Morse over the Internet: CWCOM

[foggycoder]

My QTH does not allow of home-based radio so I operate solely portable. Given the English weather, I need a more reliable fix of morse. So I use morse-over-the-internet from home. In fact, that's how I got started with chatting via morse, once I'd learnt how to form the letters using my Morserino-32.

My favoured vehicle for morse-over-the-internet is CWCOM.

If you already have a morse key, you can connect it to your computer with a simple adapter cable. The adapter cable consists of a shortened audio cable with 3.5mm jack socket; wired into a DB9 breakout; which plugs into a serial-to-usb cable. No soldering required if you use a DB9 "breakout". Sounds complicated but it isn't, as you can see from the photo  (I don't use the opto-isolator any more).

Or, if you have some soldering skills, you can wire your key through an old computer mouse. See photo (ignore my "tongue depressor" straight key!).

If you don't have a morse key, just use the down arrow of your keyboard, or left clicks of your mouse.

Full instructions on how to connect are at
https://morsepower.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html
Gerry, the administrator, is very helpful and will get you started, no problems.

The experienced guys on there are very tolerant of slow speed and beginner's mistakes. The on-screen decode means they can go as fast as they like (generally 20-25 wpm) and I can still understand them. The ex-professionals find it difficult to slow down to my head copy speed but I can still enjoy chatting with them.

There are other learners on there that go at my speed (13 wpm) or slower and I find "head copying" with them very satisfying.

• Very low set-up cost.
• No QSB, QRM or QRN.
• World-wide contacts.
• between operators of widely different speed.

It's definitely worth giving morse-over-internet a try.

 

[MI0PYN]

I spent a while on CWCOM today, and was delighted that G3MS was able to copy what I sent, as I don't think it qualifies as Morse...

He's extremely helpful operator who is very encouraging, so now I need to either find my old USB to serial adaptor, or buy a new one and see if sending on a key is any better than using the down arrow on the keyboard.

Out of interest @foggycoder, what is the additional device at the USB end of your cable for?

I may be able to dig out an old USB mouse and convert that, but finding or buying a USB to serial adapter may be a better option anyway.

 

[MI0PYN]

I've Franken-brewed a solution to allow me to use a key on CWCOM:

It does work, so we'll see if it allows me to produce something which sounds slightly more like Morse later on!

Edit: seems it doesn't like a Dropbox link in img tags so attaching...

 

[foggycoder]

Gerry on CWCOM is a top bloke and a mine of useful information and advice. He's been very helpful to me and I've heard the same from several other guys.

The device on the end of my adapter cable is an opto-isolator. I was a bit concerned that any short in my K-16 keyer might send something bad into my computer. I had one left over from another project so I used it for a while. I don't use it any more though - the K-16 is fine and very well behaved.

I heard you on CWCOM today. I've heard far worse on there, so just jump in!

I like your Franken-brewed solution - just my sort of device.

 

[MI0PYN]

Thanks for the QSO today on CWCOM foggy!

It felt like we were going a long time and we didn't actually send that much, but it was fun and you'll have to excuse the terrible sending, I hope I'll improve eventually.

It'd be nice to chat again sometime, it's good practice.

 

[foggycoder]

It's the nature of QRS QSOs that you can spend a long time not saying much. In fact, if it takes a long time to say something, its probably best not to send it.

Chatting is an end in itself though. I just enjoy it for the sending and copying of morse - it doesn't really matter what we say.

I enjoyed our QSO - slow morse gives me a chance to head copy. If I have a message to tyro senders from a tyro head copy-er, it is:

• make as few mistakes as possible - the trick to this is to go slower than your fastest speed
• if you make a mistake, start the word again
• leave good gaps between words...and don't leave gaps in the middle of words. Otherwise it can be very difficult to tell when one word ends and another begins

Having said all that, the fact that we spent a long time chatting is an indication of how CWCOM facilitates that in a way you'd never get over the airwaves. I'm still hopeless on the radio but I can chat away on CWCOM quite happily.

 

[MI0PYN]

Happy to chat anytime  bd

 

[foggycoder]

I saw somewhere else on here how you can listen to the BBC news in morse code. Well, CWCOM has that facility too - the "Web view of all users" tab will open a browser tab showing all the CWCOM channels that have active users on them...and also the news being transmitted at 12, 15 and 20 wpm.

