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Morse Code on Cell Phones?
An anonymous reader writes "In a recent showdown, veteran Morse coders were able to send SMS messages faster via Morse than the fastest thumb-typists. What about embedding support for Morse code directly into handsets? This article on O'Reilly Network floats the idea of using Morse code to compose text messages, as well as tapping commands (i.e. answer call, forward to voice mail, etc) in hands-free mode by tapping on the handset case."
Having already posted one dupe today, timothy pulls off the amazing feat of posting a dupe of a dupe!
It's a dupe followed by a dupe-dupe!
What do you call that?
While I can follow your reasoning, it is also not completely fair:
- transmitting morse code is done using the equipment the guy used, transmitting text messages is done using the equipment the boy used. What you are saying is "cars would be not faster than bicycles, if it weren't for the combustion engines".
- it is only your assumption that the morse guy wouldn't have won using the keypad. Maybe yes, maybe no. Not very scientific either.
- No-one is saying this was a scientific endeavour. Was Leno nominated for the Nobel prize or so?
The two hams who won are certainly not the fastest morse operators. They were sending at less than 40 WpM / 200 LpM, whereas most good operators can send around 50 to 60 WpM. Probably they kept it so slow because the audience wouldn't have believed it was morse code if they went to their full speed.
As an example, this is a sample of 60 WpM: click.
Furthermore good morse equipment doesn't have to be expensive; I am using this homebrew sensor keyer for the last 7 years now and I am able to send over 50 WpM with it. Estimated cost less than $20...
After watching the Jay Leno episode I was about to start writing a program to do that on my 6600, luckily I did some research before starting and found this with the source included!
You write the sms in morse and it converts and sends it as a regular sms.
You can use the joystick on the phone (left for dot and right for dash) so you have your finger on one button all the time!
Also I found this page for learning morse code ...
Nice analysis, however morse code is in fact faster since it is very easy to provide a -natural- way for inputing morse code on the phone almost as fast as the morse equipment!
t exter.html
...
In fact you provide a way in your own comment!
> the reason morse is as fast as it is is because you hardly have to move your finger at all.
That's why typing SMS using this program for morse code IS ACTUALLY FASTER.
http://laivakoira.typepad.com/blog/2005/05/morse_
You use the keypad on the phone to type the dit and dah (left, right) and click to seperate letters/words. Try it if you have access to a symbian phone!
Even if you don't know morse code by heart.
Write a message to send by sms, look up the morse equivalent and write it down too.
Try to input the words as sms, now try the dots and dashes (follow what you have on the paper without thinking, left for dot, right for dash, click to separate letters, another click to separate words)
So if you know morse code it is actually faster than sms! Now learning it is a whole other issue http://www.learnmorsecode.com/.
Huh?
"worlds fastest morse coder"? nope. Not hardly. Just an experienced operator sending at less than 30 words a minute. Fast for morse code is 60 WPM.
"very expensive morse equipment"? uhhh, no. Not really. They used a cheap "Bencher" paddle, $100, not any "$200 morsing bug"...
Morse is the first and oldest digital transmission mode that I am aware of. The cell phone text message is also ultimately a digital transmission mode.
Personally, I hate text messaging because of the clunky input method. The idea that perhaps there is a better way to enter text into a phone is intrigueing. Also the idea that the phone could output the text message as morse code is interesting.
How many people are aware that when their Nokia sends "dah dah dah dit dit dah dah dah" it is in fact sending "SMS" in morse to indicate Short Message System? I hear it all the time, and nobody knows why it beeps like that!
there are 3 kinds of people:
* those who can count
* those who can't
The operators have already stated elsewhere (I don't have a link handy, sorry) that they were limited in speed because the reciever couldn't use a typewriter to write down the code he was recieving...which would be much quicker. So they were actually hampered by is writing with a pencil speed.
The morse operators were also tapping out the entire message, while the text-messenger guys were using abbreviations. Anyone that has sat in on a CW QSO would know that operators use a TON of abbreviations to keep the code quick.
And it's true, CW equipment doesn't have to be expensive at all. In fact, to get on the HF bands it's probably one of the cheapest part of the hobby, especially if you're looking to do QRP which is running at 5w or less.
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