I didn’t see this upthread, but Morse code is used in aviation for identifying navigation beacons. The Nodine VOR* not too far from me uses ODI (— _… …)
Brian
Obligatory link to The Victorian Internet: The Remarkable Story of the Telegraph and the Nineteenth Century’s On-line Pioneers.
Post #2. “It’s also still used in aircraft navigation beacons.”
And in some remote & poor parts of the world, the old fashioned Low Frequency radio legs ( A & N on each side & where there was overlap it would sound as a single tone if you were on the beam. *) + the NDB are still the only landing aide for IFR arrivals.
You still had to identify each with their Mores Code signal because you did not know which you were listening to if 2 seemed to line up because you did not initially have any idea how far away they were. There are ways to do it but they take time and direction changes and so were counter productive to actually getting on the ground at the end of a flight.
Anywho, Mores Code is alive & well in the Aviation world.
Remember the round loop antennas that used to be on the top of aircraft right above the cockpit? They are used to point to the beacon before there were instruments that did it. You cranked it back & forth and listened for the strongest signal.
The Low Freq 4 legged radio beams were strictly a ‘listening’ set up, No instruments are all, just a low freq radio.
My training was so long ago that I had several instructors who knew it and used it, or had used it and access to old aircraft that I got to learn this stuff and actually practice it. Back then the NDB approach was still a requirement on an instrument ticket check ride.
radio transmitters legally need to identify themselves. this might be during every transmission or at certain intervals if the transmissions are continuous.
radio beacons, repeaters (where are received signal is retransmitted to extend coverage), telemetry or control links all might identify itself in morse code. even some voice radios might automatically identify itself in code so the user doesn’t have to verbally.
If you are a prisoner of war locked in separate cells or rooms, it’s a good skill to have. You can tap out messages on things like water pipes. Of course the persons receiving the message also need to understand the code. The American POWs in North Vietnam used Morris code or something similar to communicate.
Morse code is used in maritime radio navigation beacons. Those doing the navigation wouldn’t have to memorize Morse, there was a laminated card with Morse Code on it hanging near the receiver.
POWs held in North Vietnam used the “POW Tap Code”, which was based on a 5x5 grid. The first row was the letters A, B, C, D, E, the second was F, G, H, I, J, etc. There’s an extra letter; I suspect they omitted the letter Q, as KW would pretty much do the same thing. The first tap or taps would indicate the row, the second set would indicate the column. This was probably the first use of what’s now known as “text speak”, where, for example “R U” would mean “are you”, etc.
My Father told me that it was “Save Our Ship.”
I heard they don’t teach Morse in basic Radioman (military) school anymore. True or no?
[NITPICK]That code is done with bells and hankerchiefs IIRC[/NITPICK]
I get it. I love Liege & Lief by Fairport Convention.
In January 1978 my car was stuck in a muddy field. I saw a police car nearby, and sounded an “SOS” with the horn to get the cops’ attention.
Seems like Morse code would be a useful way for kids to send texts to each other without the teacher noticing - holding the phone under the desk and tapping on the screen. Is there an app for that?
I have a good joke about Morse code in the classroom…