- Morse code is a method of sending text messages by keying in a series of electronic pulses, usually represented as a short pulse(called a "dot") and a long pulse(a "dash").
- The code was devised by Samuel F.B.Morse in the 1840 s to work with his invention of the telegraph, the first invention to effectively exploit electromagnetism for long distance communication.
- The early telegrapher, often one who was at a railroad station interconnected with others along miles of telegraph pole lines, would tap a key up and down to send a succession of characters that the receiving telegrapher could read from tape(later operations learned to read the transmissions simply by listening).
- In the original version, the key down separated by a pause(key up) from the next letter was a dot and the key down quickly twice in succession was a dash(a "dah" or "dit-dit").
- Each text character was represented by a dot,dash, or some combination.
- Morse code offers a slow but reliable means of transmitting and receiving wireless text messages through conditions involving noise, fading or interference. This is primarily because its simple binary code(key down or key up) allows for an extremely narrow bandwidth. In addition, the human ear and brain make a remarkably good digital receiving device.
- Now a days, Morse code is used to a limited extent by amateur radio operators, landline telegraphers, and military radio operations.
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