Web Morse Runner

A small CW contest simulator for the web.

About

This is a new written version of Morse Runner as Web-Application.

The app is hosted on GitHub Pages: https://fritzsche.github.io/WebMorseRunner/

Translations: Deutsch · 日本語

The Project is inspired by the Program MorseRunner by VE3NEA - Alex Shovkoplyas. The Idea to start a complete new Web App Project originate from the authors previous effort to port MorseRunner to Linux and Mac.

This project is new and independent of Alex project. The original Morse Runner target Windows and is developed in Pascal, while this version is complete rewritten from scratch in Javascript and targeting the usage in web browsers.

Functions

• Runs in Browser using Javascript
• Privacy: The app is running in your browser. No data is collected by Web Morse Runner and not even send back to the webserver.
• Web Audio API using AudioWorklet
• No Backend
• Contest Mode:
  • Single Call
  • Pileup
  • WPX Contest
  • DARC CW Ausbildungscontest (CWA)
  • A1CLUB AWT
  • CWOps CWT
  • IARU VHF
• (Complex) Noise
• Modulation
• Filter
• AGC
• Read List of calls from calls.txt
• Speed in WPM
• Display qso/h rate and chart
• Settings:
  • Pitch
  • RX Bandwidth
  • Monitor Level
  • RIT
  • Time the contest should run
  • My Call
• Sending via buttons and function key
• ESM (Enter to Send Message)
• Calculate and display Score
• Display log
• Confirm QSO's
• Band Condition (QRM/QRN/QSB/Flutter/LID's)
• Transcript
• WAV Recording
• Expert Configuration settings:
  • Farnsworth timing
  • DX Station WPM (standard or individual min/max range)
  • Contest Start Offset (simulate joining a running contest)

Features not (yet) implemented

• Best-List

Status

This Web App is in a beta stage. I'm still searching bugs optimize the app. Please use Github Issues to report bugs or feature requests. You can also contact me by Email.

Usage

Web Morse Runner is a contest simulator. The target is to get as much points (QSO's) and multis (Prefix) as possible.

Start my setting the parameters, like your call sign, preferred WPM etc. and start the contest by pressing the run button.

In Single Call mode stations will call you and you need to log the QSO in the fields Call/NR. If you use the Pileup mode you need to call CQ. Depending on the parameter "Activity" more or less stations will call back to you.

Use the respective buttons or function key to respond to the stations. Find more information on the keyboard used in the section Keyboard. You need to end the QSO by sending TU.

The simulator supports ESM (Enter to Send Message), means hitting the Enter key will allow you to send messages depending on the state of the QSO. Details on ESM can be found: here.

As in the real world stations that are sending will not listen what you are sending. Hence you need to wait until the DX station has finished sending before you reply.

Privacy

Web Morse Runner is executed in your Browser. During start of the app the necessary static files are loaded from the server but no usage data is collected.

Hosting

Web Morse Runner is a standalone Javascript App with official version hosted on Github. You can host the project on your own (local) Webserver. You need a "Secure Context" (https or localhost) for Web Morse Runner to execute.

Operating systems

Web Morse Runner is tested successful to work on Mac/Windows 11 and Linux. Main Browser is Chrome, but Edge and Firefox and Safari are also reported to work. Please understand that the author can not test all combinations of Operating Systems and Browsers on each change.

Usage in iOS: the author of this project could run Web Morse Runner various iOS Devices (iPhone/iPad) using Safari and Chrome. In order to use Web Morse Runner you can connect am external BT Keyboard. In order to hear the sound, double check that the silent mode is not active and the volume is set. Make sure in the Energie setting that you contest is not interrupted. Instead of function key usage it might be useful to press the F1-8 buttons in Web Morse Runner to key the session active.

Settings

The settings you make in Web Morse Runner will be stored the your own browsers local storage.

• Call Your own call sign.
• QSK If selected the system will very fast switch between transmit and listening, so that you can hear the band activity between each dit/dah.
• CW Speed This is your sending speed. All calling stations will respond slower.
• Pitch The frequency of your side tone.
• RX Bandwidth The filter bandwidth applied. Do not make this value to small or you might not hear calling stations outside the filter range.
• Mon. Level The volume of your own side tone. Use your system audio level to control the overall volume.
• RIT The RIT value. Move slider to move RIT up/down in frequency.

