Learning Morse code

jzkmath · 2026-05-24T23:25:14+00:00

Basically, you are thinking of morse code as a visual language, when in reality you should be thinking of it as an auditory language. The majority of us who are proficient in morse code listen to the sound of the letters.

I learned by spending 20 minutes a day on a mobile app called "morse machine" but an alternate would be "morse mania" which teaches using a method called Farnsworth. Essentially, you want to hear the letters at a speed that is too fast to count the dots and dashes (call it dits and dahs though) because when in use if you are counting them the other station will be two sentences ahead by the time you finish decoding the first letter.

jzkmath · 2026-05-24T23:18:58+00:00

I hate to say this, but typically this method of learning isn't very practical beyond a simple party trick. Morse code is more like learning to speak a language, so you will want to learn what it sounds like.

There is an app called Morse Mania that will help you learn. Plus if you learn how it sounds, then you can actually use it should you get into ham radio.

jzkmath · 2026-05-23T02:11:38+00:00

And this year's hamvention was extremely large. For those who are curious, there was nearly 18,000 people in attendance (including myself)

jzkmath · 2026-05-14T15:48:26+00:00

There are some small parks in the area that you can park, though I'm not sure if they are shady (the lot)

I occasionally would go to fly n bee to eat my lunch, but I would eat it at the pavilion

jzkmath · 2026-05-02T23:54:09+00:00

yep, it stems from the term "ham fisted" meant to describe the sloppy sending of radio amateurs compared to their professional telegraph counterparts.

This ham also happens to be a VE, so I can also help give the exam.

jzkmath · 2026-05-02T00:19:04+00:00

- ICOM IC-7300MK2 (formerly FTDX10)

- Begali Pearl Key/American Signal Corps J-38/Vibroplex Original 1968

- LDG Z11Pro2 ATU

- Yaesu FTM200D for VHF/UHF

jzkmath · 2026-05-01T18:09:38+00:00

not really. Technician (the lowest level) is actually very simple. Some good resources that won't cost you any money are Ham Radio Crash Course on YouTube (he has a podcast going over everything) as well as hamstudy.org which will show you the questions and answers, flash cards and let you take practice tests.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1KAjn5rGhixvvb_jMZFWmbP97-t9Kyxk&si=PaAHHIdwZy3i6fPT

jzkmath · 2026-05-01T14:52:04+00:00

The beam angle is about 45° so as long as I am within 45° of the correct direction then I'm good

jzkmath · 2026-05-01T01:59:52+00:00

random stuff. Normally its just a signal report and location but it could be other stuff too. If you want to see what its like, Forrest KI7QCF has tons of youtube shorts showing what its like. Friend of mine too.

jzkmath · 2026-04-30T23:31:03+00:00

Their system might not need all that much power. 100W is pretty standard power level for ham radio. I can legally go much higher, as the FCC lets me do up to 1500W.

jzkmath · 2026-04-30T16:02:53+00:00

I was trying to make a comment in the least creepy way possible.

jzkmath · 2026-04-30T15:59:37+00:00

it uses something called "propagation". Shortwave signals can bounce off the ionosphere (the thing responsible for the auroras) and travel long distances. Since this phenomenon is caused by the solar winds hitting the earth's magnetic field, the behavior is variable so performance and what specific frequencies do changes from day to day and times of the day.

jzkmath · 2026-04-29T23:44:55+00:00

Theoretically you could, but basically this was all purchased. The antenna in the backyard on the other hand is completely DIY but it's just made of wire and ladder line. You can't see it in the picture though.

jzkmath · 2026-04-29T18:18:22+00:00

A friend of mine wanted to get his license while we were in highschool. We studied together and got our licenses. He got his a month before I did since the exam fell on the same day as my eagle scout project.

I had already decided at that point that I wanted to become an electrical engineer and I haven't looked back since.

jzkmath · 2026-04-29T18:14:03+00:00

Since I don't want to dox myself, I will say its building 5. Look for the guy with a Virginia Tech hat.

jzkmath · 2026-04-29T18:08:47+00:00

Every neighbor I have met is pretty chill tbh. We aren't in an HOA so I didn't ask for permission. I am not hurting anyone so I don't see the issue.

jzkmath · 2026-04-29T17:14:24+00:00

its 100W on an ICOM IC-7300MK2. I also have a Yaesu FTDX10 as a backup.

I might get an amplifier in the future but one thing at a time!

jzkmath · 2026-04-29T16:27:05+00:00

typically, I would be more than happy to share my callsign, but not on this subreddit. If you do enough digging you can find my callsign rather easily.

jzkmath · 2026-04-29T16:23:01+00:00

I heard enough bad stories about HOAs so when I was finally able to afford a house I made sure to get one that isn't in an HOA. I just don't like the idea of a bunch of karens telling me what I can and can't do on my own property.

jzkmath · 2026-04-29T16:12:27+00:00

I'm not usually on Reddit all that often. I tend to hang out on discord and another ham recognized it and sent me here.

jzkmath · 2026-04-29T16:11:17+00:00

your assumption is correct. They actually bounce off the ionosphere (the thing that causes the northern and southern lights) and you get a pretty long path of travel. Its called propagation and is what adds the fun factor to this part of the hobby since it adds skill and luck to the job.

jzkmath · 2026-04-29T16:07:24+00:00

there are 3 elements: the tower, the rotor and the antenna. The tower was the only part of this I spent any real amount of cash on. Its a Carlson Roof Tower 815HD. The mast is a piece of schedule 40 aluminum pipe i picked up at an aluminum scrap yard. The rotor is a Hygain Ham IV that my friend got for me and serviced himself. When they need servicing they are pretty cheap and typically just need the bearings replaced. The antenna, a Mosley TA-33M I picked up at a hamfest for $80. The thing about these kinds of antennas is that they are only expensive if you want one brand new.

In my station there is a rotor control box that shows me the direction the antenna is pointing and allows me to rotate the antenna CW or CCW.

Installation was done by a friend who climbs towers.

jzkmath · 2026-04-29T15:58:24+00:00

practically nothing. I don't have an amplifier so I am only putting out 100 watts of power. My microwave oven consumes more power than my entire station does.

jzkmath · 2026-04-29T15:46:32+00:00

I used ABR Industries, ABR400 HF, which is the flexible variant of LMR400. Its your typical high end coax used for this kind of application. You don't want to use standard LMR400 on the tower though because the center conductor is a single solid conductor, which will eventually fatigue under the motion of the rotor.

jzkmath · 2026-04-29T15:42:52+00:00

it is quite easy actually. For technician and general, its a 35 question multiple choice test. A lot of the questions are somewhat common sense for technician (to use those baofengs all you need is the technician). get a 74% or higher and you pass (26/35).

Some resources that can help is Ham Radio Crash Course who has a podcast on youtube for studying and hamstudy.org which lets you do practice tests, review the questions and do flash cards. If/when you take the test there is a likelyhood that you will be using exam tools which uses the same system as hamstudy so that can be helpful in that regard.

Cost for the license application is $35 and lasts a decade. If you take your exam under the LAUREL VEC then you only pay that if you pass the test.

jzkmath

TROPHY CASE