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Last Reload: 2024-11-18 00:38:30Z

Latest WWV data: 2024-11-18 00:30:04Z

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CW Links

Abbreviations
Abbreviations are almost essential to the use of morse code / CW. They're nothing to be afraid of.
Q-codes (amateur) Prosigns (amateur truncations/special 'characters') Wire Signals (some used by amateurs)

Completely (!?) accepted definition of QRP (at least by all of the QRP clubs I can find):
CW <5W, SSB <10W (including 'SSB' driven datamodes like FT8, etc.)

High Speed CW/Morse
A life-long summary of experience

Morse Code Day! Morsle

UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
Morse (de) Morse (fr/PDF) Morse (MoIP) Morse (IARU Region 1)

Good reading
The Art & Skill of Radio-Telegraphy William Pierpont, N0HFF (SK)
Zen and the Art of Radiotelegraphy Carlo Consoli, IK0YGJ
Massive collection of Morsum Magnificat magazine !!!

A school project summary by Corrine Jackson for a 'Famous Inventors and Inventions' project on Morse code. Well done :-)

Morse Code (Wikipedia) High Speed Telegraphy (Wikipedia) and the opposite QRSS

Save CW!
It was once feared that 'scrapping the morse test' would 'do in' both the HF bands and CW. This has proven, on the whole, to not be the case. However, one thing that has changed is the limiting of CW to smaller and smaller recommended segments of the bands, instead of the regime where CW could go anywhere. This is definitely a step backwards.
However, good break-in QSK CW is more at threat because of the next generation of rigs. The Flex and Elecraft SDR radios have some pretty awful turnaround times on CW. This appears to be because of the vast strings sent over the API interface between external control (PC or 'panel') and the 'radio' or simply bad design at a hardware and software level. This latency needs to be addressed in other new rigs before degradation is allowed to go too far. There should be absolutely no reason why CW at 30wpm+ should tax the interface of either the computer inside the rig or any that are external, provided the API is thought out properly. Before it's too late you should e-mail manufacturers and make sure that CW isn't defeated by digital (SLOW!) modes. The horse has bolted on some of these; Flex and Elecraft K4, while some others may be saved before they finalise their architecture.
Others: IC7610, IC7300 (both not much use above 28wpm).
Anan (Apache Labs) - fantastic QSK. Expert MB-1 'out there' but I don't personally know how it performs.
We can now add: SunSDR2 DX, Elad Duo-X, more coming......


CW QRP Frequencies
Band 160 m 80 m 40 m 30 m 20 m 17 m 15 m 12 m 10 m 6 m 2 m

1810 kHz
3560 kHz
7030 kHz
10106 kHz
14060 kHz
18096 kHz
21060 kHz
24906 kHz
28060 kHz
50060 kHz
144060 kHz
EU
1843 kHz

7090 kHz








Altn.


7122 kHz
10116 kHz









CW Clubs - everything about CW clubs can now be seen at this link.

Club images/logos on this page © Copyright original owners

I'm a member of the following clubs:
Club membership
I operate
only CW
4SQRP 4SQRP 9AQRP A1A A1 Club (JA) [Challenge Degree, worked 204 members] CCT CQC CQCW CTC CWJF - Life Member ECWARC FFQRP FISTS FOCocw FPQRP GRT
CW Links 30CW 4SQRP 9AQRP A1A A1 Club (JA) CCT CQC CQCW CTC CWJF ECWARC FFQRP FISTS FoCocw FPQRP GRT
Notes on QRQ No. 236 No. 1945 No. 161
& 162
No. 253 No.1745 No. 200 No. 1029 No. 571 No. 3224
& 3225
No. 790 No. 450 No. 102 No. 19223 groups.io
-only-
No. 4128 No. 1442
HTC LIDS MORSE NAQCC NEQRP NOC NZQRP PROCW QRQcw RCWC South African Morse Operators' Club SKCC SOC SSN True Blue DXers Club Worked All Britain - former CW Net controller YOMARC
HTC LIDS MORSE NAQCC NEQRP NOC NZQRP PROCW QRQcw RCWC SAMOC SKCC SOC SSN TBDXC WAB YOMARC
No. 387 No. 231 No. 020 No. 9881 No. 855 No. 1 --- No. 120 --- No. 1211 --- No. 20141 No. 1000 --- No. 900 No. 1496 No. 144


