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Morse Code - Another 173 Years?

Posted
Stop the presses - we have arrived! On page 41 of the August issue of Wired magazine:
Wired: Morse code
Tired: texting
Expired: shorthand
(Thanks, Steve, KI0KY)

-- From the Contester's Rate Sheet (ARRL) of 10 August 2005, edited by Ward Silver N0AX.

A quick googling (wired morse code) took me to the premonitive wired/tired title from larry borsato. He's referencing a Times Online article telling of an Australian nonagenerian and his buddy using the code to whip some cell toting whippersnappers in a communications contest.

A similar competition was ably staged later on Leno.

The morse rally is building. Hurrah!

Hams speak an esoteric language, a mix of radio slang and callsigns, and they like to talk about the enduring virtues of Morse code

That's Mark Baard, 3 months before page 41 above, writing in Wired itself. The quote's actually from the second page.

Samuel F.B. Morse's code dates to 1832.

I've known Morse code since 1972. My Quite Happy Grandfather taught me. I've used it often since summer '73.

I love its rhythm, cw dx, and the mystery message within another sender's signals.

The FCC plans to eliminate Morse code as a requirement for all amateur radio license classes. A sad decision, but the code will stick around regardless. Till 2178? Sure. And beyond.

The ARRL, which advocates retaining a test for extra class licenses only, reported the FCC's notice of proposed rule making.

Keep testing on the books, I say. No time to say exactly why right now, though.

cul

dah-dah-di-di-dit
di-di-di-dah-dah

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