I send to you my S.O.S: what is Morse Code?
Kayla Strange, Staff Writer
From different languages to braille, there are many ways of communicating. Morse Code happens to be another form of communication. It was used for receiving information across the United States and across the world. Also, it was used for sending information.
According to Britannica.com, “The term Morse Code refers to either of two systems for representing letters of the alphabet, numerals, and punctuation marks by an arrangement of dots, dashes, and spaces.” Each of the dots and dashes are carefully assigned to each letter, number or punctuation mark. There is no pattern to these dots and dashes, they’re assigned randomly. For example, the letter “E” is one dot, while the period mark is “.-.-.-“.
There are different ways to communicate in morse code. “The codes are transmitted as electrical pulses of varied lengths or analogous mechanical or visual signals, such as flashing lights,” according to Britannica.com.
Before morse code had a meaning, in the earliest forms of communication ancient civilizations would use either fires or smoke signals for communication. According to History.com, “ancient civilizations such as those in China, Egypt and Greece used drumbeats, signal fires or smoke signals to exchange information between far-flung points.”
These civilizations would signal long distances, which happened to be the beginning of the idea of morse code. Eventually morse was used with the telegraph. Telegraphs were developed around the 1830s by Samuel Morse and worked by sending out electrical signals over specific stations.
Since the telegraphs were developed to communicate over long distances, they were used during the World War eras. It was an easier way of communication between allies rather than letters and was a much faster mode of communication.
According to Casouls.com, “During WWII, Morse Code was utilized between warships and naval bases, because radio frequency was limited and also easily identifiable by military enemies.” Since morse code had been so reliable in the past, the United States military continues using the morse code system. Although only if other communication fail. The military trains recruits if there are situations in which they need to use morse code, making this form of communication alive.
