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The Internet Technology

Morse Code Migrating To The Net 361

Posted by timothy from the greedy-meme dept.
Rosco P. Coltrane writes "With Morse code slowly disappearing off the air, there seems to be a growing number of people who carry out conversations in Morse over the internet. Several Windows and Linux clients using VoIP or special protocols, such as EchoLink, EchoLinux, MorseMail, CW Communicator or CWirc exist for Morse lovers worldwide to pound brass and make contact with one another. Could the next must-have computer input device be a morse key ?"
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Morse Code Migrating To The Net More

Morse Code Migrating To The Net

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  • Morseall (Score:5, Interesting)

    by bradams ( 241228 ) * <slashdot1@m[ ]tpad.com ['yne' in gap]> on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @06:37PM (#6565769) Homepage
    Morseall [morseall.org] is a morse code input server for Linux using the mouse buttons. Morse is being used to help the disabled use computers . A great way to learn morse code is to work on the computer using morse code instead of the keyboard for a few hours.

  • morse code encapsulate (Score:3, Funny)

    by Lawrence_Bird ( 67278 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @06:38PM (#6565779) Homepage
    crypto! now that will throw them for a loop!

  • I can see it now (Score:5, Funny)

    by Sad Loser ( 625938 ) * on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @06:38PM (#6565780)

    Dear Mr Morse
    Unfortunately your patent application for a serial binary code device (RFC 1) has not been accepted, as a company called SCO claim prior art.

  • What's the point? (Score:2, Insightful)

    by Sir Haxalot ( 693401 )
    Well... I can see it's uses for shortening messeges *sort of*, but what else? It's not any use as encryption obviously, I guess just nostalgia?

    • Re:What's the point? (Score:5, Insightful)

      by ONOIML8 ( 23262 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @07:51PM (#6566429) Homepage
      I think you guess right, at least for some. Morse code is one of those things that you kind of have to do to understand. If you haven't held a QSO (conversation) in morse and developed the skills then there is no way to fully appreciate the art.

      You are correct that it doesn't have any practical use, especially on the net. Then again there isn't any real use for the Mona Lisa, Dixie Chicks CD's, or internet pr0n. There doesn't have to be a use for something to be done, used, enjoyed, whatever.

      • Re:What's the point? (Score:3, Informative)

        by batemanm ( 534197 )
        Then again there isn't any real use for ... internet pr0n.

        This article [bbc.co.uk] would suggest otherwise, it's about how masterbation could cut the risk of cancer in men.

      • I see little value in Morse on the net, but it is incredible for getting a weak RF signal through noise. On 2.4 GHz (the Wi-Fi band!) I can carry on a conversation with 100mW over 100 miles, no problem.

        In the future, when the RF spectrum is even nastier than it is today, I suspect CW or some variant like JT44 will be the best way to have a reliable link, even between machines.

        73 de KC2HIZ FN32at

  • Genious! (Score:3, Funny)

    by aerojad ( 594561 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @06:39PM (#6565796) Homepage Journal
    So computer geeks have finally found a way to make the internet appeal to the older generations!

  • Pound brass? (Score:5, Funny)

    by ryants ( 310088 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @06:39PM (#6565797)
    ... lovers worldwide to pound brass...
    Can't wait until my wife comes home.

  • That is just plain silly (Score:3, Funny)

    by nickgrieve ( 87668 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @06:40PM (#6565815) Journal
    I am at a loss for words. Why? Sure, I can see the "fun" in it. But, its like towing your car with a horse.

    Just f'n IM the dude man.

    • Re:That is just plain silly (Score:5, Funny)

      by ProfessionalCookie ( 673314 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @06:52PM (#6565933) Journal
      But, its like towing your car with a horse.

      Not really-
      With todays advanced micro electronics it's possible to create a matrix of keys each one programmed to output the morse equivalent of an alpha-numeric character. This way the sender only has to press one key one time to send a character... In fact the system could be set up so that the receiving computer automatically decodes the morse and displays it on the screen as plain text.

      See, morse is for Everybody! [homestarrunner.com]

      PS I wouldn't bother patenting that though.

  • As a diehard fan... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Kinetix303 ( 471831 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @06:41PM (#6565819) Homepage
    As a diehard fan, it's always made a lot more sense to just plug in the radio if I'm going to do comms in morse. It's a lot more gratifying, and believe it or not, a lot more entertaining than over the net. With a radio, you don't have to pay for air time, nor do you have to set up complicated clients.

