Vail Zoomer

A cross-platform desktop application that merges CW (Morse Code) sidetone with your microphone audio for video conferencing. Perfect for amateur radio operators who want to send Morse code during Zoom, Teams, Discord, or other video calls.

What It Does

Vail Zoomer bridges three audio streams:

• Your microphone - so you can talk normally
• CW sidetone - the tones generated when you key Morse code
• Virtual audio output - sends the mixed audio to your video conferencing app

This allows you to simultaneously speak and send Morse code in video calls, with real-time character decoding displayed on screen.

Requirements

• A MIDI-compatible CW keyer (like the Vail Adapter)
• A virtual audio cable/device (see installation instructions below)
• A microphone

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Installation

Step 1: Download Vail Zoomer

Download the latest release for your operating system from the Releases page:

• Windows: Vail.Zoomer_x.x.x_x64-setup.exe or portable .msi
• macOS (Apple Silicon): Vail.Zoomer_x.x.x_aarch64.dmg
• macOS (Intel): Vail.Zoomer_x.x.x_x64.dmg
• Linux: vail-zoomer_x.x.x_amd64.AppImage or .deb

Security Note: If you see a security warning when opening the app, see the First Launch Security Warnings section below.

Step 2: Install a Virtual Audio Device

A virtual audio device creates a "loopback" that lets Vail Zoomer send mixed audio to your video conferencing app. This is required for the app to work.

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Virtual Audio Device Setup

Windows: VB-Cable (Included with Installer)

VB-Cable is a free virtual audio driver for Windows, bundled with the Vail Zoomer installer.

During Installation

The Vail Zoomer installer will prompt you to install VB-Cable. When prompted:

1. Click "Yes" to open the VB-Cable installer folder
2. Right-click on VBCABLE_Setup_x64.exe and select "Run as administrator"
3. Click "Install Driver" when the window appears
4. Wait for the "Installation Complete" message, then click OK

Manual Installation (if needed)

If you skipped VB-Cable during installation, you can install it later:

1. Navigate to C:\Program Files\Vail Zoomer\resources\VBCABLE\
2. Right-click on VBCABLE_Setup_x64.exe and select "Run as administrator"
3. Click "Install Driver"

Or download directly from vb-audio.com/Cable

After Installation: Restart Your Computer

⚠️ This is required! The virtual audio device will NOT appear until you restart. Save your work and restart now.

Verify Installation

After your computer restarts:

1. Right-click the speaker icon in your taskbar (bottom right)
2. Click "Sound settings"
3. Scroll down and click "More sound settings"
4. In the Playback tab, look for "CABLE Input (VB-Audio Virtual Cable)"
5. In the Recording tab, look for "CABLE Output (VB-Audio Virtual Cable)"

If you see both devices, you're ready!

Troubleshooting Windows:

• VB-Cable not appearing after restart?
  • Make sure you ran the installer as Administrator
  • Check Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Protection history - Windows may have blocked the driver
  • Try running the installer again as Administrator
• Windows 11 users: You may need to temporarily disable Core Isolation / Memory Integrity in Windows Security during installation, then re-enable it after

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macOS: BlackHole

BlackHole is a free, open-source virtual audio driver for macOS. Works on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.

Option A: Install with Homebrew (if you have it)

Open Terminal (press Cmd+Space, type "Terminal", press Enter) and run:

brew install blackhole-2ch

Don't have Homebrew? Use Option B below instead.

Option B: Manual Download

1. Go to existential.audio/blackhole
2. Click "Download BlackHole 2ch" (you may need to enter your email)
3. Open the downloaded .pkg file
4. Follow the installer prompts - click Continue → Install
5. Enter your Mac password when asked

Allow the System Extension (Important!)

macOS blocks audio drivers by default. You must allow it:

1. Open System Settings (click Apple menu → System Settings)
2. Click "Privacy & Security" in the sidebar
3. Scroll down - you should see a message about BlackHole being blocked
4. Click "Allow" next to the message
5. Enter your password if prompted
6. Restart your Mac for the changes to take effect

Verify Installation

After restarting:

1. Open System Settings → Sound
2. Click the "Output" tab
3. Look for "BlackHole 2ch" in the list

Optional: Multi-Output Device (hear sidetone while sending to Zoom)

By default, if you send to BlackHole, you won't hear the sidetone locally. To hear it AND send to Zoom:

1. Open Audio MIDI Setup (search in Spotlight or find in /Applications/Utilities/)
2. Click the + button in the bottom left
3. Select "Create Multi-Output Device"
4. Check both your headphones/speakers AND BlackHole 2ch
5. Optionally rename it to "Vail Zoomer Output"
6. In Vail Zoomer, select this new device as your output

Troubleshooting macOS:

• "System Extension Blocked": Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → scroll down and click "Allow"
• Still not working? You may need to restart after allowing the system extension
• Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4): BlackHole works natively, no Rosetta needed

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Linux: Automatic Virtual Audio Setup

Linux uses software-based virtual audio devices through PulseAudio or PipeWire. Vail Zoomer can set this up automatically for you.

