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Author Topic: Morse code translator  (Read 665 times)

MICLNONE

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Morse code translator
« on: February 04, 2022, 08:11:43 PM »

I don't know code. Can i connect the headphone jack of my tranceiver to my computer USB port and have a program translate the code for me? What programs would be good for this with Windows 10? MICLNONE
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K6SDW

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Re: Morse code translator
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2022, 09:39:50 PM »

Nothing works perfect, even the built in CW decoders such as found on the KX2/KX3 .... if the band is really crowded the decoder usually throw's in the towel and gives up.... HI HI

I use FLDIGI which has been around a long time and does a reasonable job decoding until, again, the band gets really crowded like during contests - and it's free.

Absolutely the very best CW decoder I've found is between your ears.......once you learn it you'll run circles around all the electronic stuff.

GL/73
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W1VT

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Re: Morse code translator
« Reply #2 on: February 05, 2022, 05:28:31 AM »

If it weren't for the crowded bands contests would be great because most stations are using programs like N1MM to send and log contest contacts.

When folks want to rag chew they normally switch to a keyer/paddle because it is fun to send that way.
Hand sent code is hard for a computer to handle. 

Maybe if someone had a lot of time they could design a program to handle Morse sent by hand.

Zak W1VT
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K1VSK

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Re: Morse code translator
« Reply #3 on: February 05, 2022, 07:04:30 AM »

I don't know code.

You can fix that with a little effort.
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N2SR

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Re: Morse code translator
« Reply #4 on: February 05, 2022, 09:01:43 AM »

Maybe if someone had a lot of time they could design a program to handle Morse sent by hand.

Zak W1VT

Sounds like a project for a retired person.
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K7MEM

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Re: Morse code translator
« Reply #5 on: February 05, 2022, 11:00:04 AM »

I don't know code. Can i connect the headphone jack of my transceiver to my computer USB port and have a program translate the code for me? What programs would be good for this with Windows 10? MICLNONE

You can try, but don't expect great results. A good one to try might be Fldigi or CWGet. They are free, so it's worth a try, just to see how they work. When trying to decode from the radio, the decoding is usually not good enough to handle a full QSO. Contest work may be a little easier.

The real answer is to just learn Morse code. It's like anything else you learn, it just takes time.

Hand sent code is hard for a computer to handle. 

Maybe if someone had a lot of time they could design a program to handle Morse sent by hand.

There have been programs to copy hand sent Morse code since the 70's. I would agree that, poorly sent Morse code is difficult for computers and people to handle. But descent hand send morse code is not difficult for a computer to handle. If it is sent well, there really isn't much difference between hand sent and computer sent code.

In fact, one way to tell if you can actually send well is to make a recording of your own sending, and then play it back through a computer. Even the swing that many bug users try to inflict on others, can be copied by a computer. The only time it gets difficult for a computer is when a user really hoses up the spacing. But even with good sending, when the code gets mixed with other signals, noise, fading, etc.. computer copy falls apart.
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MICLNONE

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Re: Morse code translator
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2022, 11:14:08 AM »

Thanks for your advice. I'm unlikely to have a crowded band given my location, small low power receiver and limited knowledge of antennas. I'm a slow learner, but i'll see if can learn one or two letters a day. I appreciate your willingness to share your knowledge and experience. MICLNONE
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K1KIM

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Re: Morse code translator
« Reply #7 on: February 05, 2022, 11:16:51 AM »

Do you plan on getting your license, or just wanting to listen with your receiver?
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W6MK

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Re: Morse code translator
« Reply #8 on: February 05, 2022, 12:50:44 PM »

I'm a slow learner...

We're all slow learners unless a little bit of enthusiasm grabs us. Then we're fast.
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KH6AQ

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Re: Morse code translator
« Reply #9 on: February 05, 2022, 04:20:07 PM »

The connection would be the transceiver headphone jack to the PC microphone jack.

Morse Code decoders:  https://www.dxzone.com/catalog/Software/Morse_Code_Decoders/
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MICLNONE

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Re: Morse code translator
« Reply #10 on: February 06, 2022, 10:13:11 AM »

I don't plan to get a license, i don't believe one is required in Canada or the USA to receive. I believe licenses may have been required in the past because faulty receiver ocillators could cause interference. And in authoritarian ruled countries, the possession of a receiver was treated as a serious crime.
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G8FXC

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Re: Morse code translator
« Reply #11 on: February 06, 2022, 11:31:34 AM »

Serious CW operators will tell you that computerised decoders can't cope with hand-generated Morse or crowded bands. I use a decoder I built myself as a safety net to help my less than perfect "head copy" - it is based on the K3NG code running on a Raspberry Pi Pico single board computer. It is certainly true that it can only manage 100% accurate copy with machine generated code on a quiet band, but the received code has to be quite poor with significant interference before the error rate becomes so high that the output is unintelligible.

Martin (G8FXC)
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MICLNONE

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Re: Morse code translator
« Reply #12 on: February 06, 2022, 05:23:11 PM »

I found a good training program on MorseCode.World. It will take some time.
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G4LJW

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Re: Morse code translator
« Reply #13 on: February 21, 2022, 01:22:39 PM »

For learning the code, I think LCWO.net is very good. Several different types of practice included, and it's all free.

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PAULRON

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Re: Morse code translator
« Reply #14 on: March 22, 2022, 06:16:02 AM »

im learning morse code too. i bought the mini yak as a trainer. i also got one of these cheap decoders i hooked up to the tone output... soldered a jack in before the volume control for this decoder....

https://www.amazon.com/Decoder-DC7-12V-Reader-Translator-Display/dp/B08538HDYM

it works perfectly, confirming what i am keying. it really is helping me learn.

>the gizmo wont work on a radio because the input needs a strong clean signal.
« Last Edit: March 22, 2022, 06:18:25 AM by PAULRON »
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