    Many a night has been spent in front of a glowing dim console, applying a feather touch to an old worn dial to a hear a faint signal, a single voice coming from a hemisphere away. Sure, the internet is a guaranteed easy, clean connection. That's a given.... but it's just not the same.

    *sigh*

    73, VA3CSG

    • As another diehard fan... (Score:5, Interesting)

      by freeio ( 527954 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @06:56PM (#6565973) Homepage
      Quite so. As an old guy, I learned Morse long ago, and use it to this day, but only on the radio. It is fun to be able to send and receive it (in my head - I do not bother writing it down) as fast as I can type, or even faster. I can listen in and follow along with the conversation, without having to take my eyes off of my work.

      On the other hand, the most efficient communication I have ever been involved in involved using a sound board on my PC, hooking it up to the audio in/out of the radio transceiver, and using the computer to generate PSK31 encoded signals.

      Hansi Reiser has written linux software for doing this: http://www.qsl.net/dl9rdz/#psk

      73,

      W4TI
    • I would never knock a fan. I learned morse when I was 8, my grandfather used to sell LPs that taught morse code. I was around Ham most my child life, and built my first radio when I was 10.
      It's not my thing now, but I wanted to give you a little personal history before I made my point.

      " With a radio, you don't have to pay for air time, nor do you have to set up complicated clients."

      Do NOT act as if its easier to use the radio then the internet. I don't ne a 21 foot atenna to use the internet, or special l
    • "With a radio, you don't have to pay for air time,"

      Keep your voice down! ClearChannel might hear you...

    • Re:As a diehard fan... (Score:4, Insightful)

      by ebh ( 116526 ) * <ed&horch,org> on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @11:45PM (#6567899) Journal
      nor do you have to set up complicated clients

      You're saying that "./configure; make" is more complicated than building a 100' tower with a tribander on top? :)

      Back in the day, it took me a couple months of evenings and weekends to set up my "client", a Heathkit HW-101. And you're right, for as much fun as the Internet is, it's somehow missing something that those faint late-night bleeps had, coming through the original "ether" net.

    • Re:As a diehard fan... (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Kinetix303 ( 471831 ) on Wednesday July 30, 2003 @01:22AM (#6568432) Homepage
      Well, I might as well use this opportunity while my comment is rated +5.

      This forum is generating a substantial amount of commentary. If anyone in this forum has a son or daughter, niece or nephew who might be interested in ham radio, I have a built 20-metre CW transmitter kit that was sent to me several years ago by the test lab operator for the ARRL's periodical.

      Several years ago, this gesture inspired me. The generosity of this man opened up a world of opportunity for me in communications. He opened my eyes to the entire world. He helped get me where I am today. Little does he know what course he'd set for me when I was in my early teens. I lost track of him; I can't even remember his name. If he's still alive, he has all of my blessings and thanks.

      I want someone else to have the same opportunity that I did. If you know of a youth in your community that's passed their licensing test but can't afford their first rig, please, send me a message.

      I want to make sure they get a good start.

      73, VA3CSG

      • Re:As a diehard fan... (Score:3, Insightful)

        by fyonn ( 115426 )
        I don't know someone who could use that rig but your act of generosity brought a smile to my face, if someone takes you up on this offer, please tell us.

        I've always thought that if an item is given to me, then when I'm done with it, it seems appropriate to give it to someone else and it's good to see someone else who thinks the same way. I hope someone does accept your offer and some young lad or girl gets into a whole new world they only barely knew existed.

        dave

  • Sure! (Score:5, Funny)

    by El ( 94934 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @06:41PM (#6565828)
    The next big thing: horse hitch accessories on the front of cars!

  • Effect of Morse chat on today's youth? (Score:5, Funny)

    by Corporate Drone ( 316880 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @06:42PM (#6565831)
    and if you thought that on-line chatting was going to adversely effect the vocabulary, spelling, and grammar of today's youth, just wait and see what typing in Morse will do to them!

  • Morse over IP... (Score:3, Funny)

    by crass751 ( 682736 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @06:42PM (#6565840) Homepage
    .. MoIP?

    Has a ring to it.

  • Not if you have half a clue (Score:5, Funny)

    by Angst Badger ( 8636 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @06:44PM (#6565855)
    Could the next must-have computer input device be a morse key?