Automatic Setup (Recommended)

1. Launch Vail Zoomer
2. If no virtual audio device is detected, you'll see a blue banner at the top: "Virtual audio device not found"
3. Click "Setup Virtual Audio"
4. If prompted, enter your admin password (this is only needed if pactl isn't installed)
5. The app will automatically detect your audio system (PipeWire or PulseAudio) and create the virtual device
6. Once complete, "Vail Zoomer" will appear in your output device list

You can also trigger this setup anytime from the Audio Routing section at the bottom (look for "Linux Virtual Audio Setup").

What Gets Created

The automatic setup creates:

• VailZoomer - The output device you'll select in Vail Zoomer
• VailZoomerMic - The microphone input that Zoom will see

The devices persist across reboots.

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Manual Setup (Alternative)

If the automatic setup doesn't work, you can set up the virtual device manually.

Step 1: Check which audio system you have

Open a terminal (press Ctrl+Alt+T) and run:

pactl info | grep "Server Name"

• If it says "PipeWire" → follow PipeWire instructions below
• If it says "PulseAudio" → follow PulseAudio instructions below

For PipeWire (Ubuntu 22.04+, Fedora 34+, most modern distros):

mkdir -p ~/.config/pipewire/pipewire.conf.d
nano ~/.config/pipewire/pipewire.conf.d/vail-zoomer.conf

Paste this block, then save (Ctrl+O, Enter, Ctrl+X):

context.modules = [
  { name = libpipewire-module-loopback
    args = {
      node.description = "Vail Zoomer"
      capture.props = {
        node.name = "VailZoomer"
        media.class = "Audio/Sink"
        audio.position = [ FL FR ]
      }
      playback.props = {
        node.name = "VailZoomerMic"
        media.class = "Audio/Source"
        audio.position = [ FL FR ]
      }
    }
  }
]

Restart PipeWire:

systemctl --user restart pipewire pipewire-pulse

For PulseAudio (older systems):

mkdir -p ~/.config/pulse
echo 'load-module module-null-sink sink_name=VailZoomer sink_properties=device.description="Vail_Zoomer_Output"' >> ~/.config/pulse/default.pa
echo 'load-module module-remap-source master=VailZoomer.monitor source_name=VailZoomerMic source_properties=device.description="Vail_Zoomer_Microphone"' >> ~/.config/pulse/default.pa
pulseaudio -k && pulseaudio --start

Verify Installation:

pactl list sources short | grep -i vail

If you see "VailZoomerMic", you're all set!

Troubleshooting Linux:

• Automatic setup fails: Try the manual setup instructions above
• No virtual device after setup: Log out and back in, or restart your computer
• AppImage won't run: Make it executable first: chmod +x vail-zoomer*.AppImage
• MIDI not detected: Install ALSA MIDI support: sudo apt install libasound2-plugins
• Zoom doesn't show the virtual microphone: Edit ~/.config/zoomus.conf and set system.audio.type=default (instead of alsa), then restart Zoom

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Using Vail Zoomer

Quick Start

1. Connect your MIDI keyer before launching the app
2. Launch Vail Zoomer
3. Configure audio devices (see below)
4. Configure your video app (see below)
5. Test with the Dit/Dah buttons

Configuring Vail Zoomer

MIDI Section

• Your MIDI device should appear automatically - click on it to connect
• The status indicator will turn green when connected

Keyer Settings

• Keyer Type: Match your physical keyer (Straight Key, Iambic A/B, etc.)
• WPM: Set your preferred words-per-minute (5-50) - only for iambic keyers
• Sidetone Frequency: Adjust tone pitch (400-1000 Hz)
• Use Test Dit/Dah buttons to verify audio is working

Audio Routing

• Microphone Input: Select your microphone
• Output to Zoom: Select the virtual audio device:
  • Windows: "CABLE Input (VB-Audio Virtual Cable)"
  • macOS: "BlackHole 2ch"
  • Linux: "VailZoomer" or "Vail Zoomer Output"

Sidetone Routing Mode

• Zoom Only: Sidetone goes to Zoom only (you won't hear it locally) - use this if your Vail adapter has its own sidetone speaker
• Local Only: Sidetone goes to your speakers only (Zoom won't hear it)
• Both: Sidetone goes to both Zoom and your local speakers

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Configuring Your Video Conferencing App

Zoom

1. Open Zoom and click the gear icon (Settings) in the top right
2. Click "Audio" in the left sidebar
3. Under "Microphone", select:
   • Windows: "CABLE Output (VB-Audio Virtual Cable)"
   • macOS: "BlackHole 2ch"
   • Linux: "Vail Zoomer Microphone" (or "VailZoomerMic")
4. Uncheck "Automatically adjust microphone volume"
5. Click "Test Mic" to verify it's working

