workings is beyond the capabilities of the average amateur. Just the depth of mathematical knowledge required to truly master the workings of a DSP filter or the various digital modes is staggering.
So the amateur is left to just tinkering with not much more than antenna topologies and matching network circuitry – important tasks but intrinsically not very satisfying.
But there is one aspect to the hobby that dates back to the earliest spark-gap transmitters that can never be taken away: Morse code. It is going through a resurgence as a direct reaction to the factors mentioned above. Not only is CW operation a truly satisfying endeavor, but it also brings back the potential for building your own gear, especially transmitters that are simply keyed on and off. High power vacuum tubes are still available to construct a legal-limit RF amplifier. As well as discrete transistors and ICs for CW QRP (low power) operation during a camping trip in the mountains.
Try it and you’ll love being part of the resurgence!
What are the advantages of learning code on morseDX?
It is an integrated platform that teaches the first Morse character all the way to enjoying books at 30 wpm. It is based on the fundamental principle that in order to copy code without resorting to pencil and paper requires that you first be able to do it in spelled out English. In addition, it provides a utility (Code Drill) to test and monitor your progress throughout the program. Of particular benefit is the capability of learning to head-copy at constantly varying speeds.
Why should I pay to learn code?
You certainly need not pay a dime! If all you want is to be able to handle basic slow-speed CW contacts, where only simple information is exchanged, then you can get by with a very limited facility in Morse code… and pencil and paper. The traditional ways of learning will certainly prove sufficient.
But if you want to engage in more satisfying QSOs from the start, where you might talk about preparations for Field Day or whatever, then morseDX will equip you with that ability. You will form complete thoughts from the received stream of characters — without your even being aware of it!
In effect, all morseDX does is provide you with the skill for enjoyable ragchews from the start, without many years of brass pounding under your belt. And think about it: how many thousands of dollars will you spend on your hobby? Isn’t it worth spending less than the price of a couple of cups of coffee per month to develop a skill that will last a lifetime?
The subscription fees go toward paying for a considerable slice of a dedicated web server. The computational and bandwidth requirements imposed by the need to construct and deliver custom one-time-use files are rather significant.
I already know code. What’s in it for me?
A lot! If you’re like the rest of us, you quickly get rusty with lack of varied practice. With morseDX you can read over two dozen books in 100% beautiful code. Bookmarks are automatically placed so you can continue reading no matter where you left off.
You can switch around among any number of books — genres include adventure, science fiction, drama, and comedy.
It’s far better than ordinary “CW books on CD.” You can listen at 15, 20, 25, 30 wpm and – even better – at a randomly varying speed. You can adjust the spacing between words (but not letters!) from normal spacing to four-times normal. And if any characters are problematic, switch over to Code Drill for interactive practice.
I get the characters but not the words. Why?
Since you can copy individual Morse characters, it obviously means that your brain recognizes them but just has a hard time linking them into words. This situation is very common: you forget what the previous characters were because you are busy decoding the incoming character. The traditional solution is to write down each character as it arrives. But…
…as long as you do that, you will never develop the ability to store a sequence of characters in your “mental buffer” and you’ll be forever saddled with that paper and pencil. Which is OK if you’re copying antenna heights, radio brands, locations, call letters, etc. but clearly not suitable for a prolonged ragchew.
This is precisely the problem that morseDX addresses. Start out simply listening to words, sentences, movie quotes, or a book spelled entirely in English, with NO MORSE CODE. Spend a couple of weeks just listening and forming complete words and sentences in your head. Remember: NO CODE! Before long you will be able to form complete thoughts in your head without thinking about it. Then go to a book session and check off several characters that will be sent in code, the rest still in English. Keep on increasing the proportion of characters in Morse code until you can can listen to the material entirely in code.
Keep in mind that knowing all the Morse characters and understanding their meaning in a sentence are two different things. To quote from Pierpont’s book, The Art and Skill of Radio-Telegraphy: “Learning to copy on the ‘mill’ (typewriter) without knowing what is being copied was actually used during WWII in Africa, when operators were in short supply. Native Africans who knew no English at all were taught to associate each code character with its corresponding typewriter key. They quickly learned to hear the character and punch the proper keys, and became quite proficient.”
Is Morse code the original digital mode?
It is commonly dubbed “the original digital mode” but Morse code is not digital. Listen on the HF bands and you will find fluctuating sending speeds, inconsistent dots, dashes, and spaces, Doppler-shifted audio pitch, rapidly changing amplitude levels, and a host of other factors that make Morse code reception very analog in nature, particularly so under low signal-to-noise conditions. In fact, it is only the incredible processing capability of the human brain that makes it appear digital after it has been decoded.
There are quite a few digital modes that you can use if you’re so inclined. Search using something like “ham radio digital modes” and you will find a wealth of information on the subject. A lot of technical progress has been made in this area over the past decade and performance levels are quite outstanding.