 

[foggycoder]

Ref news in morse on CWCOM. It has changed recently - it was machine-generated (I think) but now sounds as if someone is recording it manually because some of the gaps between characters are uneven. I find that off-putting, albeit good practice for listening to real operators. But I thought it worth noting this on here.

 

[foggycoder]

I'm going to do a few posts with images showing the CWCOM interface and how to get started.

The first activity is to open the application and get familiar with the various windows that open as you click around. See image "CWCOM main screen".

Click on the icon showing a small computer screen "Web view of all users". This opens the Ionosphere webpage (in your internet browser) which shows who is online and on which channel. See image "CWCOM ionosphere".
The information on this page can be a bit hit-and-miss but it's worth looking at. No-one will know that you're looking at this page. The only way to be sure who's on a particular channel is to connect to that channel, in which case you will be seen on that channel's list of users and on the Ionosphere webpage.

To listen to any conversations (Yes, you can do that. No-one minds.), you will need to connect. That's the subject of the next post.

 

[foggycoder]

CONNECTING & LISTENING

On the main screen, click the icon showing a planet Earth globe "Connect".

The "Connect" window pops-up. See image "CWCOM Connect window". Move this window somewhere convenient to one side of the main window. Enter the channel number you first want to go to. You don't have to enter a callsign but it's a courtesy to let other users identify you as an individual rather than as just an IP address. You don't have to use a "proper" radio callsign - this is the internet, not the radio waves - but something short is good (for instance, I use M9RSS, which is not a "real" callsign).

Click the "Connect" button.

Another window will appear - this time the channel information window. See image "CWCOM operators on this channel". You, too, will appear on this list.

If the operators are active on the channel, you will hear their morse and start to see their IDs and decode on the main screen. See image "CWCOM connected".

You might find that they notice you listening and invite you to join in. Just type a very short message in the message box at the top right of the main window. Say something like "Sorry, can't send" or something like that. It will be displayed on the channel information window next to your callsign. They'll understand.

When you've finished, it's very important that you click the "Disconnect" button. Otherwise your callsign will stay on the Ionosphere screen, which is misleading and makes you look like a newbie (yes, I know you're a newbie).

The next post will be about how to practice offline - getting your key working with CWCOM. Then the last post will be about how to have QSOs.

 

[foggycoder]

OFFLINE PRACTICE
The screen decode gives you good feedback on how intelligible your "fist" is!

On the main screen, click the settings icon "Configuration" - three little coloured sliders. The Configuration window pops-up. Move it somewhere convenient - you may be using this window during your session.
Select the "Morse Key" tab.

Mouse Interface
For straight keys, and paddles if they're connected via an electronic keyer.
See the thread "Dummies guide to internet CW" for how to make a mouse interface.
Select "Manual", "Mouse", and "Reset Method". See image "CWCOM mouse straight key config".

Serial-to-USB adapter
For Iambic or single paddles, or straight keys using this type of adapter.
For Iambic paddles, select "Iambic", "COM Port", and "Reset Method". See image "CWCOM paddle config".
For Single paddles,  select "Manual", "COM Port", and "Reset Method".
Hopefully CWCOM will automatically detect the COM Port in use. If it doesn't then you'll need to set it manually. First find out what COM Port is being used by looking at Windows "Device Manager". See image "Device Manager window".

Select the "Transmit" tab. Set the speed slider to roughly your sending speed. This will help the decoder translate your sending. Don't mess with any of the other settings - keep it simple!

You should now be able to send (mouse interface users - you'll need to put your cursor in the black box at the top left of the main window). See image "CWCOM offline practice".
You'll hear your own "sidetone" and see the decode in the main window. Note that no channel number is displayed, because you're offline and not on any channel.

 

[foggycoder]

More on Serial-to-USB Adapters

As stated in the first post of this thread, "The adapter cable consists of a shortened audio cable with 3.5mm jack socket; wired into a DB9 breakout; which plugs into a serial-to-usb cable." But here is a little more detail.

A "breakout" gives you screw down cable fasteners so no soldering is required.

Make sure that your USB cable terminates in a female socket and your DB9 breakout has a male socket (or the other way round). If you have both the same, they won't fit together! It sounds obvious but look at the photographs carefully before you click "Buy".

The electrical lead from your key will almost certainly terminate in a TRS jack which has three separate sections (Tip, Ring, Sleeve in that order). In the image below, you can see:

• the red wire (dits) goes from the Tip to contact number 6;
• the white wire (dahs) goes from the Ring to contact number 8;
• the black wire (ground) goes from the Sleeve to contact number 4.

