Questions, answered
Something missing? Ask us on the support page.
What is free, and what does the unlock add?
The first 5 sections of the course are free, with no time limit: E, T, A, N, I, M, S and O, receiving and sending, which is enough to send SOS. Morse Turret, Free Tap, the SOS beacon and the full reference are free too. The one-time unlock opens the other 21 sections, all six games, and the timed drills and copy practice.
How much is it, and is it a subscription?
It is one payment of $8.99 in the US (the store shows you the price in your own currency). It is not a subscription and nothing renews. Get a new phone and you restore the purchase from Settings on the same store account, at no charge.
Do I need an account? Does it need the internet?
No account, no sign-in, no email address. The app makes no network requests of its own and works the same in airplane mode. Your progress is stored only on your phone; you can export it to a file from Settings whenever you like.
Are there ads or tracking?
No ads, no analytics, no tracking, no third-party SDKs. The privacy policy explains the few things that do touch the system, such as the store’s own purchase and rating dialogs.
I know nothing about morse. Where do I start?
At section 1, which teaches two signals: one short, one long. Each section adds a couple of characters and drills them until they are automatic, so you never have to memorise a chart.
Does it teach sending, or only listening?
Both, from the first section. You key on an on-screen tap key, the way you would on a real one, and the app reads back what you sent. Many morse apps only teach receiving.
Can I practise without sound?
Yes. Every signal can play as sound, as light from your camera flash, or as vibration. Safe Cracker is played by feel alone. The flash is the only reason the app asks for camera access; it never takes a picture.
How does it teach?
It uses the Koch method: characters arrive one or two at a time, always sent at full speed so you learn their sound as a whole rather than counting dits. Farnsworth spacing adds extra room between characters while you are still learning them.
How fast will I get?
The course finishes with speed training at 20 to 30 words per minute, and the key and tone can be set anywhere from 5 to 40 WPM and 400 to 1000 Hz. How fast you get there depends on how often you practise; a few minutes a day beats an hour on Sunday.
Is this useful for amateur radio?
Yes. The later sections cover prosigns, Q-codes, common abbreviations and callsigns, and section 24 walks you through a complete simulated QSO, the exchange you make on the air. Use wired headphones or the phone speaker: Bluetooth adds a delay that blurs timing.
Which phones does it run on?
Android comes first, on Google Play. An iPhone version is planned; the purchase is per store, so a Google Play unlock does not carry over to the App Store.
Can I get a refund?
Refunds are handled by the store, not by us. On Google Play you can request one from your order history; within 48 hours of purchase it is usually automatic.