Band Conditions

• QRM Interference form other running stations occurs from time to time.
• QRN Electrostatic interference.
• QSB signal strength varies with time.
• Flutter Some stations have "auroral" sound.
• LIDS Some stations call you when you are working another station, make mistakes when they send code, copy your messages incorrectly, and send RST other than 599.

Upload Calls

Since release 0.05 Web Morse Runner will cache the call sign information that is stored in calls.txt in the browser local storage. The calls.txt file reloaded when you clear the local storage, or if you press the reload link. You can also provide your own call signs via file upload by pressing the upload link. The file you load load must be a standard text file containing one line per call. Please notice that the upload format might change in future.

The file format for the call signs file is very simple. Some examples can be found in the github repository (Folder Example_Calls).

Contest Modes

Web Morse Runner supports the following contest modes:

• Single Call Always one station is calling to you. No pileup and you not need to call CQ.
• Pileup In this station you need to call CQ first before stations will reply. The parameter Activity will determine how many stations will answer in average. The number of stations calling you will be displayed over the running clock.
• WPX Contest Similar to the Pile-Up mode, but the number of stations in the Pile-up is not displayed. The usage of Band Condition (QRM/QSB etc.) is not enforced.
• HST (HST = High Speed Traffic) Stations call quickly one after another. The parameter Activity determines how many stations will appear. You log each QSO using ESM.
• DARC CWA (EXPERIMENTAL) Exchange is DOK. You need to upload calls with file DL-All_DOK.txt that contain necessary DOK information for stations. Notice the points are still calculated by prefix not DOK, this might be later updated.
• AWT (EXPERIMENTAL) Exchange is the name. You need to upload AWT.txt that contain necessary example calls with names. The point calculation is still bases on prefix. This might be later added.
• CWOps CWT (EXPERIMENTAL) Exchange is the name and the CWOps Nr.. You need to upload CWOps.txt that contain necessary example calls with names and Numbers. The point calculation is still bases on prefix. This might be later added.
• IARU VHF Exchange is RST, serial number, and your own 6-character QTH locator (LOC, e.g. JN58TD). You need to upload one of the new example files — IARU-VHF-NOCW.txt for mixed-mode callers or IARU-VHF-ONLYCW.txt for CW-active callers — that contain callsigns together with their associated QTH locators. Set your own QTH locator in the LOC field of the My Exchange panel before starting the contest.

Pileup

To master pileup it is helpful to pick station by station. Typically you can start with station calling on frequency that you copy the best. To pick a singe station you can use the question mark. For example, if you enter DJ1? into the Call field and his Enter to send, only stations starting with DJ1 would reply.

Notice that station will already recognize partial matches of their call, e.g. if you misspelled only 1-2 characters, the DX station will try to send the correct call again.

Keyboard

The main usage of Web Morse Runner is via the keyboard.

Function Key

The function keys F1-F8 are used to send various messages. The assigned messages are fixed assigned and visible on the main screen. Modern operating systems however are reusing function keys for all kind of purpose, e.g. to control the volume or brightness of the display. The get them working as function keys you might need to execute some settings in your operating setting or keyboard.

macOS Ventura or later

1. Choose Apple menu -> System Settings.
2. Click Keyboard in the sidebar.
3. Click the Keyboard Shortcuts button on the right.
4. Click Function Keys in the sidebar.
5. Turn on "Use F1, F2, etc, keys as standard function keys".

Windows 11

There are different ways to activate function keys on Windows. The authors machine supported Fn-Key. Pressing Fm-Key and the "lock-symbol" key (on Esc key). Locked the Function keys permanent into place. Others describe that Bios or UEFI settings work or a Lock key using control panel.

Chrome and F7

In the google chrome browser the F7 key is used to activate "Caret Browsing". The author of Web Morse Runner is not using Caret Browser and simply switched it of and ticked the checkbox to not ask again. Now the F7 key is used to send the question mark.

Use Number keys

On some platforms for example mobile it's difficult to use Function Keys. Instead of pressing function key you can press CTRL-1 / Meta-1 / Alt-1 / Numpad 1 for F1 and CTRL-2 / Meta-2 / Alt-2 / Numpad 2 for F2 etc.

Supported Keyboard Shortcuts

ESM Enter to Send Message

The main usage of Web Morse Runner is via ESM. This means after stating the contest the cursor is places automatically in the Call fields.

