Morse code is the only digital modulation mode designed to be easily read by humans without a computer, making it appropriate for sending automated digital data in voice channels, as well as making it ideal for emergency signalling, such as by way of improvised energy sources that can be easily 'keyed', for example by supplying and removing electric power (e.g.

Although no longer a requirement for Amateur licensing in most countries, it also continues to be used for specialized purposes, including identification of navigational radio beacon and land mobile transmitters, plus some military communication, including flashing-light semaphore communications between ships in some naval services. The most popular current use of Morse code is by amateur radio operators. However, the variable length of the Morse code characters made it hard to adapt to automated circuits, so for most electronic communication it has been replaced by more machinable formats, such as Baudot code and ASCII. Morse's electric telegraph in the early 1840s, Morse code was also extensively used for early radio communication, beginning in the 1890s.įor the first half of the twentieth century, the majority of high-speed international communication was conducted in Morse code, using telegraph lines, undersea cables, and radio circuits. If you need a list of the alphabet in Morse code please click on the image to the left. The short and long elements can be formed by sounds, marks or pulses, in on off-keying, and are commonly known as 'dots' and 'dashes' or 'dits' and 'dahs'. Morse code is a method of transmitting telegraphic information, using standardized sequences of short and long elements to represent the letters, numerals, punctuation and special characters of a message.

How to Read Morse Code: A Guide to Dashes & Dots That Make Up Morse Code

What does sos mean in morse code