About a week ago, a friend told me about Anki, a powerful new flash card application. My friend is using Anki to help him learn Morse Code, but after reading about it, I decided to work on a set of flash cards for the amateur radio license exams.
Anki uses two simple concepts: active recall testing and spaced repetition. Active recall testing means being asked a question and then being prompted for an answer. According to the Anki website:
Research has shown that active recall testing is far more effective at building strong memories than passive study. The act of recalling something strengthens the memory, increasing the chances we’ll be able to remember it again. By not turning the card over until you’ve thought about the answer, you can learn things more effectively than passive observation allows.
Spaced repetition means that questions are repeated periodically. Anki will, however, repeat the questions that you’re having problems with more frequently than the questions that you have down pat.
One of the cool features of Anki is that you can embed audio clips, images, videos and scientific markup on your cards and precisely control how the media is shown. So, for example, I’ll be able to include the images from the question pools on the appropriate flash cards.
The app is a totally free download and allows you to use flash card decks developed by other users and develop your own. I’ve already started working on flash cards for the General Class exam. Since I have more than a month before the new question pool goes into effect, I think that I’ll be able to have it ready by then.
I’d like to sign up four or five beta testers. If you’re interested in doing this, please get in touch.
Brian Stockham says
Hope your friend who is studying CW is using the audio clip feature in Anki and NOT spelled out dits or dahs or dots and dashes!
Dave New, N8SBE says
I used flash cards to help study for my Extra Class test, purchased from the couple (from Mississippi?) that used to set up a red trailer in the vendor area during the Dayton Hamvention at the Hara Arena. I don’t remember their name, but they were there every year, with Vibroplex keys and other ham accessories and flash cards they had created for all the various class of licenses.
I don’t think I have them any more. I haven’t seen them in years, but they could be buried in some box in the ham shack in the basement.
I think I had purchased also a Novice or Technician class set for my grandson at the time, but he never got past the first few letter of the Morse code before he lost interest. He came to a club build back then, and built a Pico Keyer, getting a solder burn in the process, due to grabbing for the soldering iron when it was about to fall on the floor.
I still have my Pico Keyer, and use it with various QRP transmitter projects. I don’t think he knows where his is anymore, if he even has it. He’s all about one-line gaming, these days.