    Something wrong with any randomly selected key on the keyboard?

    Of course, the real danger is that net.poseurs will use ASCII-to-Morse translators with programmable semi-random delays to simulate mad Morse skillz.

    Hey, I hear cuneiform is dying out. Will the next must-have computer input device be a slab of wet mud?

  • Apple's Mouse (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @06:44PM (#6565859)
    Wouldn't a morse key describe the Apple's mouse?

  • Morse Code (Score:2, Interesting)

    by mharris007 ( 142886 )
    I can't really see this as the next wave in computer usage. Being a HAM (unskilled at morse as it be), I like to see people still using Morse code to communicate, however, I really don't see this as being a huge wave. Although, who knows? Maybe it will teach more and more people (hopefully the younger generation) an appreciation for morse, and might get more people as licensed HAMs.

  • Great use for morse code (Score:5, Interesting)

    by pesc ( 147035 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @06:45PM (#6565875)
    I happen to know morse code but I rarely find a use for it anymore.

    What I would really like to have is an option to my mobile phone that converts incoming SMS messages to morse code, beeping them out! With that feature I would not have to actually pick up the phone to read my SMS messages. Maybe this would be possible to program on the newer Java-enabled phones?

    (The standard "ring tone" on my Nokia for a SMS message is ... -- ... (SMS in morse). My feature is just one step beyond what the Nokia handset already provides! ;-) )
    • The standard "ring tone" on my Nokia for a SMS message is ... -- ... (SMS in morse).

      On some Nokia handset models there is a longer, rather irregular SMS ringtone that also is in Morse code. AFAIK (I don't know Morse code), it spells out "CONNECTING PEOPLE".

    • yes, then we all KILL YOU for your annoying beeping phone! :-P
    • One other use, which I have been investigating as a personal project, is using the vibrating phone feature so you can get message without anyone else knowing. I did not look at morse code initially as a solution as it too slow, but if you can get phone to vibrate in way in which you can work out the message, you could receive message in secret..

    • Re:Great use for morse code (Score:5, Insightful)

      by PapaZit ( 33585 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @08:05PM (#6566540)
      I want this feature, but I want it to vibrate, not beep. Then I can get my SMS messages in meetings, in the theater, etc. Add in a morse response button, and I could respond w/o pulling out the phone, too.

      'course, all that fiddling in my pocket might look bad...
      • Or feel really good... quick text me war and peace
      • I want this feature, but I want it to vibrate, not beep. Then I can get my SMS messages in meetings, in the theater, etc. Add in a morse response button, and I could respond w/o pulling out the phone, too.

        'course, all that fiddling in my pocket might look bad...

        Depends what kind of theater you're in, doesn't it?

  • The Next Big Thing (Score:5, Funny)

    by volpe ( 58112 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @06:46PM (#6565886)
    VRML smoke signals
  • dididit dah dididah didadadit didit dahdidit (space) didit dahdidit dit didah didididit

  • _ _ _ . . . _ _ _

    Save our souls from these sorry stories...

    sounds like MSN "10 things you MUST have"..

    "Could the next must-have computer input device be a morse key ?"

  • IP over Morse (Score:4, Funny)

    by mph ( 7675 ) <mph@freebsd.org> on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @06:49PM (#6565912)
    Now somebody just has to implement IP over Morse, and we come full circle. I expect the RFC to come out sometime in April.

  • dash dot dash dash dot dot dash (Score:5, Funny)

    by jeffkjo1 ( 663413 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @06:52PM (#6565929) Homepage
    Did anyone know that slashdot has a filter to prevent me from posting in morse code??!?! The irony is striking.
    • Yeah, that pissed me right off. When I had ... - ..- ..-. ..-. in the Subject it told me it looked too much like ASCII art.....feh

      I also could not say things like:
      UR 599 OM, RIG HERE IS AMD, QSL?

      without it bitching about yelling....
  • To paraphrase: There are 10 types of people in this world. Those that know that Morse Code is obsolete, and those that don't." :)

    Still, it sure does come in handy in the movies...I don't know how many times I've seen the world saved because two people remembered Morse Code. "I _could_ be sending him the dimensions of this month's Playmate..."

  • Emerging Technologies: Wireless (Score:4, Funny)

    by krystal_blade ( 188089 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @06:53PM (#6565946)
    Praise be to our "step backwards" regime, for today, in 2008, a brand new technology has been revealed to us, the people of the world.

