Morse Code

You can transmit textual messages in emergency situations with Morse Code. Morse code can be understood via sound, sight, or even touch. Others who are familiar with this code (International and standardized since the early to mid-1800's. This code has been in mass use for going on to two hundred years.

Usually transmitted over long distances by electric telegraph equipment or radio methods, the code can also be useful in various situations:

By sight: using a flash light with a good battery to signal, also written as dashes and dots on paper to both send and receive (not every member of the general public knows this code, so you might be able to pass a secret message easily just by dashing - dotting on paper)
By sound: using a whistle or anything that makes noise over a long distance or rapping/knocking the code out on a pipe, wood, etc., so it can be heard ie: at a door, to another room in a building via pipes, etc.
By touch: rapping/knocking or POUNDING the code out to be felt along a pipe, train track, on a bridge - something that conducts well over a reasonable distance.

I'm not going to get into the history of this code 'cos this can easily and quickly be googled and looked up by anyone. I'll just explain, briefly, the representations of the code.

The code system uses dashes and dots only or short and long units only, then can be written down as the code is received, in pencil/writing marks of dashes and dots. The dashes and dots correspond to 26 letters of the English alphabet and the number series of 1 to 0 in a 10 number series, ei: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0.

Naturally, because this code needs transmitters to spell out words, it can be a time consuming process. It is advisable that if you're going to learn Morse, you PRACTICE it often until you can transmit (send the code/tap out the code) and receive (understand code messages, write them down) very quickly.

Morse code speed is a skill to be measured, honed and improved upon for anyone who is able to learn and practice using the code. The code is measured in WPM - Words Per Minute - just like typing is measured.  (lower in this post, I will provide some links for online sites set up for practicing Morse Code transmitting, receiving, understanding and using Morse Code with efficiency).

Length of time between dashes and dots is also IMPORTANT, so using this code really does take some practice for best results. There should be uniform spaces/pauses between transmitting a dot value or dash value.

Here's the code, taken from Wikipedia here.

I am just starting to practice this code, myself. It's one of the top things on my survivalist "To-do-before-the-SHTF" list. It's something that seems a little silly but that I know will come in handy very soon! Learning Morse Code is also something that doesn't take a lot of equipment to learn and it isn't going to cost me anything. I just need to arrange a time slot in my schedule dedicated for "morse code practice."

Here are some links to online Morse Code practice and info sites:

AA9PW .com - Morse Code

Learn CW Online (sign up free, learn, practice)

learn morse code .com

I signed up at the second website so that I will have my practices, wmp speed and everything recorded. I'll be able to visit the site for regular practice and be able to assess my progress with learning Morse Code.

Good luck with the code!

moi~