Morse Code

Dits, Dots, Dahs and Dash…That’s rights, all spelt correctly and I certainly haven’t gone la-di-da. This is the Morse code, a method of transferring telegraphic information with the use of specific elements denoting letters, numerals and punctuation marks. The Morse code, according to international standards consists of five basic elements, these are:

• Medium gap between words – seven units long.
• Intra-character gap i.e. between dots and dashes within a character itself – one unit long.
• Short gap between letters – three units long.
• Longer mark, dash or dah – three units long.
• Short mark, dot or dit – one unit long.

Over time the transmission of the Morse code has evolved. Initially the Morse code used electrical pulses on a telegraph wire, along with audio and radio signal, devices used were the heliograph or Aldis lamps. The digital code forms its base from Morse code which simple used to forms, on and off. Though most people are unaware of the Morse code and what it is for, there is a section of people who probably use it all the time. These are the Ham operators or Amateur radio operators.

History of Morse code
Named after its creator, Samuel F. B. Morse, the Morse code has been in use since the 1840s. The popularity of the Morse code started picking up in 1890s during which time it was used to basic radio communication. The beginning of the twentieth century saw the Morse code being used in high-speed international communication such as undersea cables and radio circuits. Like mentioned earlier, use of the Morse code has more or else been restricted to Amateur radio operators and those used by the military and naval services.

The Morse code device most popularly used is the straight key device, which was a US based model called the J-38, popularized during World War II. While using the straight key, when the knob was pressed the device would be on and when it was released the device would be off. The operator using this J-38 was in control of the length and time of the dit and dah being transmitted.

Guide to using the Morse code

Alphabets according to the Morse code

• A – di-dah.
• B – Dah-di-di-dit.
• C – dah-di-dah-dit.
• D – dah-di-dit.
• E – dit.
• F – di-di-dah-dit.
• G – dah-dah-dit.
• H – di-di-di-dit.
• I – di-dit.
• J – di-dah-dah-dah.
• K – dah-di-dah.
• L – di-dah-di-dit.
• M – dah-dah.
• N – dah-dit.
• O – dah-dah-dah.
• P – di-dah-dah-dit.
• Q – dah-dah-di-dah.
• R – di-dah-dit.
• S – di-di-dit.
• T – dah.
• U – di-di-dah.
• V – di-di-di-dah.
• W – di-dah-dah.
• X – dah-di-di-dah.
• Y – dah-di-dah-dah.
• Z – dah-dah-di-dit.

Numbers according to Morse code

• 0 – dah-dah-dah-dah-dah.
• 1 – di-dah-dah-dah-dah.
• 2 – di-di-dah-dah-dah.
• 3 – di-di-di-dah-dah.
• 4 – di-di-di-di-dah.
• 5 – di-di-di-di-dit.
• 6 – dah-di-di-di-dit.
• 7 – dah-dah-di-di-dit.
• 8 – dah-dah-dah-di-dit.
• 9 – dah-dah-dah-dit.

Punctuation marks using Morse code

• Full stop – di-dah-di-dah-di-dah.
• Comma – dah-dah-di-di-di-dah-dah.
• Semi colon – dah-di-dah-di-dah-dit.
• Hyphen – dah-di-di-di-di-dah.
• Question mark - di-di-dah-dah-di-dit
• Invitation to transmit - dah-di-dah.
• Wait - di-dah-di-di-dit.
• End of Message - dah-di-dah-di-dah-dit.
• End of Work - di-di-di-dah-di-dah.
• Error - di-di-di-di-di-di-di-dit.
• Received message - di-dah-dit.
• Separation - dah-di-di-di-dah.

The popularity of the Morse code is well known, it has been in use for more than 150 words, it is older than any form of electronic encoding system. Though it started out differently and has under gone changes, the Morse code remains as immortal as its creator, Samuel Morse.