New: VAIL SUMMIT - A portable ham radio toolkit & CW trainer. Now in beta testing. New: VAIL ZOOMER - Send Morse code during Zoom, Teams, Discord & more.
Explore Our Devices

Vail Adapter Family

From ultra-portable USB sticks to standalone trainers, find the perfect Morse code interface for your needs. All devices support multiple keyer modes and work seamlessly with web-based CW tools. Compare all models →

📦 Shipping Update

Orders placed 2/18–2/23 will ship on 2/24

Vail Lite

Smallest plug-and-play option

$19.99 Free Shipping (US Only)
Vail Lite Adapter

Ultra-portable USB stick form factor. Perfect for beginners and travel. Plug in your paddle and start sending Morse code instantly.

Key Features

  • ✓ USB-A form factor (size of a USB stick)
  • ✓ Built-in TRRS jack & piezo buzzer
  • ✓ USB HID keyboard & MIDI support
  • ✓ Full keyer modes (Iambic A/B, Bug, etc.)
  • ✓ Works with Vail Zoomer (video calls)
  • ✗ Not compatible with Button Hat add-on
  • ✗ No headphone/audio output jack
  • ✗ No radio output or capacitive touch keying

Best For

  • → Beginners learning Morse code
  • → Portable/travel CW practice
  • → Budget-conscious operators

Vail Basic

Full-featured CW practice adapter

$24.99 Free Shipping (US Only)
Vail Basic Adapter

The complete package for serious CW practice. Includes custom PCB, 3D-printed case, and audio output jack for headphones.

Key Features

  • ✓ USB-C connection with custom PCB
  • ✓ 3.5mm jacks: key input & audio output
  • ✓ Piezo buzzer + headphone jack output
  • ✓ USB HID keyboard & MIDI modes
  • ✓ Durable 3D-printed enclosure included
  • ✓ Compatible with Button Hat add-on
  • ✓ Works with Vail Zoomer (video calls)
  • ✗ No radio output or capacitive touch keying

Best For

  • → Most users wanting full features
  • → Practice with headphones/speakers
  • → Desk setup with durable case

Vail Advanced

Direct radio keying capability

$29.99 Free Shipping (US Only)
Vail Advanced Adapter

Everything in Vail Basic plus direct radio output. Key your transmitter for on-air CW operation. Built-in capacitive touch keying for backup/portable use.

Key Features

  • ✓ All Vail Basic features included
  • ✓ Radio output pins for direct keying
  • ✓ Built-in capacitive touch keying
  • ✓ Radio mode toggle & keyer passthrough
  • ✓ External key input for radio keying
  • ✓ Compatible with Button Hat add-on
  • ✓ Works with Vail Zoomer (video calls)

Best For

  • → Amateur radio operators (on-air CW)
  • → Contesting & QRP operation
  • → Users wanting capacitive key backup

DIY No PCB

Budget breadboard build

Minimal hand-wired build for learning electronics. Requires soldering and basic prototyping skills. Great for education and experimentation.

Key Features

  • ✓ Minimal parts: Arduino + buzzer + jack
  • ✓ Breadboard or hand-wired assembly
  • ✓ USB HID keyboard & MIDI support
  • ✓ Optional capacitive touch keying support
  • ✓ Works with Vail Zoomer (video calls)
  • â—‹ Optional buttons, audio output, or radio pins
  • ✗ Advanced features need transistors/resistors

Best For

  • → Learning electronics projects
  • → Prototyping before PCB build
  • → Educational/classroom use
Beta Testing Now

Vail Summit

Portable ham radio toolkit & CW trainer

Vail Summit

A self-contained ham radio companion with 4" display, built-in 47-key keyboard, WiFi, and Bluetooth 5. CW training, license exam prep, POTA spots, band conditions, radio keying, and QSO logging.

Key Features

  • ✓ 4" display with LVGL graphical UI
  • ✓ Built-in 47-key keyboard for standalone use
  • ✓ WiFi + Bluetooth 5 connectivity
  • ✓ Radio keying output (3.5mm jack)
  • ✓ Battery powered for portable/field use
  • ✓ Open source firmware (coming soon)

Included Modes

  • → CW Academy, Koch Method, Vail Master
  • → License exam prep (Tech/General/Extra)
  • → QSO logger, POTA spots, band conditions
  • → Games: Morse Shooter, Memory Chain, Spark Watch

Best For

  • → POTA/SOTA activations
  • → Learning CW without a computer
  • → Field day and portable ops

Button Hat Add-On

Optional three-button accessory for computer-free settings control and CW memory recording/playback.

Button Hat PCB

Features

• Adjust speed (5-40 WPM)

• Change sidetone frequency

• Switch keyer modes

• 3 CW memory slots (25s each)

• One-button playback

Compatibility

✓ Vail Basic

✓ Vail Advanced

✓ DIY No PCB

✗ Vail Lite

✗ Vail Summit

Buy Kit

Assembled or DIY kit from Brett (KE9BOS)

Vail Project contributor & maintainer

Buy from KE9BOS

Free shipping in Continental US

DIY Build

Download PCB files and source parts yourself

Get PCB Files on GitHub

Can be added during initial build or retrofitted later

Note: CW memory playback to real radios only works with Vail Advanced. Other models playback via USB only.

Custom PCB Boards

Vail Adapter PCB

DIY PCB Options

Building your own Vail adapter? We make it easy to get the custom PCBs you need.

Option 1: Order Files

Download the PCB design files from our GitHub repository and order from your preferred PCB manufacturer.

Get PCB Files on GitHub

Option 2: Order from Brett (KE9BOS)

$1 per PCB - US-based ordering

Vail Project contributor & maintainer

Order PCBs from KE9BOS

Free shipping in Continental US

Device Comparison

Feature Vail Lite Vail Basic Vail Advanced DIY No PCB Summit
Form Factor USB Stick PCB + Case PCB + Case Breadboard Device
Standalone No No No No Yes
USB HID/MIDI ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ —
Vail Zoomer Compatible ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ —
Sidetone Buzzer Buzzer Buzzer Buzzer Speaker
Audio Output Jack — ✓ ✓ Optional Speaker
Button Control — Optional Optional Optional Display UI
CW Memory — ✓ USB only ✓ USB & Radio ✓ USB only ✓ USB & Radio
Radio Output — — ✓ Optional ✓
Capacitive Touch Keying — — ✓ Optional ✓
Practice Oscillator Mode ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Display — — — — 4" Screen
WiFi/BT — — — — ✓
Battery — — — — ✓
Training Modes — — — — ✓
Est. Cost <$20 <$25 <$35 <$20 ~$80

Which Device Should You Choose?

Choose Vail Lite if:

  • You want the simplest, smallest option
  • Don't need adjustable settings
  • Primarily use vailmorse.com or web apps
  • Value portability above all else
  • Want plug-and-play convenience

Choose Vail Basic if:

  • You want full features without radio output
  • Want audio output jack for headphones
  • Prefer a durable 3D-printed case
  • Want USB-C connectivity
  • Need a reliable desktop setup

Choose Vail Advanced if:

  • You need direct radio keying
  • Operate amateur radio contests
  • Want capacitive touch keying as backup
  • Plan to use CW memory for on-air

Choose DIY No PCB if:

  • You enjoy building electronics from scratch
  • Learning about microcontrollers
  • Want to prototype first
  • Have soldering/wiring skills
  • Budget is critical concern

Choose Vail Summit if:

  • You want standalone operation (no PC)
  • Need built-in training modes
  • Want WiFi repeater access
  • Prefer battery-powered portable
  • Learning CW from scratch