I am excited to introduce a new initiative within our Ham Radio Club! The Code Buddies are launching a Morse Code competency award as a steppingstone toward achieving the official ARRL Code competency certificate, which is set at 10 words per minute (wpm). This award aims to help you prepare for that challenge while enjoying the process. Here's how it will work: if you are able to copy a transmission at 5 wpm on the air for one full minute without any errors, you can earn this award. Members of our group, Code Buddies, and all club members can participate! Each week, I will announce the frequency and time for the transmission, which will be taken from the ARRLs 5wpm archive. After you listen and successfully copy the message, please send your submission to wm1h2025@gmail.com before our next club meeting. Upon verification of your successful copy, you will be awarded a certificate to recognize your accomplishment and earn a slot on the Code Buddies Hall of fame wall. Let us enhance our Morse code skills together and have some fun while doing it!

This is a great practice site you can work on headcopy and use your vband adapter to practice sending..

https://didahdit.com/

Another great resource is lcwo.net lots of great exercises

Practice Resources used in our Sessions

CW Abbreviations

To learn more about VBand, visit their website at HamRadio Solutions or watch this great video from Charlie of Red Summit RF.

Code Buddy practice

Consistent practice is one of the best ways to support each other in our CW journeys. One way to practice is by using CW on VHF or HF. However, there can be challenges with propagation, antennas, and geographic location, making consistency difficult.

Fortunately, Ham Radio Solutions created a great solution called V-Band to solve this problem! The designers created V-Band because they didn't want to feel embarrassed on the air. With V-Band, several people can connect their straight key or paddle to their computer using the VBand Adapter and practice a QSO with one or several others.

For less than $30 (including shipping), you can connect your favorite key and start practicing in real-time with others. I know that this isn't the "purist's" way of doing Morse code, but we're all trying to learn, and as the saying goes, "there's more than one way to solder on a coax connector.”

Tim (WM1H) is our coordinator and can help you with the details. If you already have a V-Band Adapter, you can join us.

Check out our club calendar for other scheduled CW Practice events

Join us in V-Band to practice with other club members. In the settings menu, add the private channel "CODE BUDDY" and see who you can connect with for some practice! .

To learn more and join the practice fun, click here to email our coordinator.
(Tim WM1H)

Our Club Member Tim (WM1H) also created a great video on setting up and using V-Band.