How to Practice Morse Code on AA9PW.com

Updated

AA9PW.com offers two ways to practice Morse code: an online, customizable Morse code generator you use in a web browser, and the Ham Morse app for iPhone. The site's stated goal is to help you pass your US amateur radio license exam and get on the air, so both tools are built around copying code rather than just reading about it. Use the web generator if you want to practice at a computer; use the iOS app if you want to practice away from one.

Online Morse Code Practice

The site describes this as "Learn and practice morse code online using our customizable morse code generator." The key word is customizable — the generator is the practice tool, and you adjust it to match what you're working on rather than working through a fixed lesson sequence.

A practical way to use it:

  1. Open the Morse Code section of the site.
  2. Set the generator to the content you want to copy — for example, plain text, call sign–style groups, or the POTA (Parks on the Air) exchanges that were added to the generator.
  3. Listen and copy what you hear, then check your copy against the source text.
  4. Adjust speed and content as your copying improves.

The expected result is that you build recognition of characters and common exchanges by hearing them, not by looking at a chart. If you can copy the material the generator produces at your target speed, you're ready to try it on the air.

POTA CW Exchanges

In a January 18, 2025 news post, the site announced that POTA CW exchanges had been added to the Morse Code Generator. The post notes that various sources were used for how these exchanges normally go. This matters if your goal is field operating rather than exam prep: POTA exchanges follow a predictable pattern, so practicing that specific pattern is more useful than copying random text.

Ham Morse iOS App

The site lists a "Ham Morse iOS App" for learning and practicing Morse code "on the go" on an iPhone. It's presented as the mobile counterpart to the web generator — same purpose, different device. If you already practice on the website, the app is the option for sessions when you're not at a computer.

Choosing Between the Two

Online generator Ham Morse iOS app
Device Web browser iPhone
Customizable Yes, per the site's description Described as for learning and practicing on the go
Best for Desk-based practice sessions Practice away from a computer
POTA CW exchanges Added January 18, 2025 Not stated in the site material

Both are free to use as described on the site; the material provided does not mention pricing, accounts, or login requirements for either tool, so check the site directly if that matters to you.

Common Sticking Points

  • Treating it as reading practice. The generator is a listening tool. If you're looking at the characters while they play, you're not practicing copy.
  • Jumping to full speed too early. Customizable means you can start slower and raise the speed as accuracy holds.
  • Ignoring real exchanges. If you plan to operate POTA, practice the POTA exchange format specifically rather than only random characters.

For exam-focused work, the site also offers Ham Radio Practice Tests with result tracking and custom tests; Morse practice and exam practice are separate tools on the same site.