    It has been discovered that by using a sheet, or other covering, disruptions can be made in the smoke that comes from burning uncured/wet materials. These distruptions, when agreed upon in a certain format, can be used to communicate messages great distances.

    The Berkely campus was set ablaze today by techno geeks attempting to create the first "smokey net". MIT students held a joyful party claiming "It's the first method created that you HAVE to let the smoke out to use!"

    Of course, being an emerging retro technologie, it is not without it's limitations. Currently there is no capability for P2P or Secure networks, shy of committing genocide on a grand scale.

    SCO International Dominion Corporation, in response to this announcement, stated "That's actually OUR wireless communications system, and we want royalties. As our evidence will certainly show, we introduced the genetic make up of trees, and it was US, not prometheus, who gave fire to the masses. Of course, we will not disclose this evidence at the time. But it's mine... gimme!

    krystal_blade
  • Ahhh, morse. The way to deal with a single key keyboard. All this just to save on desk space. Where will it end?

  • If Morse-code became popular online (Score:5, Funny)

    by phorm ( 591458 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @07:04PM (#6566049) Journal
    Dotdadotdotdot...etcetc

    E-N-L-A-R-G-E
    Y-O-U-R
    P-E-hey!!!

    You know somebody's gonna try it...
  • java morse code translator [soton.ac.uk]

    follow the link if you are java-in-your-browser-hater anyways, because there is a cgi morse code translator there too (includes audio! ;-)

    soon to be slashdotted into oblivion

    wait...

    slashdot you suck!

    i tried to post some cryptic output for the uber-morse geeks to read and i got this:

    "Lameness filter encountered. Post aborted!
    Reason: Please use fewer 'junk' characters."

    oh well, i'm stuck with this titanic message then: ... --- ...

    poo ;-(

  • Good work Taco! (Score:2, Informative)

    by egg troll ( 515396 )
    I was going to reply to this in Morse code. Unfortunately Taco's lameness filter vetoed it. Not to troll or anything, but it seems that filter causes more problems than it solves. The trolls just work around it, while real posts get punished. Sigh....
    • Bsd must be dead. Morse code is dead do you hear me ...---... or if you really try -.-. --.- is pretty lame too? see if it works. It works, morse is just lonely and pining the fjords, its not dead.

      On a serious note if morse could be encoded and decoded by an interface like teXt or saved as a file format, the possibilities are interesting.
      If a new seperator character could be used for a space then text only message file sizes would be very tiny indeed. .=1 -=0 plus a separator could be the basis of very

  • -. (N) --- (O) (Score:3, Funny)

    by giminy ( 94188 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @07:11PM (#6566102) Homepage Journal
    I would have written a big long reply in morse code, but slashdot's lameness filter prevents morse code replies. So it should be obvious that morse code on the web will never take off.

  • Sigh... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by niko9 ( 315647 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @07:11PM (#6566106)
    I was suprised at all the negative comments this story has received. I guess it's easy for most people to forget where they come from.

    Morse code, in my opinion, is an invaluable tool in opening the doors to the young in such fileds as electrical engineering, physics, computers and radio communications.

    There is no way most parents could/would shell out 500 dollars and upwards for even a used HF rig for their kid to get started in their "hobby".

    But I bet you that same kid would never foget his first QSO with his home built, 200mw, 9 volt battery operated rig and a wire antenna. Especially if he's chatting it up with another ham 2 states away. These kist are available for as little as 20 bucks online, minus the cost of the soldering iron.

    As for the art of morse code "dying", the poster has no idea that there are hundreds of contests that take place yearly on a international level.

    I guess it's easier for parents to sit their kids in front of a tv/interet enabled computer than to sit with them and help them learn their first morse charachters.

    • Re:Sigh... (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Rosco P. Coltrane ( 209368 )
      As for the art of morse code "dying", the poster has no idea that there are hundreds of contests that take place yearly on a international level.

      It is not dead yet, but it is dying. WRC'03 made it quite clear. When morse requirements are completely taken off licenses, nobody will learn it anymore.

      I personally had to learn CW because I wanted to go on 10m. I hated it when I learned it, then I slowly changed my mind and now I don't do anything else on the air. Do you really think enough people will spontan
    • I don't know. I never learned Morse code when I was a kid, yet here I am about to get my computer science degree. I think something the is a little more easy to use and tangible will get kids interested in technology (and yes, I am a command line Linux user, so don't take that easy to use comment the wrong way).

