Yesterday, I blogged about N7AGK’s ad in the Ham Ads section of the June 2017 QST. The ad read:
CW Operators Learn to copy Morse code in your head. n7agk.com.
That’s always a hot topic among CW operators, especially those who are striving to get better.
My post sparked a couple of emails from readers. Bill, W3MSH, wrote:
I was a CW op for many years and discovered something fascinating. I first began to hear “dots and dashes”, then letters, words, sentences and at 35+ WPM…thoughts in my head.
I replied:
I like the idea that copying code in your head is more akin to generating thoughts than it is to copying individual characters or words. Everybody talks about how getting faster is about moving from copying individual characters to copying words to copying entire sentences. I’ve never thought of it that way, although I was at a loss as to how to describe how I do it.
You have really hit the nail on the head, though, with the idea that the code is creating thoughts in your head. That’s a beautiful way to put it.
Isn’t that what’s happening when we talk to someone? When someone talks to me, I don’t consciously parse the sentences and then analyze them to see what was just said. It’s more of an unconscious process. The sounds being uttered are creating ideas in my head.
We shouldn’t approach head copy as the process of writing down the characters on an internal blackboard, to be read later. Instead, it should be about translating the sound of the Morse Code directly into concepts. The sounds “dah di dit…dah dah dah….dah dah dit,” should conjure up the image of a poodle or a pitbull, not the letters “D O G.”
How that translates into a program or a method for learning to copy the code in one’s head is another matter. It might be worth thinking about, though.
AA7US says
Hi Dan,
Have you heard of this website and their “head copy” learning method? http://morsefusion.com Looks like they’ve been around since about 2012.
I’m a pencil and paper CW op who’s managed to reach 15-18 wpm but really can’t go any farther because I can’t write any faster. I desperately want to make the leap to head copying, but thus far can’t decode and retain more than a few letters at a time in my head. Long words are difficult enough and whole sentances are out of the question.
The MorseFusion method says to first learn to hear spoken letters, build them into words in your head, then comprehend whole sentances before trying to do the same with any morse code characters.
It’s an intriguing idea and I’ve decided to test it out under their free week long trial period. To continue past the trial requires a month-to-month subscription.
73
Dan KB6NU says
It seems like a good idea, and in fact, Paul, KW1L, who I’ve mentioned here before is trying something simliar. He has his wife read to him, but character-by-character, like MorseFusion does. Unfortunately, the last time I talked to him, he wasn’t having a lot of success with this method.
The leap of faith that you’re taking with this method is that a) you’ll actually be able to build the spoken characters into words and sentences, and then b) transfer the ability to do this with spoken characters to receiving Morse Code characters. The theory sounds good, but as Yogi Berra is purported to have said, “In theory, there is no difference between practice and theory. In practice, there is.” (I say “purported” because snopes.com thinks that computer scientist Jan van de Snepscheut originally said it at some computer science conference.)
I think that like all the different CW training programs out there, this will work for some people, but probably not for everybody. The downside, of course, is that MorseFusion.Com will cost you $10/month to find out whether or not it works for you. (I’m guessing that a week probably won’t be long enough for you to know for sure.)
If you do subscribe to this service, please let me know how it goes. Perhaps I could even get you to write up a review to post here.
Paul KW1L says
I been trying to copy morse code in my head for about 10 months. I copy code at 20 wpm with a pen. As Dan descripted I practice head copy with my wife in the car and at home. She would spell out verbally each letter of the article from the newspaper. At first we tried one sentence and all I could remember was the last word. She then shortened to 4 words, 3 words etc.
Still had a problem remembering what she verbally spelled out. It is like the brain takes a set of letters and does a search to find the correct word. As the search goes on I start forgetting in real time other letters that are coming in.
Now maybe my problem is age related or the New York Times newspaper. I am 72 years old (Novice license 10-5-59) and the number crushing of my brain may have slowed down. I can head copy a typical Novice cw contact (RST, QTH, name etc) but when the conversation changes to something different head copy stops.
My question is: Do you know of hams that have tried to learn head copy at a older age?
Victor Bond says
Thanks Paul for your perspective on head copy, I can relate to your comments on RST and such, but beyond the familiar exchanges it becomes a challenge. I have been working on the code for over. a year now. I originally demonstrated my dexterity at 5 wpm in 2003 to gain access to the HF bands but did not use it until covid came around and 2022. I am comfortable at POTA exchanges which is a lot of fun. (Here in Alberta in Dec not so much!) I did the intermediate CWops course which helped a lot, but would love to get to 20+ wpm some day. Signing up for a course means you have to practice. Good luck with the head copy progress. 73 Vic VE6VIC, 78years
Scott Dreher says
I still struggle to copy enough with pencil and paper to get enough of the gist to respond appropriately. (“Oh, I think he’s telling me about his weather…”). What do you think is the best strategy for getting to head copying?
RickB KA8BMA says
QST ran an article, Increase Your CW Speed with Wordsworth, in the May 2017 issue. I used this method with Morse Tutor on my Android tablet. I had been practicing characters at 23 wpm, so I tried this method at 28 wpm. It seems to work for me. I find the parallels between this an child development interesting.
Paul N6EV says
I wrote an article several years ago about an alternate way of head copy I call ‘Phonic Copy Method” where received code elements are sounded out in the mind using phonic sounds. The phonic sounds build into words making comprehension instantaneous (as if someone was speaking to you). I’ve recently reworked the article and have posted it on my blog with additional info on how to learn the method. I’m not sure if the ‘thoughts in your mind’ method you speak of above is the same, but it sounds close.
“Head Copy CW, An Alternative Method: Phonic Copy” – http://n6ev.com/articles/phonic-method
73 Paul N6EV
John AA7US says
Thanks N6EV Paul for sharing the link to your articles. Make a lot of sense.
Urb says
When we learn a language, including Morse Code, we start by making mental translations of individual words. When we become proficient, we actually think in that language. A really good way to get into “head copy” is with the G4FON Koch CW Trainer. With the Koch method, you start with two characters sent at your target speed. When you can copy at 90% accuracy you add another characters. When you get through all 44 characters, you can program the trainer to send words or simulated QSOs at your target speed. Keep increasing your target speed.