Originally written by Les Kerr, this is a Python library and programs that implement the MorseKOB functionality familiar to users of the MorseKOB 2.5 application available for many years on Windows.
Written in Python (requires version 3.11 or later), that functionality (and more) is now available on Window, Mac, and Linux.
The PyKOB library (pykob.*) provides modules, classes, and functions that can be used within a Python program to perform Morse operations.
Additionally, there are three complete applications and a number of utilities included. The applications and utilities can be used to learn/practice copying and sending code. The applications and some of the utilities can also connect to a KOB Server to receive wire feeds and communicate with others.
Windows Installer for MKOB Suite
For Windows, executables have been created for the main applications and utilities and packaged as a Windows Installer. You can get it here: https://www.aesilky.com/morse
Note: For those that are familiar with this Repo, see the section on the reorganization
The pykob.morse module supports encoding (text to code) and decoding (code to text) both American Morse and International Code.
American Morse (sometimes referred to as, Landline Morse) was used by the railroads, Western Union, and other communications systems, connected by telegraph wires. International Code is used for continuous wave (CW) communications using radio.
The utilities and both of the applications can be configured to receive/decode/print and encode/send either form.
The pykob.kob module provides support for a serial interface to a key and sounder (wired either separately or in a loop). On Raspberry Pi, the key and sounder can be connected using an interface connected to the GPIO.
The module also provides a synthesized sounder using the computer audio, as well as the option to use CW style tone.
The utilities and the applications allow using any of these options.
There are three applications included in PyKOB. All three applications use either the shared global configuration or can use named configuration files (created using the Configure utility or MKOB.)
The MKOB application provides a full graphical interface that allows you to connect to a Wire on a KOB Server to communicate with others or listen to feeds. It also has features to help you practice and learn the code. Instructions for using the MKOB application are in the User Guide in the Documentation folder.
The MRT application provides a command-line application that connects to a Wire on a KOB Server and allows text to be typed and sent, plus full support for a key and sounder. In addition, it supports a hardware selector switch (or switch-board) that allows switching between different configurations (either 4 or 16 depending on the hardware) without having to do anything in the application. It also supports a scheduled feed option that will send configured messages at specific times or when there is no activity. Instructions for using the MRT application are in the MRT document and the sample selector and scheduled-feed specifications in the Documentation folder.
This application is primarily intended for displays (museums, shows, etc.). It runs full-screen and displays a telegram form that shows incoming messages from a wire and messages keyed locally. At the end of a message or a configured idle time, a new form is displayed for the next message. The form's masthead can come from a graphic or configured text. The page color, text color, text font and size, and other aspects of the operation specific to Telegram are specified in a configuration file. The common configuration is from the same global or named configurations used by MKOB and MRT.
The following utilities can be useful for sending and listening to Morse for fun and practice and providing KOB Server Wire feeds.
The utilities are in Python files that start with an uppercase character. Files that start with a lowercase letter are support modules that are not intended to be executed directly.
Most of the utilities support the '-h'/'--help' command line option to provide a description of the utility and the available options.
Give it a try...
python3 Sample.py --help
This is the configuration utility for all of the applications and utilities. It is used to list and/or modify either the global configuration or named configurations that are used by the applications.
The configuration can be set using option flags and values from the command line, or it can launch a GUI that can be used.
Use the command line '-h' or '--help' option to see the usage. A copy of the usage help is included in the Documentation folder.
Collects and lists information about the current Python, PyKOB, and comm interfaces available, that is relevent for running the PyKOB utilites and applications. The comm port information is especially helpful when using the CLI version of Configure or a Selector.
Sounds a sample that can be used to test your configuration and output hardware (sounder and computer audio). Options are available to sound different content for fun and to use for practice.
Provides a Kuckoo Clock in Morse. Options allow setting how often to sound and how verbose to be about the current time.
Plays PyKOB recorder JSON format files (session recordings saved by the MKOB application and some of the utilities). Options allow controlling the speed (slower or faster than the actual speed), how much 'dead air' to include, and more.
Connects to a KOB Server Wire and sounds and decodes the incoming code. Although it is a useful utility, it was written before the MRT application was written. Look at MRT as a more feature rich option.
Source of a Wire Feed for a KOB Server. Connects for a KOB Server on a specified Wire and sends code when one or more other clients connect to the Wire.
The content can be from:
- PyKOB recorder format JSON file (a session recording from MKOB)
- An RSS format XML file
- An RSS feed from the internet
- KeyTest.py - Continuously reads the key and prints the encoding.
- News.py - Sound and print a news feed (the source is
www.ansa.it/sito) - SchedFeed.py - Sends short, fixed, content at scheduled times. Edit the code to set your Office/Station ID and the wire to use.
- Time.py - Send and sound a 'standard' time signal continuously, hourly, or daily.