• To call CQ you only need to press the Enter-Key.
• Once station reply, you enter the call sign into the call fields where your cursor is already located.
• Hit Enter again. Web Morse Runner will send the report 599 and your running number. The cursor will be automatic advanced to the NR field.
• Now listen and enter the number in the NR field that your curser is automatic advanced already.
• Hit Enter again and Web Morse Runner will finalize the QSO by sending TU,
• After the QSO is final, the fields Call, RST and NR are wiped automatically and the cursor is put into the fields Call again. So you can continue with the next QSO.

Other keyboard

• TAB: move cursor between fields Call->RST->NR. If the cursor is in the NR fields another TAB should navigate back to Call.

• Space: By pressing space the field in focus will be advanced (from call to NR / RST to to NR and NR to call). If RST is empty it will be filled with 599.

• Alt-Enter, Meta-Enter, Ctrl-Enter: save QSO.

• Alt-W, Ctrl-W: wipe the input fields.

• <;>, : equivalent to F5 + F2.

• <+> , <.>, <,>, <[>: equivalent to F3 + Save.

• <PageUp>, <PageDown>: keying speed, in 5 WPM increments.

• Function Keys

  • F1: Call CQ
  • F2: Send RST and Number: use it if DX station ask NR? or AGN
  • F3: Send TU: used to signal end of QSO to DX station. Might be needed if station did not hear an earlier TU, while you have already logged the contact.
  • F4: send your own call: in practice very rare used in Web Morse Runner.
  • F5: send DX call: Very useful if station did not understand call, e.g. you doubled with the station. Send his call again to make station send RST and NR.
  • F6: B4 - You qso with station before. Very rare use in Web Morse Runner.
  • F7: Question mark. You did not complete got the call, a questions mark with make the other station sending you the call again.
  • F8: NIL - Indicated the other station that you did not get his call. Very useful in Web Morse Runner when you already send a wrong call sign. The DX stations assumes you have QSO with somebody else and not reply to you. By sending NIL you indicated that could not pick other call, so the DX station will try to send his call again.

• Arrow-Up/Down Control the RIT. Station will call you not always on the same frequency. Depending on the filter bandwidth you might not even hear the DX station, or with a very weak signal. Use the Arrow key to move the RIT up/down.

• CTRL-Arrow-Up/Down, Alt-Arrow-Up/Down, Meta-Arrow-Up/Down bandwidth.

• Escape abort sending.

Statistics

Web Morse Runner provides (since version 0.11-Beta) some statistical information. The data is based on logged data and does include confirmed and unconfirmed QSO. The qso/h will be shown after you logged your first context. Once you reached the mark of 5 minutes it will represent the last 5 minutes QSO data. Web Morse Runner shows also a bar chart containing the qso/h in 5 minutes intervals. 24 Bars (a 5 Minutes). This is useful if you run longer contest sessions.

Transcript

The transcript shows a chronological log of all messages exchanged during the contest. It is hidden by default. Click the 📄 (page icon) to show or hide it. The transcript is cleared when a new contest starts.

Expert Configuration

Click the ⚙ (gear icon) to open the Expert Configuration panel. These settings take effect immediately when changed during a running contest.

• Max Pile-up Limits the maximum number of DX stations that simultaneously call you in Pile-up relevant modes. Useful if you want to practice with a more manageable number of callers. Set to 0 for unlimited.
• DX Stations WPM Controls the speed of calling DX stations:
  • Standard — stations respond at between half and the full speed of your own CW speed setting.
  • Individual — set your own minimum and maximum WPM range for DX stations independently of your own speed.
• Min WPM / Max WPM (visible in Individual mode) The lower and upper bound of the DX station speed range.
• Farnsworth Timing When enabled, characters are sent at the full character speed but extra spacing is added between characters and words so the effective words-per-minute rate is lower. This is the classic Farnsworth method for learning CW at speed. Set the effective WPM with the Eff. WPM field — it must be lower than your CW Speed.
• Contest Start Offset Simulates joining a contest that has already been running for a number of minutes. The DX station serial numbers will start at a value matching the offset, which is useful for practicing realistic exchange numbers rather than always starting from 001.

WAV Recording

Web Morse Runner can record the generated audio to a WAV file for later review or analysis.

