Translation: Morse code fans sending out an SOS

[Spinner]

Thought this might be of interest to all the SIGINT folks. The article mainly centers around a proposal to drop the Morse Code requirement for a Ham Radio license in the US, with a few comments from a Navy representative about its current state in the military.

I haven't gotten a Ham radio license (yet), but I do know that electronic communication got its start from Samuel Morse. In a pinch, even if voice commo was garbled, you would still be able to communicate using the original code devised by Morse.

I'd learn it even if it wasn't required to get the license. Anybody with experience in the field have an opinion as to whether learning Morse Code is still a worthwhile endeavor in this day and age?

[CV]

Unfortunately, Morse Code has been fading for awhile now in HAM radio. Its a shame, I am sure it has its place but Technology is getting more and more complex and reliable. Morse Code won't help if there is no one who understands it on the other end. =/

[Doogie320]

The majority of mil commo, for better or for worse, is SATCOM now. A few platforms still use HF voice and I'm sure HF data is used, but not Morse.

The 18E's can help me out here but I think the BTB format was dropped in the mid-90's. It was still being taught in 98, but not used. SF Support guys were no longer eligible for Morse training by 94/ 95 or so, Guard or Active. I think they even took away the ASI for it.

The one argument for keeping Morse is that when all else fails, even on a bad HF freq. or one that wasn't propped properly, "dit-dah" still gets through the static and hissing. When commo went south, including SATCOM, HF Morse came through.

There are a lot of Mil commo guys that can't do HF anymore, so I'm not surprised when a very perishable skill like IMC isn't considered "relevant" in this day and age. Reality is that Morse is rarely used anymore, but I've often thought it to be a skillset worth having. I've heard rumors that it isn't a part of the 18E pipeline anymore, which makes sense. Qualified soldiers to send/ receive Morse didn't exist in the Base Stations anyway so the poor 18E could tap away and the SIGDET would have to run and find another 18E to even begin to communicate.

I'd like to see it remain a HAM radio requirement though.

[B 2/75]

I've got an old manual typewriter that works when there's no power.

A fistful of colored grease pencils go with me on deployment for when powerpoint fails.

An Irridium phone was packed along, for when normal coms failed.

I'm no commo guy, but when things fail (they always do) seems to me that you need a backup. Should an EMP burst or a big solar flare fry the comsats, Morse still cuts through the fog, right?

I do remember seeing Ranger Haberman talking to someone at Benning from Lewis on a PRC 74, with a simple long line antenna. His coding wasn't the best, or fastest, but he passed info back and forth, and that's the object of the exercise, after all.

Dropping the requirment for Morse from the Ham licensing procedure is just yet another incremental failure in our system to maintain standards.

LOL... kinda like failing to teach my kids how to tie their shoes, because they all have velcro strap shoes instead. How deep can we put our collective head into the sand.

[Taser]

The Army took my Morse Code ASI from me several years ago. I guess they decided I wouldn't use it anymore. Its a shame, it would get through when nothing else would. But Chaotic Virtuoso is right, it only works if both ends understand. Also, Doogie had a few Code guys working for him in the past that weren't E's.

[Doogie320]

Also, Doogie had a few Code guys working for him in the past that weren't E's.

Sure did, one picked up his ASI in...88 or 89 (maybe slightly before when he was with a LRSU and 31C's were still on the MTOE) and you got yours in 91 or so, right? It was from the Guard-taught course in UT?

[CV]

Yeah it was bad enough when they dropped it to 5 WPM. But it will die out...

[Tom Deam]

A combination of; No Code Tech license and changing Code requirements has lessened interest. Since there is no need to learn code to communicate now it won't be pursued by those who are happy with voice and other digital modes. CW will stay around but not heard much.
What's an Irridium Phone?

[Doogie320]

What's an Irridium Phone?

A commercial sat phone. Similar products include Thuraya and INMARSAT.

[Tom Deam]

Thanks!

[Spinner]

Good insights all around. Even if the Morse requirement is dropped, I would learn it anyway. Even though, like CV stated, it takes somebody on the other end to make it useful, I think I would want to have a working knowledge just in case somebody did start transmitting the code.

[CV]

I think I would want to have a working knowledge just in case somebody did start transmitting the code.

Well, I'd understand. Just don't go too fast!

[CTA]

It would be nice to have individuals with that particular skill set in their bag of tools, but I'm old school so what do I know....

[RsovRanger]

I cheat if I am doing any web morse listening, there's a program that uses the microphone and will translate for you at any rate that you can reliably transmit at.

[Amarillo]

It would be nice to have individuals with that particular skill set in their bag of tools, but I'm old school so what do I know....
Morse code did serve our POWs well in North Viet Nam. Likewise submariners and those who work underground may come to rely on it in a pinch. When EMF and copper wires are lacking, water and earth can still carry a signal.
(I wonder if our froggy brethren will weigh in on this topic.)

[rwt_bkk]

well like a lot of things - it may not be a "requirement" but it might save your ass!

One of the thing that has happened since Ham Radio dropped the morse requirements for most nations on earth has been an increase in morse activity... kind of the opposite of what you would expect.

I agree that with all the sexy radios around morse should be just not needed. HOWEVER in real life all that shit has a way of not working. At least with two bare wires you can send morse out of most machines.

[BMT]

Can't you see the news when this happens?? Joe Wanker an ole Ham in Podunk,NC makes contact with a unit in A'stan CW. Joe will you call Ft Bragg and have them come up on HF xx.xxx. :D

BMT