Passage IV

Morse Code in the Modern Age

[1]

Before texting, e-mail, and even the telephone call, there was Morse code. Transmitted over telegraph wire or radio waves via pulses of electric current, Morse code, which was used for over a century, the standard for rapid long-distance communication, especially for those at sea. [A] In 1995, however, the US Coast Guard suspended it's usage of Morse code, including the international distress signal SOS. Despite the speed and precision of technologies such as global positioning satellites, decoding signals in Morse code had become inefficient.

[2]

To some, the decision signaled the end of Morse code. (50) Morse code's enduring utility, they argue, lays in the fact that it functions less like a technology then a language-one that can reliably transmit a message under almost any conditions. [B]

[3]

In Morse code, each letter of the unique Roman alphabet consists of a pattern of short and long signals called dots and dashes. [C] Though Morse code was used longer than any electrical coding system, spelling out and translating messages in Morse code does not require specialized machines. Messages can be transmitted by clicking a flashlight on and off, by flashing a mirror in the sun, or simply blinking. [D] The code can also be spoken aloud, with the words dit and dah substituted for dots and dashes, or rendered rhythmically, allowing people to communicate via handheld buzzers.

[4]

Because of its versatility, Morse code can prove valuable in ensuring public safety when more sophisticated equipment fails. Air traffic controllers can revert to Morse code if radar or satellite signals are interrupted. Similarly, amateur radio operators can use the code during weather emergencies to solicit information from outside the affected area. The news is relayed by them, by which they can keep people safe and informed. (57) New communication technologies will continue to emerge, meanwhile Morse code, with its lack of sophistication, could remain just as effective an asset.