Before you start: two settings that matter
Character speed vs spacing (Farnsworth)
Beginners often practice at a slow character speed. That teaches the wrong thing: counting dots and dashes. A better approach is to keep characters fast enough to sound like “shapes,” while adding extra spacing between characters/words so you can think.
Volume and tone
Pick a comfortable tone and volume. Too loud or too high-pitched makes practice fatiguing. Consistency beats intensity.
The 10-minute routine
Minute 0–2: warm-up with a tiny set
Start with 4–6 characters you’re already learning. Generate short groups and listen actively. If you miss one, don’t rewind obsessively—keep moving.
Minute 2–6: short “words” and call sign style chunks
Switch to short chunks (2–4 letters). This is where recognition starts to stick. If you’re a ham radio learner, include realistic patterns like alternating letters and numbers.
Minute 6–9: real text at comfortable spacing
Paste a sentence you care about (a quote, a line from a book, or your own notes) and play it back. If you’re not ready for full sentences, use simple words and gradually increase complexity.
Minute 9–10: one “stretch rep”
Increase character speed slightly or reduce spacing for a single run. The goal is to get used to the edge of your comfort zone—then stop. This prevents burnout.
What to type into the tool (copy/paste prompts)
Try these in the Text-to-Morse tool and play the audio:
SOS NEED HELPTHE QUICK BROWN FOXCALLSIGN 1A2B3CTEST MESSAGE START NOW
Open: Text-to-Morse (Encode) →
Make progress measurable
- Keep a simple log: date, minutes practiced, one thing that was hard, one thing that improved.
- Change only one variable at a time (speed, spacing, or difficulty).
- Stop before you’re exhausted. Consistency is the win.
Bonus: share a practice snippet safely
If you want feedback from a friend, share only the practice phrase—not personal data. If you’re comparing two practice texts, you can quickly diff them: