Advanced Curriculum

The Advanced curriculum is the culminating stage of the LICW program, consisting of three progressive class levels designed to help students achieve Morse code fluency at increasingly higher speeds.

Fluency at this stage is defined not only by speed, but also by a relaxed “word discovery” mindset, where comprehension flows naturally.  The focus shifts from perfect character-by-character copy to grasping the meaning and gist of the conversation.  This approach develops endurance, resilience, and a natural conversational rhythm – even during extended, high-speed exchanges.

Students typically enter Advanced 1 proficient at 18-20 WPM.  By this point, they can express themselves easily without relying on scripts, maintain a regular on-air presence, and participate confidently in a wide range of CW activities – from relaxed rag chewing to structured contest exchanges.

The Advanced curriculum builds directly on the head copy skills developed in the Intermediate program.  Teaching methods and practice exercises carry forward, providing a familiar and comfortable learning environment while steadily increasing speed, complexity, and conversational depth.

The program also serves experienced operators who may have learned Morse code elsewhere and want to benefit from LICW’s structured, proven approach to developing conversational head copy at high speeds.

QRQ (High-Speed Telegraphy)

Normal spoken language occurs at 110-150 words per minute, while 20-25 WPM represents a typical conversational Morse code speed.  Many operators naturally aspire to go faster.

QRQ refers to Morse code operation above 25 WPM.  While these speeds may appear daunting at first, with proper training, structured practice, and the right mindset, they are well within reach.