Issue #24: Cool Devices to Learn CW

WA1LBK · Sep 16, 2023

N6YWU said: ↑

The big difference these days is the ubiquity of mobile devices, which outnumber PCs. A simple search of Apple's App store for Morse code apps listed over 100 apps in just the U.S App store, many free (and there are probably at least 3X more for Android, as well as many more in non-U.S. stores). Some good, maybe some not. But all of that is now available for helping learn Morse code in a vast number of different ways, and to the majority of the world's population, as more people now have mobile devices than radios.

I think these cool electronic devices in boxes are quite nice. One major advantage to decoder boxes that also contain a radio is that there is no need for an audio cable to eliminate acoustic multi-path echos, nulls, and fading. But apps can be an even cheaper way to give learning Morse code a try for the majority of the population who are already carrying a mobile device.
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I can specifically vouch for the “Morse-It” iPhone & iPad app. I’ve been using it to try to get my own code speed up to around 15 _ 18 WPM by using it as a “crutch” while listening to W1AW’s propagation forecast & DX bulletins on 80 meters. It works well on a strong signal such as W1AW normally is here my QTH is in Southeastern Massachusetts). While listening to W1AW, I try to mentally predict what the next character is before it pops up on the iPad screen, & when the app stumbles at decoding if W1AW takes I fade, I can frequently copy it by ear. The propagation forecast bulletins are especially good due to having lots of numbers & punctuation characters in them. I find it’s definitely helping my ability to copy by ear. Just my 2 cents worth.

Tom WA1LBK

Issue #24: Cool Devices to Learn CW

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