Smart Morse
Current version: 2.2
Requires: Palm OS 2.0 or better (Palm OS 5 compatible)
[ Description | Features |
How to Use | Buttons | Menus |
Version History ]
Description
Smart Morse is a Morse code tutoring program. The main feature that
separates Smart Morse from other programs of this nature is the
fact that this program learns about you as you practice. It takes
note of which letters you're struggling with and which ones you know
well. It then focuses more attention on your problem areas while still
continuing to practice the others.
Features
- Multi-letter practice option (new)
- Basic artificial intelligence that determines what letters you
need the most help on.
- Alphabet divided into smaller "Letter Groups" to make learning easier.
- Number and 7 other special characters also available for practice.
- Adjustable volume control.
- Silent operation available ("Flash").
- Fully configurable signaling system (tones pitch and timings).
- Simple user interface and intuitive user feedback.
- Works on nearly all Palm devices.
How to Use
Smart Morse was designed to teach Morse code through practice.
It is important that that student learn to associate letters with
the sound patters (e.g. "dit-dit-dat-dit") rather than written the
written pattern (e.g. "**-*").
The method used, therefore, is to listen to a letter as it is
played and identify what letter it was. To do this, hit the "Next"
button to play a letter at random. You can hit "Replay" to hear the
same letter played again if you need to. Then write your guess in
the graffiti area and hit "OK". The correct answer will then be displayed
on the line marked "Answer". If you guessed correctly, the "OK"
button will stay lit. If you guessed incorrectly, the sequence that
corresponds to the letter you guessed will be displayed next to the
letter for your information (as is in the screenshot to the right).
As the program learns which letters you know and which ones you
don't, it will start asking the missed ones more often. As you
consistently get those previously missed letters correct, they
will slowly be asked less and less often in favor of other problem
areas.
Recommended Strategy
In order to learn Morse code as quickly as possible, we suggest the
following procedure:
First, start in single-letter mode with just Group 1. Remember
that single-letter mode responds much more quickly when you get a
letter wrong, repeating the missed letter over and over again until
you consistently answer correctly. With just a few minutes of practice,
you'll probably find yourself answering correctly almost 100% of the time.
Next, move over to multi-letter mode, still using just Group 1.
Multi-letter mode is much more forgiving of mistakes, but still gives
more attention to letters you consistently get stuck on. After all,
we wouldn't want you to forget what you've already learned.
The purpose of multi-letter mode is to learn speed. Start out with
just 2 letters at a time, no spaces. You want to translate while
you're listening, not after hearing the whole sequence. After just
a few minutes at 2 letters, move on to 3 letters at a time. Remember,
speed is the key. You need to get used to translating in your mind while
the sequence is playing. Once you're comfortable with 3 letters, try 4.
If you can easily do 4 letters at a time, you're on the right track.
Next, try just group 2. First single-letter mode, then multi-letter mode.
Then try groups 1 and 2 at the same time in multi-letter mode.
Remember that you're main practice area once you're familiar with the
alphabet (or the part of the alphabet you're interested in) is multi-letter
mode. Single-letter mode was designed to quickly familiarize you with
the alphabet. Multi-letter mode, on the other hand, helps you learn to
associate the codes with the letters the instant you hear them. It helps
you translate while you listen, instead of after.
Buttons
Below is a list of all the buttons and what they do.
- Single / Multi
Switches you between single- and multi-letter quiz mode.
- Letters (multi mode only)
The number of letters to quiz at a time in multi-letter mode.
- Spaces (multi mode only)
Include spaces in the character string or not.
- Group1, Group2, etc.
Use these buttons to turn on and off certain letter groups. It's
easiest to start with learning just the first letter group, then just
the second, then try both the first and second at the same time,
then move on to the third, etc. You can find what letters are in which
group in the "Morse Code" list under the help menu.
- Number
Turns on and off the "Numbers" group.
- Special
Turns on and off the "Special" group. The special characters are
punctuation and other special-meaning symbols.
- Hi, Med, Low
Adjusts the speaker volume.
- Flash
Plays the letters by flashing on and off the "Replay" and "Next"
buttons instead of beeping the speaker. This option is very useful for
times when you want to practice but don't want to make any noise.
- Replay
Plays the current letter again.
- Next
Chooses the next letter at random from the selected groups and
plays the letter.
- OK
Use this button to make you guess after you've written a letter
in the "Your Guess" area. Note that the program only considers your
first guess in determining whether or not you guessed right.
Menus
Below is a list of all the menus and what they do.
- Settings
- Speeds and Tones
This menu item displays a box where you can change the
tone of the beep as well as how long each tone should last.
You can also change this times for the visual signaling ("Flash")
independently of the speaker tone timing. Generally, "Flash"
signaling is much slower than the audio signaling.
- Reset Settings
Resets all the system settings (such as speaker tones) to
the way they started out. This option does not change the
student profile that Smart Morse has built about you.
- Reset Profile
Clears the profile that Smart Morse has built about the student.
Specifically, it resets the number of times you've guessed a
specific letter right or wrong, which it uses to determine what
letters you need more practice with.
- Help
- Morse Code
Displays a list of all the codes this program recognizes,
arranged into their various letter groups. Remember, though, that you
should be memorizing what the code sounds like, not how it looks when
written.
- About
Gives some basic information about Smart Morse, including the
current version number.
Version History
- 2.2: Aug 13, 2003 (current)
Fixed compatability issue with PalmOS 4 and below.
- Added "User-defined volume" option
- 2.1: Aug 10, 2003
- Added ability to hide codes.
- Added new symbols.
- 2.0: June 22, 2003
- Added Multi-letter capability
- "Flash" mode now only flashes the button you didn't tap
- Fixed hard-key scroll buttons in morse-code help dialog box
- Increased entropy in random letter selection (hopefully)
- small bugfixes
- 1.1: May 10, 2003
- 1.0: May 9, 2003