Yesterday, a reader wrote:
My 9 year old son and his 7 year old twin brothers have expressed some interest in learning Morse code. Actually they’re pestering me about it. I don’t know the code nor do I have a clue how to beat teach it. I’ve messed around with Koch method but just haven’t put enough effort into it to master CW. Koch seems like a good technique to learn.
Looking for your guidance on what tools and approach might work for kids.
I’m thinking they might like a code practice oscillator to practice sending and receiving. I have a couple arduinos laying around if there’s an easy kit available. I also don’t mind buying a commercial product (one for each boy) if there’s a good one.
I really don’t know where to start here but I want to encourage them.
I posted this question to the CWOps mailing list and got a bunch of suggestions and offers to help. Here is a summary:
- Give them an iPad and download some Morse Code apps?
- Re: teaching code to youngsters. I did that in 1985 for my two sons ages 9 & 11, and a group of their friends. Along with Morse, they studied the Novice license manual, built a code practice oscillator, and passed the Novice exam in 5 weeks. I’m not sure about the 7-year old twins, but if the desire and ability is there they may succeed also. I wrote an article, “Robbing_the_Cradle” for the August 1986 issue of QST, pp. 46, 47, under my previous call sign, W8LNJ.Key points: have the boys get a small group of friends to work with them, if possible, though 3 may be enough. Building the oscillator taught them some soldering skills. Get another ham or two to help out, depending on the number of students. Good luck to your reader.
- Take a hard look at the Morse Toad app (iPhone, Android). I think it teaches the code by sound – as it should. A quick look showed me that it starts forming words right away with just a few letters learned. It starts the student out on a preset lesson plan path and I don’t believe it allows skipping ahead so it’s simple and structured. The graphics on the program aren’t sophisticated, but who cares? I think it looks like a good app to begin with, or at least a contender.
- Have them try CW_PLAYER to learn the Morse code.
- Sign up for the Youth CW Academy. For the last two years I’ve been teaching Youth CW Academy exclusively. Never had 7 year olds, but I’ve had plenty of 9 year olds. If they sign up for CW Academy they automatically get put in the youth program. Young people are not required to wait if there is a waiting list.
- Here’s a low-tech approach: When I was 10, my buddy and I (he was a little older) would call each other on the landline every evening and simply talk the code (i.e., dit-dah) to each other, timing with a watch, until we were good enough to become WN3WHJ and WN3WHK. No key to train our fists, but that came later.
Please add a comment below if you have any other suggestions.