Instant Character Recognition

It's generally accepted that learning to recognise each letter at high speed instantly is key to becoming a proficient CW operator. This highly-customisable tool supports a range of learning styles to suit all.

Practise Content

Choose which order to learn the letters in:

AlphabeticalA-Z
CW Academy
Koch
LCWO
LICW

Alphabetical, but probably not the best order for learning.

Each CW Academy Beginner session introduces a few letters. Press the blue buttons to select a session's letters.

Extras not included in the CW Academy Beginner course:

The traditional Koch method ordering.

Extras not included in the Koch ordering:

The order used by Learn CW Online.

Extras not included in the LCWO ordering:

The order used by the LICW Club.

Extras not included in the LICW ordering:

Choose characters by type:

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There are no paid adverts on this page. If you find this software useful, please make a small donation (and convince my wife that the time spent on it is worthwhile).

Thank you!

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Message Options

Letters
Words
Sentences

The best way to get started is with single letters. Choose your playback options below and give it a go!

The selected letters are shuffled to make nonsense “words” with length to characters.

A “sentence” is then made using to words.

Message (hideshow)

Flashcard

Playback Controls

Morse | Speech | Bell | Speed Racer | Help

Detailed controls

Simulated Morse key

Playback style

Character / Farnsworth Chrcter/Farnsworth

Play

Play starts playback (with Repeat it will continue).

Next plays the next message.

VVV plays VVV to preview the CW tempo.

Play options

Repeat / Repeat-one plays new messages continuously or repeats the current message.

Save Audio saves the current message as an audio file.

Message Modifier - modify the message in different ways

Build Up builds each message up, so e.g. NICE is preceded by N NI NIC or UP WE GO by UP UP WE (see help).

Speed Racer boosts the initial speed by 50% and then repeats the message, stepping down the speed to your chosen values. Morse Repeat will play at the boosted speed if selected. Use the Speed Racer Controls to configure (see help).

Toggle the buttons to choose what sequence to play and show for each message:

Toggle the buttons to choose what sequence to play and show for each message; configure Morse, speech and bell:

1: Show & Say Before - option to see the flashcard or hear the message spoken before the Morse is played

Display the Flashcard for ms (Flashcard Time).

Use the Speech Controls to configure the Speech (voice, volume, rate, pitch)

2: Morse - play the message using sound, light, vibration

Use the Morse Controls to configure the Morse (speed, volume, pitch and playback medium).

After each message, a pause of is used.

Count controls how many times the message is played, with an Extra Gap of ms between repeats.

3: Recognition - optional extra time for you to recognise the message

There is a pause of after a message (currently ms).

Add Recognition Time of ms.

4: Show & Say After - option to see the flashcard or hear the message spoken after the Morse is played

Display the Flashcard for ms (Flashcard Time).

Use the Speech Controls to configure the Speech (voice, volume, rate, pitch).

5: Morse Repeat - option to play the Morse message again

There is a pause of after a message (currently ms).

Add an Extra Gap of ms.

6: Bell - optional bell played to indicate the end of the sequence

Use Bell Controls to configure the Bell (type, volume and duration).

Add a Bell Gap of ms.

Configure the pauses used in the sequence:

Recognition Time (ms)

Flashcard Time (ms)

Extra Gap (ms)

Bell Gap (ms)

Morse timing within a message is configured in the Morse Controls

Speed Racer Controls

Speed Racer lets you try copying at a higher speed than you are used to, and then gradually reduces the speed to a more comfortable one.

The table shows the percentage boost and the message speeds for each message play.

Toggle the Speed Racer on and off and use Count to choose how many times the message will play.

Use the Boost Speed buttons to choose whether to boost the Character Speed and/or the Farnsworth ("effective") Speed.

Adjust your base speeds in the final row.

Message speeds
Count	Boost	Character Speed	Farnsworth Speed

5
4
3
2
1	None

The Farnsworth Speed cannot go above the Character Speed: where the boosted Farnsworth Speed has been limited by the Character Speed, it is shown in red.

Your advanced timing settings in Morse Controls mean that there is no simple Character Speed and/or Farnsworth Speed. The boosted speeds will use precise Character/Farnsworth speeds and the final play will use your custom settings.

Help

History

Time			Message	Speed	#

Settings

Save all the settings for this page in a file, or Load some settings from a file (overwriting your current choices). Share Settings generates a link to bookmark your settings or share with someone else. The Reset Settings button changes everything in this page to its default value.

General Notes

There are many keyboard shortcuts which can also access additional functions. Press ? to list them.

General help on the playback controls and Morse Controls (Timing) can be found in a separate page.

This tool works in most browsers: please see the FAQ if you are having problems.

Acknowledgements

Many kind people have sent me bug reports and ideas for features for this page: thank you to all of them. Special thanks go to Glenn (W4YES) of CW Innovations and Tom (W0FN) for their help with reviewing the playback interface. Various features have been copied (with permission) from the Morse Code Ninja materials, and the parameters for different keys from Seiuchy.

Instant Character Recognition

Flashcard

General Notes

Acknowledgements

Change Log