- Weather.py - Waits for a station to send a message ending in WX XXXX, where XXXX is the 4- or 5-character code for a U.S. weather reporting station, and replies with the current weather conditions and short term forecast for that area.
The library and applications are actively being developed and supported. Feel free to submit issues for problems you find or features you would like.
For those familiar with this repo, please notice that the file structure has changed. The most noticeable change is that the Python files have been moved from the root and pykob directory to be rooted in the src.py directory.
The reorganization was done to help support the creation of executables (binary versions) and installer, and to unclutter the root directory.
The src.py directory contains all (only) the Python files needed to run the applications and utilities. So, to run the Python version, start there.
Also, the MKOB source changed from MKOB.pyw to MKOB.py. This was done
because the .pyw extension causes some libraries to be pulled into the
binary that aren't needed for this application.
Documentation for the applications is in the Documentation folder and sub-folders.
Even if you aren't familiar with Git/GitHub, it is easy to grab a ZIP file from it. You can also use the 'Issues' section to report problems and request features. Of course, I recommend using Git/GitHUB, as that makes it trivial to get updates when they become available.
The repository on GitHub: https://github.com/MorseKOB/PyKOB
To get going...
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/MorseKOB/PyKOB.gitTo update, you then simply (from the PyKOB folder):
git pullThat will 'pull' the latest updates.
To grab a ZIP:
- Open the GitHub page: https://github.com/MorseKOB/PyKOB
- Click the green [<> Code] button
- At the bottom of the drop-down is 'Download ZIP'
Once you have the zip, simply unzip it (make sure you unzip it as the full folder/directory structure) into a folder.
PyKOB will run with just the base Python (3.11) installation, However, you will probably want to install these libraries to get the most out of it.
You can use a Python virtual environment. There is a requirements.txt file in the root directory. It can be used to configure the virtual environment using the command
pip install -r requirements.txtUsing a Python virtual environment is a great way to do development or to run tests. If you would rather configure the system Python environment, you can still use the requirements.txt. Just use the main pip.
The following libraries are used.
To use the system sound (to simulate a sounder) you will need PyAudio. To interface with a key & sounder, you will need pySerial. The Telegram application requires pygame-ce. Note that it is important to use the CE implementation of PyGame, as it contains features and bug-fixes that Telegram relies on.
Follow the instructions here:
https://pypi.org/project/PyAudio/
https://pyserial.readthedocs.io/en/latest/pyserial.html
The best thing to run first is SysCheck. That will display information about the system, Python, the libraries used, and the serial devices (if you are going to use an interface to a physical key and/or sounder).
It is simple to run:
- Open a Command/Terminal window in the PyKOB folder
- (I suggest running)
python3 --version(to make sure you are running a 3.11.xx or later version) - If your Python version is not 3.11.xx or later you will need to upgrade it.
- Then
cd src.py
python3 SysCheck.pyNext, it is suggested that you set all of the configuration options before running any of the Morse utilities or MKOB/MRT for the first time. To do that:
- Run:
python3 Configure.pyThat will list the current configuration. Since this is a new installation, the settings will all be the defaults. - Run: 'python3 Configure.py --help' That will list all the option flags to use to set your desired configuration.
- Run:
python3 Configure.py <with the options you want to set> - There is also a GUI for configuring. To use it, use the --gui option:
python3 Configure.py --guiOnce you have the settings you want, you are ready to run any of the utilities, or the MKOB application. The 'utilities' are in the base source folder (src.py). The utilities start with a capitol letter - for example:
python3 Sample.pyThat is a good one to start with, as it is a simple way to make sure things are working correctly.
Once you are up and running, you can run:
python3 MKOB.pyThis is the GUI application that will let you connect to the MorseKOB Server
wires. Within MKOB, you can use File > Preferences to view and change the
configuration. Please note that many (most) of the configuration changes are
not picked up until you exit and restart MKOB. That is actually the focus of
the current work (making them take effect immediately), as well as being able
to save/use multiple, named, configurations.
To get a list of the wires that are currently active, use a browser to view: http://mtc-kob.dyndns.org/ I like to test by connecting to one of the news wires, for example, Wire 108.
I hope to hear (from many of you) that you were successful.
BTW: You can see other things that might be of interest if you go up one level on GitHub: https://github.com/MorseKOB
The following license information apply to the contents of this application, modules, libraries and to libraries and modules used by this application.
Copyright (c) 2020-2024 PyKOB - MorseKOB in Python
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
The PyKOB applications/utilities/modules rely on other libraries/modules.
Refer to LICENSE-MODULES for the license details of these libraries/modules.
No modifications have been made to these libraries/modules and they are not included with this distribution, and therefore must be provided by the user of these applications/utilities/modules for proper operation. Refer to the library/module documentation for details of installing the library/module.