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Learn Morse code by ear

Eight short lessons take you from your first dit to copying real words. You hear every letter, number and prosign at real speed, type what you heard, and get an answer straight away. Lesson 1 is free and needs no account.

Enroll for $10

$10 one-time · lifetime access

Try lesson 1 free

The course name, in Morse. Press play to hear it.

short lessons
8
of lessons and drills
2 h
plus punctuation and prosigns
A–Z, 0–9
once, lifetime access
$10

Who it is for

Anyone who wants to read Morse by ear rather than look it up. No radio, no key and no musical ear needed.

  • Ham radio operators

    Morse is no longer required for a US licence, but many operators still use CW because it gets through when voice does not. This gets you copying characters by ear.

  • Sailors, scouts and preppers

    SOS, light and sound signalling, and enough fluency to send and read a short message when it counts.

  • Puzzle solvers

    Escape rooms, geocaches and puzzle hunts hide Morse in blinking lights and beeps. Read it on the spot instead of reaching for a chart.

  • People who type in Morse

    Gboard has a Morse keyboard, and some people with limited mobility type with one or two switches. Fluency starts with knowing the sounds.

What you will be able to do

Concrete skills, each one practised in a drill before the lesson ends.

  • Recognise all 26 letters, the 10 digits and the common punctuation by their sound, without counting dits and dahs.
  • Understand Morse timing: dits, dahs, gaps, words per minute and Farnsworth spacing.
  • Copy common words and call signs at 20 WPM character speed.
  • Read and follow a typical amateur radio CW contact, including prosigns, Q-codes and RST reports.
  • Use a daily practice plan to keep raising your speed and start copying in your head.
Lesson 3 · Listening drillIllustrative

Hear the word, type it

4 of 8 · 3 correct
SOS
A listening drill: the learner plays the sound, types SOS and the answer is marked correct.

The syllabus

Lessons are short on purpose: one sitting each, then a few minutes of daily practice.

  1. How Morse code works

    Dits, dahs, the timing rules behind them, and why you should learn by sound instead of from a chart.

    9 minFree preview

  2. Your first six letters: E T A N I M

    Add A, N, I and M to E and T, and start copying real words.

    12 minIncluded with the course

  3. Seven more letters: S O H D U R K

    Learn S, O, H, D, U, R and K, and the patterns that make similar letters easy to tell apart.

    14 minIncluded with the course

  4. Letters with rhythm: W G C F L P B

    Add W, G, C, F, L, P and B, including the rhythms that make CQ and other calls stand out.

    14 minIncluded with the course

  5. The last letters and common words: Q Y Z X J V

    Finish the alphabet and start hearing the most common words as single sound shapes.

    15 minIncluded with the course

  6. Numbers and punctuation

    Learn the ten digits, the punctuation you will actually meet, and the cut numbers used in contests.

    14 minIncluded with the course

  7. Prosigns, Q-codes and a real contact

    Learn the prosigns and abbreviations radio operators use, then follow a complete CW contact.

    16 minIncluded with the course

  8. Building speed and using Morse for real

    A practice plan for raising your speed, head copy, learning to send, and getting on the air.

    15 minIncluded with the course

8 lessons · about 2 hours of lessons and drills

Open lesson 1

How the method works

The same approach radio clubs teach, built into every drill.

  • Sound first

    You learn each character as a rhythm, never as a chart to count. Counting dots adds a lookup step that stalls most learners at slow speeds.

  • A few characters at a time

    Each lesson adds a small group, Koch style, sent at full character speed. Earlier characters keep coming back in the drills, so nothing fades.

  • Farnsworth spacing

    Characters play fast, with longer gaps between them so you have time to think. Lesson 8 shows you how to close the gaps as you improve.

What is included

Eight lessons

From how Morse works to prosigns, Q-codes and building speed. Read at your own pace.

Listening drills

Play a character or word, type what you heard, then check it or reveal the answer.

Decode drills

Read Morse on the screen and type the text, to learn the written form as well.

Quizzes with reasons

Instant feedback on every answer, with a short explanation of why.

Playable reference tables

Every new character with its code and a play button, at the lesson's speed.

Progress on your account

Mark lessons complete and pick up where you stopped, on any device.

Practise with the Morse tools

Questions about the course

Something else? Ask the team

How long does it take to learn Morse code?

The eight lessons take under two hours to work through. Learning the sounds takes practice: 10 to 20 minutes a day over a few weeks is a realistic pace for most adults to know every letter by ear.

Is lesson 1 really free?

Yes. Lesson 1 is open to everyone, with no account. Sign in if you want your progress saved. Lessons 2 to 8 unlock after the one-time payment.

What does it cost, and is it a subscription?

It costs $10 once, for lifetime access to all eight lessons. There is no subscription and nothing renews. You can pay in US dollars or Indian rupees through Razorpay.

Do I need a radio, a key or any software?

No. Lessons and drills run in your web browser on a phone or computer. The audio plays from the page and you type your answers. Headphones help.

What speed will I reach?

Drills send characters at about 20 words per minute with extra spacing between them, so you learn each sound at real speed from the start. Lesson 8 gives you a plan for closing the gaps and raising your overall speed with daily practice.

Do I still need Morse code for a ham radio licence?

Not in the United States: the FCC dropped the Morse test in 2007, and many other countries have done the same. Many operators still use CW, and the course covers the prosigns, abbreviations and Q-codes you will hear on air.

How is this different from the free Morse translator?

The translator converts text for you. The course teaches you to do it in your head, by sound, so you can read Morse without a tool.

Can I get a refund?

Refunds follow our cancellation policy at airanklab.com/cancellation-policy. Lesson 1 is free so you can try the format before you pay.

Hear your first letters today

Lesson 1 is free and takes about 10 minutes. If the method works for you, unlock the other seven lessons for a single payment.

Enroll for $10

$10 one-time · lifetime access

Try lesson 1 free