The ⏺ Rec button is always available in the Contest panel. It operates independently of the Run button:

1. Arm the recording — press ⏺ Rec before or during a contest. The button turns red, indicating it is armed and ready.
2. Active recording — once a contest is running and the button is armed, recording starts automatically. The button flashes to show audio is being captured.
3. Paused between contests — if the contest stops while armed the button returns to solid red. When the next contest starts the recording resumes automatically, appending to the same session.
4. Download — press ⏺ Rec again to disarm. The recording stops and the WAV file is downloaded automatically.

The output is an uncompressed PCM WAV file (11,025 Hz, 16-bit mono) named morse_<CALL>_<DATE>_<TIME>Z.wav. At this sample rate the audio is well suited for CW tones and the file size is approximately 1.3 MB per minute. Recording is capped at 90 minutes per session (≈ 119 MB).

Version

• 0.18-beta (2026-06-13) HAM Radio Friedrichshafen Edition

  • New IARU VHF Contest mode. Exchange is RST, serial number, and your own QTH locator (LOC). Thanks to Kalin (LZ1MZK) for the pull request. Two new example call files are provided in the Example_Calls folder: IARU-VHF-NOCW.txt (mixed-mode callers) and IARU-VHF-ONLYCW.txt (CW-active callers). Both files associate callsigns with their 6-character Maidenhead locator.

• 0.17.1-beta (2026-06-10)

  • Bugfix: minor layout bugs fixed.

• 0.17-beta (2026-06-09)

  • WAV Recording: the ⏺ Rec button arms the recorder independently of the Run button. Audio is captured while the contest runs and downloaded as a WAV file when the button is pressed again. The recording arms and disarms across multiple contest sessions without losing data.

• 0.16-beta (2026-06-06)

  • New setting to support Farnsworth timing as part of the expert configuration.
  • New setting to support higher contest numbers.

• 0.15-beta (2026-06-02)

  • New expert configuration that you can open pressing the "gear"-icon in the contest settings.
    • Max Pile-up: you can limit the number of DX-stations that are responding in a pile-up relevant mode to avoid too many stations calling you.
    • DX-Stations: You can use the Morserunner standard setting (default) or set individual Max/Min WPM for the DX-Station that respond. In the standard setting the speed of DX stations will be between half of your own speed minimum and your own speed maximum.

• 0.14-beta (2026-06-01)

  • Added a Transcript as suggested in feature request. This transcript is hidden by default but can be made visible by clicking the "page"-icon.

• 0.12-beta (2026-05-24) -- Pentecost 2026 Edition

  • Added new CWOps CWT Contest. Thanks David - CT7AUP for the Pull Request. This Pull-Request was modified to fit better into the current architecture. Github-Bug-reports are welcome.

• 0.11.2-beta (2026-05-03)

  • Bugfix: On Apple keyboard the option key can be use in combination with a number to issue the respective function key, however -5 did not sent but Reason is that the browser event action send "[" in the key attribute. This was reported by OE8ZZZ thats a lot for the feedback.
  • A small regression was removed that could prevent a correct logging in DARC-Ausbildungscontest and A1Club Contest.

• 0.11.1-beta (2026-01-01)

  • Bugfix: sending Call / Nr with or <;> should memorize Call/Nr send so using ESM will pick the call/Nr as send.

• 0.11-beta (2025-12-27) -- Zwischen den Jahren 2025 Edition

  • New: QSO per hour is displayed as text and diagram.
  • New: WPX Contest mode. (Band Conditions are not enforced)
  • UI redesign to provide space for qso/h chart.
  • Bugfix: Using QRN Band Condition could lead to a Sine Tone (Amplitude cause flat curve in filter)
  • Bugfix: QSB/Flutter Band condition could not be activated during running contest.

• 0.10-beta (2025-12-20) -- Christmas 2025 Edition

  • Bugfix: make prefix detection work for CEPT like prefix e.g. F/DJ1TF
  • Support for more keyboard shortcuts (tnx DK5TX es DJ5CW fer request)
    • Alt-W, Ctrl-W, F11 - wipe the input fields.
    • Alt-Enter, Shift-Enter, Ctrl-Enter - save QSO.
    • <+>, <.>, <,>, <[> - equivalent to F3 + Save
    • <;>, - equivalent to F5 + F2.
    • <PageUp>, <PageDown> - Change WPM by 5 WPM
    • -Arrow-Up/Down - Bandwidth
  • Bugfix (2025-12-20):
    • Thanks DK5TX for reporting the issue: If the call is changed and or <;> is pressed the call will be send so the QSO will be confirmed by the DX station.

