CW learning software - all platforms

[K3MRI]

A new ham asked me to recommend the best software to learn CW . It struck me that there are options on Mac, on PC, on iOS, on Android, and obviously on the web.

I'm curious to see which software solution you think is the best, or maybe at most the top three, to learn CW. Note that, personally, I believe that the best solution needs to lean more towards learning to copy CW. Most people can learn the actual morse alphabet, and learn to send it, rather easily. What seems to block people more is their ability to copy, especially over 5 WPM.

Thoughts on Mac, PC, iOS, Android, or web CW learning software? (I'll add the recommendations in the links directory – you can add them too 😉)

 

[WB4KFO]

I like W1AW transmissions.

 

[K3MRI]

52 minutes ago, WB4KFO said:

I like W1AW transmissions.

Good one Bill. Forgot about W1AW. I still think, correct me if I'm wrong, that it's useful to have a local tool with which to practice. Thoughts?

[WA2WMR]

SKCC has practice material but don't think teaching material. Their practice material includes literature. I was working with their War of the Worlds practice material.

[WB4KFO]

4 hours ago, K3MRI said:

Good one Bill. Forgot about W1AW. I still think, correct me if I'm wrong, that it's useful to have a local tool with which to practice. Thoughts?

They could buy a hf transceiver then they would HAVE to get a license.  No turning back now.  The W1AW code practice has convenient stepping stones,5, 71/2, 10 wpm.  You just have to copy and copy and copy.  It's like learning a musical instrument.  If you can copy QSOs, it's a great encouragement.  We had an old World War II code machine in our radio club back in high school.  It was the typical olive green and ran paper tapes.  Build your own code oscillator and take turns back and forth with another student.  A computer was something you put IBM punch cards into.

Edited February 20, 2020 by WB4KFO

[K0BLU]

I have found Morse Mania to be a useful iOS app for learning the code. It gives one a steady piecemeal education using Farnsworth methods. It starts with letters, then adds number and punctuation. There are modules for proSigns and Q-codes, along with a module for words and call signs. Only thing they don’t cover that I have noticed is an introduction to CW QSO’s.

Definitely worth a look.

73

Chris

[WB3GBL]

CW_Player is a free download and probably has the most options of any learning software. You can create your own text files to learn things of your choice - QSOs, call signs, numbers, listen to short stories, etc.   It also has the best selection of space between characters and space between words.  I've been through a number of CW learning software packages and always come back to CW Player.  

[K3MRI]

On 8/14/2022 at 5:54 PM, WB3GBL said:

CW_Player is a free download and probably has the most options of any learning software. You can create your own text files to learn things of your choice - QSOs, call signs, numbers, listen to short stories, etc.   It also has the best selection of space between characters and space between words.  I've been through a number of CW learning software packages and always come back to CW Player.  

Just to make sure, this is the one you're referring to?

http://f6dqm.free.fr/soft/cwplayer/en/cwplayer.htm

If so I'll put a link in the directory.

[K3MRI]

I went ahead a put up the link:

 

[WB3GBL]

Yes this is the program that I first described above CW_PLAYER.  The nice thing about this practice program is that YOU can create text files of whatever you need to practice. If you are uncertain about callsigns - you can create a list of random callsigns (I have a list if you want it), you can take any list of RST reports, Q signals, sentences, 100 - 1000 most common words, etc.  If you have a list of things you want to use but they are not in the correct format, you can load it all into EXCEL and make a text file out of them and/or  you can use NoteBook++ to delete unwanted characters in a text file. You'll soon find that you are able to read individual characters at a whopping speed of 30 / 35 wpm IF you pad the characters / words with enough spaces between them. Your task from that point is to minimize the spaces between characters / words over a few months time. Good luck cu agn !!  wb3gbl rick

[N3DDS]

I would recommend a free program www.G4FON
This program allows you to set the character speed for a fast copy but word speed to a slow copy for beginners. That way the listener will hear the characters at the speed that they will strive to copy at.

For example, the character speed could be set to 20  but the word speed could be set to 5 to start.

[K3MRI]

22 hours ago, N3DDS said:

I would recommend a free program www.G4FON
This program allows you to set the character speed for a fast copy but word speed to a slow copy for beginners. That way the listener will hear the characters at the speed that they will strive to copy at.

For example, the character speed could be set to 20  but the word speed could be set to 5 to start.

Thanks Bob.

Adding the actual URL to his website: http://www.g4fon.net

Also, note that he is SK but the site and seemingly his programs, are active.

[WB3GBL]

G4FON and CW_Player are very similar. The only difference that I appreciate with CW_Player is that in CW_Player you can pause a file from playing and then pick up where you left off. I am pretty sure that with G4FON when you stop a file from playing there is not a "pause" function - you must start the file all over again. And some of the other "online" code practice programs use canned files of their own making, cannot be edited and include call sign practice with call signs from all over the world (good for DX practice but not so much for things like Field Day).  73 wb3gbl rick