[CW] Looking 4 info/help about apps/websites that capture sent code for practice

Wed Apr 7 14:07:38 EDT 2021

Bill, WA2NFM,

hamradio.solutions sells an interface for a reasonable price.
https://hamradio.solutions/vband/

You can use any keyer plugged into the interface, but you have to select
"straight" key on vband.

Otherwise, you can use any paddle and just directly plug into the interface
and select "Mode A" (my preference) or "Mode B" on vband.

I do wish they had used an interface like the one used with CWcom or
MorseKOB I think these interfaces work much better.

I have CWcom archived here: https://archive.org/details/cwcom

I also have Morse Mail archived here, https://archive.org/details/MorseMail

I have W4FOK's brilliant GW Basic program "The MILL" which sends and
teaches both American and International Morse here:
https://archive.org/details/w4fok_mill_morse_program Unless you have a DOS
or Windows 3.1 computer, you will need to use DOSBox as a DOS emulator,
it's available for Windows, Mac, Linux and other Operating systems.

MorseMail no longer works.  Maybe it needs updating, or maybe it needs a
server, I think it needs updating, Harry Pyle AB7TB the author of this
interesting software passed away in 2013.  CWcom interfaced with it and you
could send emails with the "characters" produced by MorseMail - they were
timing elements, so MorseMail actually perfectly reproduced a person's
sending.

Ted Wagner, K9TRW gives a little explaination of MorseMail.

MorseMail is simply a program that takes advantage of XML programming and
allows you to record your CW via a bug, key or mouse. From this recorded CW
you can copy and paste it into an email message or you can send it through
to the MorseMail server or "repeater". Currently, the "repeater" method is
used most often.

The repeater is a server program which records and stores the recorded
messages sent via the MorseMail client programs. A recorded message would
look like the following:

< MorseMail >
+168-56+56-56+168-56+56-168+168-56+168-56+56-56+168-392+168-56+56-56+168-56+56-168+168-56+168-56+56-56+168-392+168-56+56-56+168-56+56-168+168-56+168-56+56-56+168-392+168-56+56-56+56-168+56-392+168-56+56-56+168-168+168-56+168-56+168-56+168-56+56-168+168-168+56-56+168-56+56-168+56-56+168-56+168-392+168-56+56-56+168-168+168-56+168-56+168-56+168-56+56-168+168-168+56-56+168-56+56-168+56-56+168-56+168-392+168-56+56-56+168-168+168-56+168-56+168-56+168-56+56-168+168-168+56-56+168-56+56-168+56-56+168-56+168-392+168-56+56-56+168-500
< /MorseMail >

[Note: You will need to drop the blank spaces between "MorseMail" and the <
and > tags, at the beginning and end. The spaces had to be added in order
for the text to show up in this article. HTML thing... -- ed.]

The numbers indicate tone and lack of tone. Basically, it's a time
representation of your transmitted CW. You literally copy the code above
including the < MorseMail > and < /MorseMail > tags and paste it into the
MorseMail program and click play if someone sent this to you via email. If
you were to do this on this message, you'd hear the following in CW:

cq cq cq de k9trw k9trw k9trw k

By default, however, you can connect to a MorseMail server and either
"listen" for new CW transmissions or throw a call out there yourself.
Through this method, there's no cutting and pasting needed.

The program allows you to connect a straight key or bug through the serial
or USB ports of your computer. Harry Pyle, AB7TB is the brainchild of this
wonderful program and has included information on how to connect your mouse
to a key or bug.

This was my first exposure to CW over the Internet. For further detailed
information on this program, please visit his website and give the program
a try.

The second program, which allows you to send CW over the Internet, is a
program called CW Communicator. This program can be reviewed and downloaded
from the following website:

http://www.mrx.com.au/d_cwcom.htm

John Samin, VK1EME is the author and brainchild of this program.

http://www.mrx.com.au

This client program connects to an "ionosphere" server. The ionosphere
server is a virtual representation of the radio airwaves. The program is
setup so that you can connect to "channels". A channel can represent a
frequency. For instance, if I wanted to connect to channel 7125 this would
be a representation of 7.125 MHz on the 40-meter band.

By default, however, the program connects to channel 1000. This could be
considered the gathering place for initial CW contacts via this program.
Everyone connects to this channel when they initially connect to the
ionosphere server unless they've changed the program's settings.

With CW Communicator, you can also connect a straight key or bug to your
computer. Once the connection to your key is setup just right you're ready
to go.

CW communicator is a good program to use if you are new to CW or need some
practice. By default the translation option of this program is turned on.
If you're CW timing is good, then the translation should work. Every time
you key dit-dit-dit and if your timing is right, you should get an 'S'. If
you get an 'I' and an 'E', then you either need to work on your timing or
tweak the settings of the keyer in the program.

For those of you who know CW but perhaps don't use it, this will help you
with your timing. If you have a straight key, this is excellent practice
for getting on the air.

I also have the Instructograph Simulator which was written by Ted Wagner
(see above) K9TRW.  https://archive.org/details/Instructograph

73
DR

On Wed, Apr 7, 2021 at 12:55 PM Bill Lanahan <wa2nfn at gmail.com> wrote:

> Tnx Dave
>
> I heard that a keyer such as K1EL can drive vband, if you set vband as
> Straight Key (not intuitive).
> I have to confirm now that software coding is done.
>
> 73 Bill
>
> On Wed, Apr 7, 2021 at 12:35 PM D.J.J. Ring, Jr. <n1ea at arrl.net> wrote:
>
>> I know http://hamradio.solutions/vband will decode key presses of a
>> mouse or (I believe) the left CTRL key.
>>
>> FLDIGI which I believe is open source will decode Morse tones. It's
>> available for Windows, Mac and Linux.
>>
>> 73
>>
>> DR
>>
>> On Wed, Apr 7, 2021, 11:57 AM Bill Lanahan <wa2nfn at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Gm:
>>>
>>> I was asked to enhance my MCPT (morse code practice text) utility for
>>> "sending".
>>> The tool was created to generate "text" (words, code groups etc.) to
>>> give to other software that actually makes audible code out of it, for
>>> copy practice.
>>>
>>> I added two features, but need some input on where it can be used, that
>>> is if anyone can :
>>>
>>> REQUEST 1 - tell me the name of an app, website, etc. which can capture
>>> your sending as a text file? (that can be send to your PC)
>>>
>>> The captured file would have to be plain text.
>>>
>>> So given for example, you were to send:  THIS IS A TEXT <BT> 123, HOW
>>> CPY?
>>>
>>> I want to "see" how that product saved that data, so I can see if my
>>> code can parse it, and then compare it to the data you were asked to send.
>>>
>>> It doesn't matter to me whether bug, straight ket, paddle, keyboard;
>>> speeds, tones etc. I'm only looking at the text.
>>> Some products might capture, lower case (that's fine) some might add
>>> extra spaces or newlines etc. some might do prosigns like ^bt instead of
>>> <BT>,
>>> this is what I want to confirm I can read.
>>>
>>> What MCPT will produce is a compare or string by string of sent to
>>> captured, giving a Levenshtein Distance (error measurement). And
>>> highlighting of incorrect characters.
>>>
>>> REQUEST 2 - If possible send me the captured file as an attachment
>>> directly to my email wa2nfn at gmail.com (don't clog up the forum with
>>> that data).
>>>        If you can't send the file for some reason, cut and paste will
>>> help (but I won't know if there are non printable characters).
>>>
>>> Tnx in advance if you can help
>>> 73 wa2nfn
>>> Bill
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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