      Don't get me wrong, Morse code is a good hobby if that's what you like. Hey, some people collect stamps. But I do not think that getting involve with Morse code is a good gateway to getting involve

    • Re:Sigh... (Score:3, Interesting)

      by nanojath ( 265940 )
      I think you make some interesting points. We are very much a "plug and play" culture and we forget that while this makes many things more accessible, it also means you lose both a lot of "hands on" experience and a lot of choices. Although I don't have much of a personal desire to learn Morse, I think the principle extends to many things.

      I'm far from old, but still probably a bit dated by the fact that I was among the first trig and calc high school students who had access to an affordable (less than $5

  • ooh! someone could hack a griffin powermate [griffintechnology.com] to be the world's slickest morse tapper!

    /me waits patiently

    Triv

  • The neat thing about morse ham radio is that you can make it out over long distances where you're receiving the signal that the other end is transmitting directly, without any protocol in between aside from what you do yourself and electromagnetism.

    In order to do something similar online, the right solution is to use one and two byte ping packets.
  • I really don't think CW will ever leave the air. There is something amazing and compelling about two people thousands of miles away communicating at a fairly decent speed using only simple switches and a very small amount of power.

    I only wish my Morse skills were better, but I'm working on it.

    -John
  • I already have a morse key. It's called a Windows key/Start key. What else is it good for?
  • In an era of ADSL, I have just one question about Morse on PCs:
    .-- .... -.-- ..--..

  • A Response: (Score:5, Funny)

    by cygnus ( 17101 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @08:02PM (#6566515) Homepage
    Could the next must-have computer input device be a morse key ?

    dash dot
    dash dash dash.

  • Danger Hiptop SMS (Score:4, Interesting)

    by leighklotz ( 192300 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @08:12PM (#6566601) Homepage
    I've been working on an app for my Danger [danger.com] hiptop to play incoming SMS and email subjects/senders in code...

  • . . .be called DashDot? Rimshot!

  • Could the next must-have computer input device be a morse key?

    [Manic Laughter]

    Next week, we'll discuss the trend towards rotary keyboards.
  • I can understand the interest in old things. I think it would be very interesting to learn some old obscure language and then seek out others to talk to. But morse code? It seems like it's far too simple and inefficient (each letter takes several clicks) to be interesting to very many people. Maybe it's because I'm a computer nerd and serial encoding is like second nature to me? It just sounds really boring.

  • Open Source Morse Code Beeper for Windows (Score:3, Interesting)

    by haroldhunt ( 199966 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @08:38PM (#6566770) Homepage
    A friend of mine had an idea to write a program that beeps in morse code while you type in Windows applications. I was so intrigued with the idea that I had to try it, and wound up finishing it :)

    Morse Code Beeper [msu.edu]

    Both the source code and compiled binaries can be downloaded from the above site. Enjoy.

    Harold

  • Morse over IP over PPP over Tin-can (Score:3, Insightful)

    by A Commentor ( 459578 ) on Tuesday July 29, 2003 @08:48PM (#6566826) Homepage
    Now we just need to string a tin can to the neighbor's house and use it for a data connection.

    Pratical value -> Near Zero

    Sentimental value -> high.

  • Disappearing off the air? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Oloryn ( 3236 ) on Wednesday July 30, 2003 @06:48AM (#6569430)

    While the Morse code requirement for getting a ham license is going to be going away, I'm not so sure that the code will be 'disappearing off the air', at least as far as the ham bands are concerned. I'm certainly not stopping using Morse just because it's no longer a license requirement, and the same is true for a lot of other hams. The use of Morse isn't being banned, it's just no longer a license requirement. And in some segments of the hobby, morse is still a preferred mode (it's not unusual to see comments from contesters about having to hunt up the microphone when they occasionally operate a phone contest, simply because they primarily operate CW contests).

    • As long as there are segments of the ham bands where morse code (actually the International Radio Telegraph Code, Morse refers to the older 'land line' telegraph code and is NOT the same) or CW is the only permitted modulation allowed (IE: no phone) cw is STILL a requirement! The lower portions of the 80, 40 , 20, 15 and 10 meter bands are still CW only and this isn't likely to change anytime soon. In addition sub-segments of the 80,20,15 and 10 meter CW bands are reserved for Extra Class licenses (in the

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