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Table of Contents
Morse Code Channel Resources
Introduction
OARC has a channel on the Discord server for those interested in telegraphy, with a focus on Morse code, commonly referred to as CW. There are CW operators of all levels, from absolute beginners to the very skilled within the OARC, with help and advice shared constantly to help everyone improve their ability.
This page is an a resource for those in the community to refer to, and drop useful snippets of information,
Morse code language
Morse code not only covers letters and numbers, but also punctuation, abbreviations, prosigns, and Q codes to enable communication.
Which Morse key?
One of the first questions that people ask on their CW journey is “Which CW key should I buy?”. There are generally two types of key, mechanical or electronic; mechanical don't use electronics to form their code but the others do.
Mechanical keys include the straight key, sideswiper, and bug keys. Timing of the Morse code elements, the dots, dashes and spaces are all down to the skill of the operator. Because of that these keys produce a distinct sound dependent on the operator, two operators using the same key will sound different.
Electronic keys, or paddles, have either one or two paddles and rely on electronics to produce the Morse code elements. This makes them very easy to use and they enable the operator to make well timed code. There are many electronic keyers available all with a whole list of parameters that can be changed but they generally boot up with parameters set correctly, and all the operator needs to do is set the speed.
Speed versus accuracy
There are two main stages to learning CW, learning the characters, then getting faster (both in sending a receiving) but everyone gets to the point when they realise that accuracy is more important than speed. Poorly spaced elements, letters, words can make it almost impossible for the operator to understand what is being sent; aiming for accuracy is more important than going faster.
Online learning
The following organisations have online learning systems
- Essex CW (UK) - Essex CW Amateur Radio Club is for anyone with a passion for Morse Code.
- CW Academy - The CW Academy offers classes for all levels of Morse code, with each course lasting 2 months. Student resources are available for all on their area of the CWOps website.
Most online training systems suggest practising for 30-60 minutes per day, and the OARC Discord Morse channel is a useful place to talk about learning, Morse keys, paddles, keyers, speed, CW philosophy and pretty much anything that will get people on the air.
Websites
Software and Apps
Keyers
| Name | Description | Link | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morserino-32 | Self contained battery powered keyer, CW decoder and practice aid. Has LORA and WiFi capability | Morserino-32 | Great for head copy and keying practice anywhere. Let's you plug in a straight key or paddle. |
| Funtronics K3NG Keyer | An open source Arduino based CW (Morse Code) keyer with a lot of features and flexibility | K3NG Keyer | |
| K1EL WinKeyer | WinKeyer is a low-cost full featured external Morse keyer capable of being fully controlled via a USB interface | K1EL WinKeyer | Needs new UK Vendor |
Keys
| Name | Description | Link | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| cwmorse.us paddle | Lightweight CW Morse Pocket Paddle Key | ebay link |
Reading Material
- Zen and the Art of Telegraphy - Carlo Consoli, IK0YGJ - Amazon Kindle (not free)
Other stuff to be sorted
- LIDS is all about encouraging amateur radio operators to try something new, especially if it is CW.
- QRO Fast CW trainer for Linux, Unix, OSX & windows.