KENTUCKY PORTABLE CLUB • MORSE CODE
How real CW contacts go on POTA and SOTA, the shorthand everyone uses, and the clubs, classes and apps that will get you on the air with a key.
There's no required POTA exchange — but almost everyone uses this short format. Tap ▶ to hear any line (pick the speed above). Ready to try it yourself? Head to the CW Practice Room.
W4XYZ is in a park. You're K4TEST in Kentucky.
CQ POTA CQ POTA DE W4XYZ W4XYZ KK4TESTK4TEST GM UR 5NN 5NN TN TN BKBK TU UR 5NN 5NN KY KY BKTU KY 73 E EE ESend your call once, and don't add a K after it (W1AW K sounds like W1AWK). The park number usually isn't sent — it's on the spot. "5NN" is 599 with cut numbers.
You're K4TEST in a Kentucky park. Hunters call you.
CQ POTA CQ POTA DE K4TEST K4TEST KN8ABC W4QZ KD9XYZW4QZ GM UR 5NN 5NN KY KY BKBK R TU UR 5NN 5NN VA VA BKTU VA 73 E EE EOnly got part of a call? Send it with a question mark — KD9? — and only that station should answer. QRZ? asks everyone. You need 10 contacts for a POTA activation.
SOTA reports are often real numbers, and the summit is sent in the exchange.
CQ SOTA CQ SOTA DE N4XX/P KK4TESTK4TEST UR 559 559 W4K/EC-001 BKBK R TU UR 579 579 KY BKTU 73 E EA SOTA activation needs 4 contacts. Summit-to-summit stations go first — if you hear "S2S", step aside.
Both stations are out — trade references so both logs count.
CQ POTA DE W4XYZ KP2P K4TESTK4TEST UR 5NN TN US-2981 US-2981 BKBK TU 5NN KY US-1271 US-1271 BKTU 73 E ENeed their reference? Send PARK? (or REF? / SUMMIT?). Put your own park or summit in the box at the top of the Practice Room to practice P2P/S2S.
The groups and tools KPC hams use to learn Morse, get faster, and find people to work. Most classes are free and online.
Small live online classes from your very first letter up to advanced, taught by volunteers. A big, friendly club with practice sessions most days of the week — despite the name, members are everywhere.
LONGISLANDCWCLUB.ORG ↗ CLASSES • BEGINNER TO FASTCW Academy runs free semester-style classes, Beginner through Advanced. CWops is the speed crowd — their weekly CWT mini-contests are the place to push your WPM.
CWOPS.ORG ↗ STRAIGHT KEYS & BUGSSKCC — mechanical keys only (straight keys, bugs, cooties), relaxed speeds, a free member number, monthly sprints and plenty of awards to chase.
SKCCGROUP.COM ↗ 2-METER CW • JUST FOR FUNBKG — CW on 2 meters only. Work an existing member on 144 MHz CW and you get "jumped in" with your own BKG number. Watch for members on POTA and SOTA activations — a Yagi on a summit goes a long way.
BKG.CLUB ↗ QRP • LOW POWERNAQCC — CW at 5 watts or less, a natural fit for portable POTA and SOTA. Free to join, with monthly sprints and challenges.
NAQCC.INFO ↗ PILEUP PRACTICEBrowser pileup trainer with POTA, CWT and SST formats. Great after our page — it throws whole pileups at you to pick calls out of.
MORSEWALKER.COM ↗ FREE ONLINE COURSEFree Koch-method lessons in your browser, plus callsign and word training. Tracks your progress lesson by lesson.
LCWO.NET ↗ FREE AUDIOThousands of free practice files and YouTube videos at every speed — QSOs, POTA exchanges, words and callsigns. Perfect for the truck.
MORSECODE.NINJA ↗Know a CW club or app we should add? Tell us →
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