The History Archive – Morse Code, the most influential code nobody uses
An evening pause: A bit of history about a clever technology that simply will not die.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
I can listen to amateur bands such as 20 or 40 metres and there’s a good chance I can hear CW traffic, particularly when there’s a contest.
As well, many amateur radio satellites have telemetry beacons. The data is transmitted as strings of alphanumeric characters in Morse code and that string usually includes the satellite’s ID.
Another application for Morse code in amateur radio is directional beacons, which are often automated amateur stations that transmit their callsigns and, sometimes, their location. Those signals are indicators of propagation conditions as well as which direction and region one might be able to make contacts on the bands they operate on.
In Canada, Morse code is no longer a requirement for obtaining a callsign. I was learning it when the change occurred, but, after spending several months on it, I continued and passed the exam.
Great video. Even though the code requirement has been dropped from all amateur radio licenses, it is still in use. Unfortunately my rate is a dismal 10wpm. I know contesters who can do 45wpm.
When I taught my technician license class at my work, I would teach the students a quarter of the alphabet in ten minutes (1 to 2 dits or dahs). I would pair them up, with headphones, straight keys and let them go at it. I would teach them using the Farnsworth method, listening to code as musical notes. I am not a fan of the Koch method.
I encourage people to get their amateur radio license. If you don’t get it, at least read more about the Trans-Atlantic Cable’s history in the book “The Victorian Internet”.
73,
._ _._. __… _.. _._.
A VA6 here, which means that I’m in the Canadian province of Alberta.
I can copy between 10 and 15 wpm, but, for my purposes, that’s more than adequate. To get my Morse qualification, I had to do at least 5 and I got that easily enough.
Aside from using Morse to check for satellites (for example, the current Russian-built RS-44 transmits its ID on its beacon frequency), I don’t use it much as I have a preference for single sideband. Still, it’s one of those capabilities that one never knows when it’ll come in handy.