But, at least for some, typing on a keyboard and staring at a monitor feels less like a hobby and more like preparing an income tax return. And, besides, do you really want to use your ham shack as a rather heavy and primitive smartphone?
What’s the difference between Morse code and CW?
The terms are usually used interchangeably but they are not the same. Think of Morse code as a language. The CW mode of operation uses Morse code but also a lot more. It encompasses all the protocols, operating practices, methods and techniques that have evolved over the past hundred years or so. In fact, since the days of spark-gap transmitters! It’s a distinct social culture that transcends national and political boundaries. You might call it the original social network.
morseDX only tackles Morse code. To get started on learning how to be a competent CW operator you can visit any of a number of ham websites that cover the subject in depth.
Is the Farnsworth method bad?
It has long been part of the traditional Morse code training regimen. There is a common perception that increasing the time interval between Morse code characters during training is of benefit. But it can be argued that this is actually detrimental to the learning process. You want to force your brain, from the very start of training, to develop very quick reflex reactions (i.e. recognition) upon receipt of a Morse character. Give it neither the time nor the opportunity to contrive ways to decode the input signal. So consider a Morse character as existing within a non-negotiable time frame that is an intrinsic part of that character — no more, no less.
The other related issue has to do with your sending. You want to learn from the very start the rhythm of properly spaced Morse code. If you don’t, it will obviously reflect in your fist.
Why not slower than 15 words per minute?
Because at a somewhat slower speed you can count the individual dots and dashes rather than having your brain treat each character as a distinct, integrated sound element. When you hear code sent at, say, 5 wpm, it is “Morse code in name only” and learning at such a slow speed is counterproductive. It does NOT form the neural connections that lead to instantaneous recognition. And, far worse, it programs the brain to count individual dots and dashes — precisely what you don’t want it to do! This eventually has to be unlearned and presents a formidable barrier to actually learning useful code.
To some degree, previous government regulations are to blame: In earlier times the FCC imposed a Morse code requirement of 5 wpm for the Novice Class amateur radio license, causing legions of radio amateurs to get on precisely the wrong track. And to this day there are well-intentioned individuals, clubs, and national organizations that recommend starting at 5 wpm!
Are mnemonics and mental images bad?
Yes! They inhibit or block instantaneous recognition. Decoding usable Morse code has to be done at the reflex level. There is simply no processing time available for your brain to engage in analogies or mental images to perform the interpretation and call a character.
Imagine that you hear dit-dit-dit-dah and proceed to employ a mnemonic. You would think along the line of: “Hey, that sure sounds like the opening of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. And the Roman numeral for five is V. So what I just heard is a V.”
Let’s consider a more extreme example using an image: A dit-dah-dah-dit is heard and you think to yourself: “Hey, that looks like a bridge! I know Samuel F. B. Morse was an artist and studied in France for some time. And the French word for bridge is ‘pont,’ which starts with a p. So, voilà, what I just heard is obviously a P.”
Ludicrous, isn’t it? Yet there are proponents of similar methods.
The point is that you want to train your brain to do code processing at an autonomous reflex level — not at a higher analytical plane that makes use of associative lookup tables or deals with complex analogies.
Do age and other factors matter?
Yes, to a degree. But only on how long it will take to master the exam material and/or become proficient in Morse code.
If you are in your teens or younger, you will learn extremely fast. If you’ve paid off your 30-year mortgage some years ago it will take you considerably longer to get to 30 wpm. But keep in mind that there are people in their nineties who learn code and become quite proficient.
Besides, there is strong medical evidence that engaging in complex mind stimulating activities wards off the debilitating effects of aging on the brain. Learning Morse code certainly falls in the category of being mind stimulating.
When/how should I run morseDX sessions?
Try early in the morning, lunchtime, and in the evening. Spend a total of about an hour a day. Less if you don’t have that much time available, more if you are motivated. Several short sessions per day are far better than one or two long sessions.
Keep it fun, pressure free, and always finish your learning session looking forward to the next one. But be absolutely sure to end your day’s training with some random-question tests. And with Code Drill if you’re learning code. It will test you, discover your weaknesses, and provide you with exercises specifically tailored around your problem characters. In fact, if you’re pressed for time, just spend your available time on Code Drill.
Should I listen to code on the ham bands?
Yes and no. Listening to 15+ wpm code practice sessions, such as those provided by the ARRL’s W1AW amateur radio station will do you a lot of good once you are familiar with most letters and numbers. But don’t be tempted to listen to slower code!
Listening to random ham radio conversations (QSOs) is not a good idea when you’re just starting to learn to receive. There is an awful lot of very bad code being sent by beginners, especially in well-intended group learning sessions — and lots of arcane abbreviations, misspellings, and usually deep fading and annoying interference. (In other words, everything that makes ham radio fun!) So spend the time practicing with your morseDX material instead and you will learn proper code much faster. But once you learn, dive into those amateur bands head first!
Why learn code over a range of speeds?