• 0.9-beta (2025-12-06) - Saint Nicholas Day Edition

  • pressing the escape key will abort the sending
  • TX indicator
  • updating the call sign is possible after the transmission has started, the update is only successful if the changes has not yet been transmitted

• 0.8.4-beta (2025-12-03)

  • Improve some situation on MacOS where the audio process would not start on Safari and Chrome.
  • On Firefox an MacOS a output sample rate > 48.000 kHz can cause issue. Its advisable to reduce the sample rate accordingly or use Chrome or Safari.

• 0.8.3-beta (2025-12-02)

  • Fixed a bug reported by Lutz DM6EE as the space key did not work. This was a regression introduced by the adaptation for Android. Thanks for the bug report!
  • Fixed a timing bug that could happen in rared cases during initialization.

• 0.8.2-beta (2025-05-28)

  • When matching partial call signs the original Morse Runner was not as strict as Web Morse Runner, now Web Morse Runner is relaxed.

• 0.8.1-beta (2025-05-27)

  • Two bugs fixed that could cause stations not replying after call with in incomplete call sign.

• 0.8-beta (2025-05-21)

  • Added HST Mode, grazie Pietro IN3GYO
  • small bug fix
  • (2025-05-22) Fixed bug:
    • Function key F5 is not sending <his>.

• 0.7-beta (2025-04-08) - Easter Edition

  • Further internal restructuring of the code to allow different contests.
  • Bugfix: Contest-definition might not load correctly when the configuration is still initial. This had been found in Firefox browser as Chrome based browsers seems to slightly different instantiate modules
  • Experimental support for AWT (A1Club Weekly Contest) and DARC CWA contest
  • (2025-04-13) Fixed some bugs:
    • Avoid additional DX stations are requested while the original request is pending.
    • Some Android devices use different keyboard events (thx TOM DG5CW for reporting).
    • A Bug reading the new contest definition could lead to hidden contest exchange field when the contest is started.
    • Added Alt-Modifier zto simulate function key press

• 0.6-beta (2025-2-27) - Carnival Edition

  • Internal restructuring of the code to allow different contests in future versions
  • Tom (DF7TV) provided an list of Japanese calls based on JJ1WTL's data base. (File JA-All_JJ1QTL)
  • A List of German Calls based of DL6ER's DB is provided (File DL-All_DOK.txt)
  • Mobile usage: if you keep CTRL or Meta pressed you can use the number keys as replacement for the Function Keys. (some mobile platforms do not support function keys). If you have a keyboard with numeric keypad, you can use these key as well.

• 0.5-beta (2024-12-27) - お正月 / New Year 2024 Edition

  • Added support for Band Conditions QRN, QRM, QSB, Flutter and LID's.
  • New Keyboard shortcut: The shift key is now supported.
  • Calls are now cached in browsers local storage and not reload.
  • Experimental new: Upload your own call file. (Example Calls List contributed by K5GQ)
  • Several important bugfixes.

• 0.4-alpha (2024-12-15) -- Christmas 2024 Edition

  • Added pileup mode.
  • Limit tab sequence to fields Call/RST/NR.
  • Increase size of fields Call/RST/NR
  • Fix various bugs.

• 0.3-alpha (2024-12-12) Bugfix: Morse Timing fixed including correction of v0.2-alpha.

• 0.2b-alpha (2024-12-11) The changes in 0.2 cause a regression as there is a audible gap when 2 messages are send after each other. This results from over allocation. Rollback the changes from 0.2-alpha to avoid audible gaps.

• 0.2-alpha (2024-12-11) Improvement/Bugfix: This JavaScript version used dynamic allocated Array where Pascal was using static sized Array. This is now changed to a pre-allocated Float32Array array to also improve performance to avoid unnecessary allocations in the audio buffer process. In some situations this could leave more spacing.

• 0.1-alpha (2024-11-25) initial public release.

References

• Morse Runner (Windows/Pascal) by VE3NEA - Alex Shovkoplyas
• Morse Runner Community Edition
• Morse Runner Port (Linux/Mac) adopted by DJ1TF - Thomas Fritzsche

Thanks

Like to thank VE3NEA Alex Shovkoplyas for his inspiring work on Morse Runner.

73, Thomas - DJ1TF