How to Learn Morse Code with Google

In many TV shows and movies, when the situation gets dire and communication systems collapse, our heroes fall back on the classic Morse code to send and receive complex orders. We've previously explored several online resources to write and decode Morse code, but the learning process has always been a bit uncomfortable. However, the Experiments with Google portal has a fantastic resource that not only helps you learn Morse code, but also works as an excellent accessibility tool.

Morse code is a classic case of "easy to learn, hard to master". In fact, I still vividly remember an old US Army video that explores the main problems behind lack of rhythm and wrong pauses in a very particular way (blonde women, gunshots... it was 1966). Given that a misinterpretation could be fatal, one quickly understands the video's bluntness, but the civilian environment needs a different style.

And so we come to Google. Morse code became an accessibility option for Gboard (the virtual keyboard that Mountain View develops for Android and iOS) thanks to its collaboration with Tania Finlayson, a developer who has cerebral palsy. But besides getting the keyboard, users can also learn Morse directly on their devices, or by following the demo with a compatible browser.

How to learn Morse code

The first step is logically to learn the code for each letter of the alphabet, and the experiment uses multiple visual references that help us absorb dots and dashes while maintaining a good dynamic. For example, for the letter S it uses a submarine, three dots. The letter M is a mustache, two dashes over a man's face. The letter E is an eye, one dot. And so it adds a letter at a time. At first it's just a memory game, and if you forget a letter's code, the platform will remind you within a few seconds.

The rest is a matter of practice, making mistakes, trying again, and developing muscle memory. Using a keyboard (whether virtual or physical) gives us an additional advantage, so once modern civilization collapses and we're forced to return to the telegraph (?), it will most likely be necessary to practice a bit more.

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