 
Yes, I can see that there's an unused Ground contact. No, I don't know why the ground lead goes to contact number 4 rather than to this Ground contact.

 

[GM0WEZ]

After using it for a day, I am pretty sold on CWCom. As well as the QSO mode it is interesting to use it off line and see how well it copies your fist. Also getting the news at different speeds is good practice, and I also like the option of getting each word sent twice when you are trying for higher speeds.

Gerry was super-helpful in getting me started too.

I am using it with the key plugged in to a jack socket on the mouse, which is wired to the mouse button. It works fine. Is there any performance advantage to wiring to a DB9 breakout instead? If not then I'm happy to run with it as it is.

 

[MI0PYN]

After using it for a day, I am pretty sold on CWCom. As well as the QSO mode it is interesting to use it off line and see how well it copies your fist. Also getting the news at different speeds is good practice, and I also like the option of getting each word sent twice when you are trying for higher speeds.

Gerry was super-helpful in getting me started too.

I am using it with the key plugged in to a jack socket on the mouse, which is wired to the mouse button. It works fine. Is there any performance advantage to wiring to a DB9 breakout instead? If not then I'm happy to run with it as it is.

The only advantage is if you want to use paddles, they'll need a dit and a dah contact, which the USB to Serial adapter gives you.

 

[G4MNX]

Thanks for information, downloaded and installed cwcom, ordered a 9 pin male connector off the bay, luckily I have an old laptop with a serial com port which I can plug the 9 pin in. Currently working with a straight key but also have an iambic which I will start using in the future. This software looks great for communicating and practicing over the internet.

73
Craig

 

[Ham4CW]

Thanks for information, downloaded and installed cwcom, ordered a 9 pin male connector off the bay, luckily I have an old laptop with a serial com port which I can plug the 9 pin in. Currently working with a straight key but also have an iambic which I will start using in the future. This software looks great for communicating and practicing over the internet.

73
Craig

Using CW-Com can be a hit and miss affair. Some folks seem to use it and it all works fine, some users get the occasional errors or glitches, and some (like myself) had problem after problem with it.

In my case I tried using the 9-way connector method, I also built a keyboard adapter that reproduced pressing the down arrow (another way of sending), and yet another interface that was built from a mouse to allow the use of a paddle key. In all cases I found that when I tried it off-line the keying was fine, but when I used it on-line after a random period of use the sending would go awry and the keying would become erratic. If I restarted the program it would run OK again for a while before throwing a 'wobbler' again :-*

If you read my other threads in this section you can see the various methods I tried, and also the various machines/operating systems.

As I said at the beginning of this post, other folks use it without a glitch apparently, so give it a go and see if it works for you. If nothing else it is handy for sending practice with the on-screen decode. You might get lucky and it will all be fine.

Other than the random 'transmit' issue I had the program worked well, and I still have a quick 'tune around' on there from time to time, but I don't send any code via CW-Com as it gets embarrassing if it starts to mess up! ;D

There was a sked on there (briefly) that was composed of Ham Radio 73 Forum members, so maybe that could be resurrected? You could always ask in the Sked section of the forum.

73, Mark...

 

[G4MNX]

Thanks for reply Mark,
Gerry took me through set up yesterday on line just waiting for the connector so I  an get the key on.
I think I will use headphones next time as the dits sounded a bit clicky, dahs were fine.

73
Craig 

 

[Ham4CW]

OK, cool. 8)

You'll have to let us know how you get on with it. If you do get it to work without any problems then it would be interesting to know what operating system/PC/laptop you use.

I think the program was written 20yrs or so ago now? So clearly hardware and software has evolved a lot over the intervening years.

Something I noted with the various test I tried was that whenever it did go 'wonky' while sending, the down arrow on the keyboard would always still work fine (used as a straight key). I came to the conclusion that USB connections seem to be the at the core of the problems I experienced with it.

It would be interesting to try an old PC with a true serial port (as opposed to the USB adapter type). Also maybe to include an AT or PS2 keyboard, and a PS2 or serial mouse. All very old school now, but maybe hardware architecture that CW-Com would 'understand' better?

73, Mark...

 

[KI7LQM]

I am really new at this whole thing but have good look using a key hooked to a USB mouse.  I  soldered the key to the left mouse button...haven't had any real issues with the set up yet, just my keying (which is why I use the program!).