Morse Practice Software

Moved to the Latest Applications page (Ham area - Applications - Morse)


Morse Practice (Online)

Seiuchy LCWO SCPhillips' QSO Trainer
(I'm currently at callsigns: 44wpm and approaching my on-air [noisy] rate of 48wpm)

Zoom and Skype are used for one-on-one tutorials by some groups
Also OVSV CW School Graz

CW Contests Calendar


Different keying methods Different copying methods
Horses for courses Limits to copying methods
It's pretty hard to find "one key does all". The brain learns in steps.
Plateaux points during learning

Plateaux
There are 'sticking' points in the learning process
more coming
These plots are generated using LibreOffice 7.5.4.2

Types of morse keys

June, 2022. Like a lot of things, much of the hardware which follows may be unavailable or back-ordered. Others may disappear due to post SARS.Cov.2 company closures....
Items marked with orange are discontinued products but may be available used. Other suppliers have stopped using PayPal and stopped shipping outside the USA.

Morse Practice Hardware

Simple Oscillators (CPO): Kent kit, MorseX kit, 555 oscillator diagram, K1EL Code Practice Oscillator kit,
G0TDJ osc. Breadboard Radio Pacific Antenna
Super Simple CPO
[this is great - made one of my own with 2N3904. Worked first time. All junk box components, cost $0] Phoenix [Kanga] NT7S circuit
A seriously clean Oscillator: KF7CX circuit
(based on Smooth Tone Osc). Also Twin T CPO.
More complex trainers: Morserino, K1EL Morse Tutor/Keyer kit
, MFJ (various, quite expen$ive), Arduino CW Trainer N4TL (simplified)

Electronic Keyers
With USB interface: Mortty nanoKeyer (+Arduino Nano v3.0/FTDI) K3NG info TinyKeyer K1EL Open CW Keyer (hamshop.cz) Funtronics K3NG
No USB interface: Ultra PicoKeyer PicoKeyer Plus Logikey 4SQRP Tortukeyer N1KSN PIC Phoenix
More: Microham Mtechnologies Jackson Harbor Press MFJ QRPworks Ham Radio Solutions

Software Keyers
Software keyer Remote software keyer (IW7DMH) Be SURE to read about audio driver latencies before considering!

Keys, Bugs, Sideswipers and Paddles
CW everywhere......
Quite a few make their own keys (here are some [W6FIF, NA6O, NV1Q & WB2LQF]). Many go on to be on sale.
W.R. Smith
Schurr -Scheunemann Vibroplex / Bencher Begali Kent G4ZPY N2DAN (SK) Chevron Imel M1 RA Manufacturing Bulldog
WK4DS I1QOD LC Variable N3ZN Keys American Morse Equipment NT9K Plastic Concepts STAMPFL hamshop.cz KC9ON Nye/Viking uniHAM
UR5CDX Paddlette HA8KF CT Hand Keys Whiterook IK1OJM VizKey W1SFR GHD CWMorse QRPGuys K8RA (SK)
March Magnetic Paddles GM0EUL Te-Ne-Ke N6ARA Tiny Paddle BaMaTech  

Coastal Radio stations
Maritime Radio Historical Society (USA)
Maritime Radio NZ (ZL)

Telegraph (not radiotelegraphy)
Telegraph History 3D printing taken to ridiculous lengths!

Morse Online (live)
Virtual channel (CWCOM)
iCW (via QRQcw)

HST - High Speed Telegraphy
HST 2020 World Championship - August 2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19
HST 2023 World Championship


CW Club membership statistics
CW Club stats





Interesting? 'Minority' interest clubs dominate - *Straight key and QRP.
*Paid-for clubs are held back - notably CWops. *Speed, size or other limitation.

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