Because the operator on the other end might only know one speed — and it will not be yours! The accepted protocol is to adjust to the slower speed when in a two-way conversation but what if you’re just listening? That’s why the morseDX Varying Speed selection is so valuable — you will feel comfortable with over 90% of the QSOs taking place out there.
When should I learn to send?
Only after you can receive comfortably.
Sending is far easier to learn than receiving, so don’t worry about it when you are first starting to learn code. You need to know how perfect Morse characters sound before you key them. And you have to make sure that you can receive and send over the same speed range. If you can’t, make sure you never send faster than you can receive.
And remember this cardinal rule: sending well-formed characters with precise timing trumps speed any day! Which, by the way, is a reason why learning to receive with the Farnsworth method — with its elongated spacing between characters — is not a good idea. You should learn proper spacing right from the start, not leave it for later!
Should I learn to send with a straight key?
Yes, at some future time but certainly NOT initially.
Unfortunately, there is a school of thought that believes that a paddle should not be used until the straight key is mastered. This is equivalent to saying that you should only learn to drive with a manual transmission because you’re not yet ready for an automatic!
A paddle and electronic keyer will be far easier to use and will result in well-formed Morse code. It is highly recommended that you learn to send with a single-paddle key. It is far easier to master than the double-paddle or iambic key, as it is commonly called. In the course of a typical QSO, the keying effort difference between the two types is only on the order of 5%.
Once you know exactly what good Morse sounds like, you will find yourself itching to learn to use a straight key like the venerable J-38 from WWII. It is an art that will come in very useful if you ever want to experiment with a minimalist home-brew QRP radio that you backpack up the mountain. But don’t expect to be able to form perfect Morse without a considerable amount of practice and your sending will certainly be slower. But it will be a lot of fun!
Why is Morse code so effective?
The reason it’s effective even under conditions of heavy natural or man-made interference (e.g., jamming) is because it occupies a very narrow sliver of the radio frequency spectrum. CW modulation bandwidth is proportional to sending speed, i.e., CW bandwidth in Hz is approximately equal to 4 x wpm. So the bandwidth is normally 5-10% of that taken up by SSB (single side band) voice modulation. So only 5-10% of the signal power is required at the receiving antenna to be able to copy the message, all other things being equal.
(Note: The above is not really a complete explanation. In more precise terms, the rate of information transfer via Morse code is proportionally much slower than that achieved by speaking, so in effect you’re trading time for bandwidth. In other words, the same information can be sent sent over a longer period of time using a narrower bandwidth. And a narrow bandwidth at the receiver means that proportionally less noise is allowed to enter through the bandpass filters. So you can pick up signals buried deeper in noise — simply because there is less noise filling your ears. If you are really interested and comfortable with engineering mathematics, find an introductory textbook on communications theory. Or check out some of the excellent ARRL publications.)
It needs to be emphasized that your brain plays a major role in enhancing the received CW signal: It is able to pick out discrete audio tones that are essentially buried in noise, where speech would be unintelligible. The brain provides significant processing gain by effectively acting as a very-narrow-band adaptive filter that ignores noise and close-in strong signals. And, in addition, it fills in information content from adjacent context.
There are sophisticated mathematical algorithms that can perform these functions with tens of thousands of lines of code and a very fast processor. The one between your ears is free and much easier to carry!
Is morseDX for beginners or for CW operators?
You are in luck if you are a beginner and don’t know a single Morse character because you won’t have to unlearn anything.
If you already use code at speeds lower than 15 wpm, you will probably have to unlearn listening for individual dits and dahs. You will also have to throw away that pencil and paper!
If you are already proficient at some higher speed, morseDX will get you up to 30 wpm.
If you just want to maintain and enhance your skill, morseDX provides you with material that you can “read” at 15-30 wpm, at a fixed or variable rate. Better than CDs because you can vary the spacing between words — and bookmarks get inserted automatically. So you can continue listening from anywhere there is a browser on hand.
What is the hardest thing to learn in the morseDX code sessions?
The hardest part is getting used to listening to material spelled out letter by letter in spoken English. That is why it is the first step in the method. But think about it — you’d have to learn to do that anyway and it’s much easier in voiced English than in code!
You don’t introduce a single Morse character until you can form words, sentences, and complete thoughts in your head. Then you slowly add Morse, one character at a time.
Do I need to install any software to run morseDX?
Not at all. The synthesis software executes on a dedicated server so all you need is a modern web browser running on the platform of your choice. Your configuration forms and bookmarks are remembered so you can access your session from anywhere in the world.
Is there any other audio tone?
As Henry Ford would have said, you can have any tone you want so long as it’s 600 Hz.
If there is enough interest, the algorithms could certainly be modified to generate other audio frequencies.
Can it go any faster than 30 words per minute?
Not directly… but you can MacGyver it! Some browsers (e.g., Firefox) allow you to choose the playback speed — so you can crank it up to an insane 60 WPM! In other browsers, you can record a session by right-clicking on the embedded audio player and play it back at a faster speed using something like Windows Media Player. The pitch will be proportionally higher but you’ll get used to it.