Cadenza Morse Code Trainer for CW Practice

Learning CW or getting rusty between contacts? Here’s how Cadenza helps you hear letters, copy callsigns, and practice an exchange on your phone.

The Cadenza Morse Code Trainer gives you a place to practice before you call CQ. Ivan Terekhin of Trifoil Trailblazer built it for iPhone, iPad, and Android. The basic lessons are free, and you can practice offline without an account. A November 7 announcement highlighted the app’s listening and sending tools. Read the developer’s announcement.

Start with two sounds

Your first two letters are K and M. You listen, pick the letter you heard, and add more characters as your accuracy improves. That’s the Koch method.

Farnsworth spacing gives you more time between letters. Each letter keeps its quick rhythm, but the longer gap gives you a moment to answer. When you’re ready for a faster flow, try shorter gaps while keeping the letter speed steady. See how Cadenza’s lessons work.

What you get for free

The free trainer covers letters, numbers, and punctuation. There’s a daily challenge and a reference that plays the sounds of prosigns and Q-codes. You also get a two-way Morse translator and a microphone decoder designed for clean tones. See the free features on Google Play.

What Pro adds for on-air practice

Recognizing letters one at a time can feel easy until a whole callsign comes at you. Pro lets you drill callsigns, copy simulated QSO exchanges, and practice picking out calls in a pileup. There’s also head copy, where you follow the code in your head without typing it out.

For sending practice, you can tap the on-screen key or use a straight key or paddle through a compatible USB or Bluetooth keyboard adapter. The developer lists VBand and Vail as examples. Pro is available by subscription or as a one-time purchase. See the Pro features in the App Store.

Try one short session

If you’re starting out, spend five minutes listening to K and M. If you already copy letters but lose your place in an exchange, a simulated QSO gives you a chance to practice catching the callsign and signal report in one pass.

Related reading

For more tools you can use in the shack or in the field, see Best Ham Radio Apps for iPhone and Android.

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