Best Morse Decoder

For several years now  I have been of the opinion that the best Morse decoder for Windows PCs is MRP40 by Norbert Pieper. A few days ago Paul PC4T commented to one of my posts that he thought CW Skimmer was better so I thought I would give it a try in case I was missing out.

MRP40 decoding some Morse

I ran both programs simultaneously decoding the same signal. After listening to many QSOs I am still of the opinion that MRP40 is the best decoder. It decoded text more accurately and the spacing between words was better – CW Skimmer would often run words together then insert a space in the middle of a word. Skimmer also seemed on occasion to insert an spurious E at the beginning of some words or calls when I didn’t hear an extra dit.

MRP40’s decoder is less laggy than CW Skimmer’s – text appeared sooner after it was sent. I also found MRP40’s AFC useful in locking on to signals. It could track drifting stations and would adjust itself precisely to the signal if you didn’t click exactly on the trace. CW Skimmer seemed more fussy and didn’t decode a signal unless you got it spot-on. This is perhaps understandable given that Skimmer is intended to be able to distinguish between multiple signals in a pile-up.

CW Skimmer is the better program if you want to decode all the calls in a swathe of spectrum and if you want to link to your logging program so as to highlight new countries or prefixes and mark stations you’ve previously worked. That is, after all, what it has been designed to do. But as a morse decoder pure and simple MRP40 is still the winner in my book.

Julian Moss, G4ILO, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Cumbria, England. Contact him at [email protected].

8 Responses to “Best Morse Decoder”

  • Colin GW3WSU:

    What PC – Rig interface do you use Julian please?

  • Edwin YV5EN:

    There is no better CW decoder than the human brain, specially in big and QRMed pileups.

    73,
    Edwin YV5EN

  • Harry K7ZOV:

    Tried this as found it so, so. Loved CW skimmer but out of my price range. So I use FlDigi and DM780 in CW mode to help with my tin ear. Yes the human brain still is the best decoder, assuming misfiring brain cells are low. Mine aren’t.. The other CW decoder is the NUE-PSK and the very unique way it decodes. No PC and you can also do PSK31 and RTTY with no computer. KX3 seems to do a fair. However I have only had the radio a week and unlike my TenTec Eagle that too 15 minutes to master, this radio is taking a bit longer.. OK many bits longer.

    73 Harry K7ZOV

  • Cliff KU4GW:

    Julian, I have a hard time copying the 40+ wpm keyboard CW ops during the contests and Dxpeditions, but I’ve been using CWGet for decoding those guys for several years now and it works great! It’s not freeware, but I’ve been using it for free. You can download and use it for free for receive only and the only thing is if you close the program it won’t retain your settings unless you buy the license so you have to set it up again next time you use it. Also, a friend of mine told me just this week about one he uses that is freeware called CW Decoder XP version 2.99 designed by WD6CNF and he says it works great.I just installed it, but haven’t really tested it enough yet to form my own opinion. The only thing I don’t like about it so far is it won’t expand to full screen like CWGet will.Thought I’d share that info. YV5EN Edwin is probably right about his opinion, but after 16 years of CW I still haven’t gotten my brain to copy 40+ words per minute yet.I just finally made it to 23 wpm! I don’t live on CW 24/7 and if I did that would probably help me a lot, but my old brain doesn’t work all that great anyway. I have to rely on Google Calendar email reminders to remember to take my chemo meds everyday and to remember my 4 CW skeds I have right now. Thank God for Google Calendar! I’d forget my head if it weren’t attached! Hi Hi!

    Very 73 de Cliff – KU4GW
    SKCC#652 FISTS#16001 NAQCC#1491 FP#1183 GORC#399 ZOMBIE#867

  • Damian McSorley M0SFX:

    My Uncle Patrick GI4LHT RAF RIP 50 + words a minute & taught a lot of Hams up from B to A
    apart from that electronically I use iPhone Morse decoder by HOTPAW surprisingly good
    Regards All

  • Joe , DJ7PO:

    Who can help?? – Just tried to get Norbert Pieper´s company,
    the http://www.polar-electric.com – but couldnt get it …
    has the adress changed? – wanted to download MRP-40 Cw-Progr.
    PSE help – thanks!
    Joe, DJ7PO

  • Sherman Rackley:

    Good morning

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