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Morse code speed test
Type what you hear. Get it right and the next group goes 1 WPM faster; miss it and it slows by 1. After 10 groups you get your copying speed in words per minute.
The test
Five-letter groups, the format used for code practice and exams.
Start where you are comfortable — the test finds your level from there.
Pick a pitch that is easy on your ears.
Listen…
Type your answer while it plays or after it ends, then press Enter. Each group is sent once.
Your browser blocked audio. Press “Start the test” again — browsers only allow sound after a click.
How the test works
- The ladder. Every correct answer adds 1 WPM to the next group; every mistake takes 1 away. It settles near your real speed within a few groups, which is why the run is 10 long rather than 3.
- The score. Your result is the average speed of the groups you copied exactly. Partial credit is shown separately as character accuracy, so a run where you nearly had it doesn't look like a run where you had nothing.
- The timing. Standard PARIS spacing at the stated speed — no Farnsworth stretching, because stretched gaps would make the number meaningless.
- The content. Five-character groups, or call signs, which mix letters and digits in an order you can't guess from context.
The rising-and-falling ladder is the method Bruce Prior, N7RR, describes for the call-sign trainer RufzXP in Learning Morse Effectively, hosted by the ARRL: the speed goes up 1 WPM when you copy an item correctly and down 1 WPM when you don't.
What your speed means
| Speed | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 5 WPM | The last US amateur license code test, dropped in 2007. Aviation beacons identify at about this speed. |
| 13 WPM | The old US General-class test speed, dropped in 2000. |
| 18 WPM | The speed of W1AW's code bulletins. |
| 20 WPM | The old Amateur Extra test, and roughly the fastest most people can write down by hand. |
| 35 WPM | The top of W1AW's fast code practice. |
| 40 WPM+ | Head copy: skilled operators stop writing and simply listen. |
Where those numbers come from, and what each speed sounds like, is in Morse code speed (WPM) explained. If your score is lower than you hoped, the usual cause is counting dots instead of hearing shapes — Farnsworth timing is the fix, and the Koch trainer sets it up for you. To measure your sending instead, the keyer trainer scores your timing against a target speed.
FAQ
How is my Morse code speed measured?
Each item is sent at a set speed in words per minute. Copy it correctly and the next one goes up 1 WPM; miss it and the next one drops 1 WPM. After 10 items your result is the average speed of the items you copied correctly.
What is a good Morse code speed?
The old US license tests were 5, 13 and 20 WPM, which still make useful milestones. W1AW sends its code bulletins at 18 WPM, and skilled operators copy beyond 40 WPM in their heads.
Does the test use Farnsworth spacing?
No. Gaps are standard PARIS timing, because the point is to measure the speed you can actually copy. Farnsworth spacing belongs in practice, where it helps you learn the characters — the Koch trainer on the practice page uses it.
Is my score saved anywhere?
Only in your own browser, so you can see your best result next time. Nothing is uploaded, and what you type never leaves the page.