TEARA VE Helpful Resources

BuckMaster Publishing New License Notification - If pass your Technician exam, you can register with Buckmaster Publishing HERE, and as soon as the FCC issues your license, they will send you an email notification. The service is free.

Central Carolina Skywarn - Start using your license for public service by becoming a severe weather spotter. Opportunities for service in central North Carolina can be found here.

Wake County, NC ARES - ARES - the Amateur Radio Emergency Service - provides backup communications when other systems fail or become overloaded, through volunteer Amateur Radio operators. Nationwide and Statewide, ARES is sponsored by the ARRL, although ARRL membership is not required for ARES participation. You can get information on all North Carolina ARES organizations by starting here.

Amateur Radio Information – for information on just about everything else to do with ham radio, this site is the place! You could spend hours here!

Smithchart ARS - home of the Smithchart Amateur Radio Society, an ARRL Special Service Club!

OK, as of February 23, 2007 you don't need to learn Morse code to get any amateur license, but please read on...

For some reason, learning Morse code scares the living daylights out of most hams! However, once you move to move up to the really exciting world of high frequency (HF) communications, you'll find a world of fun using Morse Code. In addition to the enhanced DX (long distance communications) possibilities, there's the world of QRP (low power) operating. And it is still possible to build your own radios to send and receive Morse Code without breaking the bank, whether from scratch (homebrew) or from one of many available kits. So when you get tired of the 75 meter nets and want to move on to a new challenge, give code a try.

Here's one way to get started! Go to G4FON's great website to download the free G4FON Code Trainer. This is an excellent code trainer that is ordinarily used to teach Morse code using the Koch method. However, you won't be using it as a Koch trainer just yet. Instead, you should set it up to learn Morse code just enough to get you started. Just follow these simple steps:

After you have downloaded the trainer, install it on your computer and set it up as follows:

          For "Pitch," select 750 Hz

          For "Actual Character Speed," select 15 WPM (words per minute)

          For "Effective Code Speed," select 5 WPM

          Set "Noise Level" to off

(NOTE: You might want to try to set the effective code speed at 7-10 WPM instead of 5.   That will give you a head start in learning to copy off the air.)

Now comes the fun part. Follow the directions provided for learning the code by clicking on the "About" button and learn that code! As a rule of thumb, once you have thorougly memorized the sounds of the characters (not the dots and dashes), you are probably at a good 5 WPM, particularly if you set you effective code speed a bit higher than 5 WPM.

As you begin to learn, DO NOT try to memorize "dots and dashes." It just adds an unnecessary step that will only slow you down. Here's why...

Suppose you hear the sound, "dah-di-dah-dit." That's what the letter "C" sounds like. If you have learned the letter C as "dash-dot-dash-dot," when you hear the sound "dah-di-dah-dit", you will first try to translate that sound to dots and dashes, and then translate the dots and dashes to "C." I know.. that's how I started out, and it only makes it harder to increase your code speed.

However, if you learn to associate the sound "dah-di-dah-dit" and don't even bother with dots and dashes, you will learn to recognize the letter C much more quickly. Learn the sound of each character, not the sequence of dots and dashes, and you will learn faster and better.

When you have learned the characters, try your hand at copying the ARRL's slow speed code practice transmissions off the air, or download them if you don't have an HF rig. Go HERE for more information.

Once you can copy at 5 WPM, it's time to take the plunge. Plug your code key in, get on the code portion of the bands and start sending CQ. Don't worry if everyine you hear is sending faster than you are. Most will QRS (slow down) if you ask them to. As a matter of fact, you will delight the old timers out there once you tell them you learned to code after you got your general or extra. You'll be the darling of the bands!

And once you've made your first few contacts, you can further challenge your brain by using this software as a true Koch trainer, as it was designed to be, and get that code speed on up to hang with the big dogs!