Microsoft Teams

1. Click your profile picture in the top right
2. Click "Settings"
3. Click "Devices" in the left sidebar
4. Under "Microphone", select the virtual audio device:
   • Windows: "CABLE Output"
   • macOS: "BlackHole 2ch"
   • Linux: "Vail Zoomer Microphone" (or "VailZoomerMic")
5. Click "Make a test call" to verify

Discord

1. Click the gear icon (User Settings) next to your username
2. Click "Voice & Video" in the left sidebar
3. Under "Input Device", select the virtual audio device:
   • Windows: "CABLE Output"
   • macOS: "BlackHole 2ch"
   • Linux: "Vail Zoomer Microphone" (or "VailZoomerMic")
4. Turn OFF "Automatically determine input sensitivity"
5. Use the "Let's Check" button under Mic Test to verify

Google Meet

1. Join or start a meeting, then click the three dots (⋮) at the bottom
2. Click "Settings"
3. Click "Audio"
4. Under "Microphone", select the virtual audio device:
   • Windows: "CABLE Output"
   • macOS: "BlackHole 2ch"
   • Linux: "Vail Zoomer Microphone" (or "VailZoomerMic")
5. Speak or use Test Dit/Dah to see the input level indicator move

Tips for Best Results

• Set appropriate volumes: Keep sidetone at a comfortable level relative to your voice
• Test before meetings: Do a test call or use Zoom's audio test feature
• Mind your WPM: The decoder works best when you key consistently
• Use local monitoring: Helps you hear what you're sending without latency

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First Launch Security Warnings

Operating systems display security warnings for apps that aren't code-signed by registered developers. This is normal for open-source software and doesn't mean the app is unsafe.

Windows: "Windows protected your PC"

When you see the blue SmartScreen warning:

1. Click "More info"
2. Click the "Run anyway" button that appears
3. The app will now open normally

You only need to do this once. Windows will remember your choice.

macOS: "App can't be opened" / "Unidentified Developer"

Method 1: System Settings (try this first)

1. Try to open the app (it will be blocked)
2. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security
3. Scroll down - you'll see a message about Vail Zoomer being blocked
4. Click "Open Anyway"
5. Click "Open" in the confirmation dialog

Method 2: Terminal (if Method 1 doesn't work)

xattr -cr /Applications/Vail\ Zoomer.app

Then try opening the app again.

Linux: AppImage Won't Run

Linux requires you to make the file executable first. Open a terminal in your Downloads folder and run:

chmod +x vail-zoomer*.AppImage
./vail-zoomer*.AppImage

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Troubleshooting

No Sound in Zoom/Video App

1. Verify the virtual audio device is installed and appears in system audio settings
2. Check that Vail Zoomer's output is set to the virtual device
3. Verify the video app's microphone is set to the virtual device's output/monitor
4. Check volume levels in Vail Zoomer aren't at 0%
5. Use the Test Dit/Dah buttons to confirm audio is flowing

MIDI Device Not Found

1. Ensure the keyer is connected before launching Vail Zoomer
2. Try unplugging and reconnecting the USB cable
3. Check if other apps are using the MIDI device (close them first)
4. On Windows, check Device Manager for the device
5. On macOS, check Audio MIDI Setup utility
6. On Linux, run aconnect -l to list MIDI devices

Crackling or Distorted Audio

1. Lower the sidetone and microphone volumes
2. Close other audio-intensive applications
3. Use wired headphones instead of Bluetooth
4. Check CPU usage - audio processing needs consistent resources

High Latency

1. Use wired headphones instead of Bluetooth
2. Reduce system audio buffer sizes
3. Close unnecessary applications
4. On Linux, consider using JACK for lower latency

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Building from Source

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+
• Rust 1.70+
• Platform-specific requirements:
  • Windows: Visual Studio Build Tools with C++ workload
  • macOS: Xcode Command Line Tools (xcode-select --install)
  • Linux: sudo apt install libwebkit2gtk-4.1-dev build-essential curl wget libssl-dev libgtk-3-dev libayatana-appindicator3-dev librsvg2-dev libasound2-dev

Build Steps

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/Vail-CW/vail-zoomer.git
cd vail-zoomer

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Run in development mode
npm run tauri dev

# Build for production
npm run tauri build

Build outputs will be in src-tauri/target/release/bundle/.

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please open an issue or pull request.

Acknowledgments

• Tauri - Cross-platform app framework
• CPAL - Cross-platform audio library
• VB-Audio - VB-Cable for Windows (donationware - consider supporting them!)
• BlackHole - Virtual audio for macOS

Third-Party Software

VB-Cable (Windows)

The Windows installer includes VB-Cable by VB-Audio Software. VB-Cable is a donationware virtual audio driver that enables Vail Zoomer to route audio to video conferencing applications.

• Website: vb-audio.com/Cable
• License: Donationware - free to use, donations welcome
• Support VB-Audio: If you find VB-Cable useful, please consider donating to VB-Audio to support their continued development.