Morse Code

[AKIron]

Sometimes I lie in bed trying to go to sleep and the craziest ideas cross my mind. I don't know Morse Code. Looks like no pattern, just rote memorization. Why not a simple binary code incrementing for each letter and number? Dot for zero and dash for one. Starting with A at zero or dot. B-10, C-11, D-100, E-101. Anyone who can count in binary, which is very easy to learn, could decode a dot dash message.

No memorization needed. I could sit down anytime and write the table easily.

A 0
B 10
C 11
D 100
E 101
F 110
G 111
H 1000
...

[AKIron]

I guess there would be instances where one of the last letters with more dots/dashes would be the same as two shorter letters. Might have to skip some numbers which of course requires remembering. Or a silent space equivalent to a dash to separate characters. I don't know if/how letters are separated in Morse code.

[AKIron]

Here's the full code. Feel free to use it if the ship hits the sand and you need to quickly teach someone a way to communicate using lights at a distance or some other method that only allows for dot dash type signals.

0-a
10-b
11-c
100-d
101-e
110-f
111-g
1000-h
1001-i
1010-j
1011-k
1100-l
1101-m
1110-n
1111-o
10000-p
10001-q
10010-r
10011-s
10100-t
10101-u
10110-v
10111-w
11000-x
11001-y
11010-z

For simplicity we'll skip some for numbers:

100000-0
100001-1
100010-2
100011-3
100100-4
100101-5
100110-6
100111-7
101000-8
101001-9


Or keep a couple printed copies of Morse Code in your wallet.

[hazmatt]

There are 10 types of people. Those that understand binary and those that don't.

[AKIron]

Become one that does if ya don't. Counting in binary works the same as in decimal except you have only two digits instead of 10.

In decimal each "place" can hold 0 through 9. When you increment past 9 you add a place that starts with 1 and the old place is set to zero.

7
8
9
10

Binary works the same except there is only a zero and 1.

0
1
10
11
100
101
110
111
1000

[nrshida]

But how would you send an 'a' by banging on a pipe, say? You need three states: one high, one low and none at all.

Are you aware of 'tap code'? U.S. airman used it in the Hanoi Hilton. It is said the North Vietnamese guards never discovered it.

[AKIron]

The code I've suggested is a replacement only for Morse code and the reason is because if both parties haven't committed Morse to memory or have it written down then it is meaningless. This code requires only that you know how to count in binary and know the order of the alphabet. It works the same as Morse with timing spaces, dots, and dashes. Two people with flashlights can communicate at a distance.

If you wanted a primitive encryption you could agree ahead of time to offset every character by starting 'A' at a predetermined count other than zero, i.e.

100 - A
101 - B
110 - C
....

The point I am making here is having a code that no one has to memorize but anyone could use once they understand a few basics. A "pipe" code with only bangs and spaces would be good to have also. If you can come up with something that doesn't require rote memorization for each character.

A little more on binary. Here's how you can convert to decimal.

32   16   8   4   2   1
  0     1   0   0   0   1

Notice that each column increases in value (from right to left) by double the previous column. Sum all columns with a value of 1.

So 010001 (dot dash dot dot dot dash) = 17 and the 17th letter in alphabetical order is q

[AKIron]

If you extend those columns to 8 and use 4 sets then you'll understand IPv4 addresses.

128   64   32   16   8   4   2   1

Each of those columns can hold a "bit" which has a value of one or zero. If each column holds a 1 then the decimal equivalent is 255. When all columns are 1s then the decimal total will be one less than double the most significant column. In this case the most significant column is 128. 128x2=256 so all ones would one less than 256.

An 8 bit binary number is called an octet. An IPv4 address has 4 of those octets. If every bit in each of them is a one then their decimal value would be 255.255.255.255

Subnet masking is also part of the IPv4 address. I'll only note that starting from the most right bits the mask defines the division of the address into network and host parts. I won't go into detail on that here unless someone doesn't know and is curious.

[AKIron]

Tools and guns. You can't have too many of either but you can only bug out with so many. Just store this one away in the back of your mind. Takes up little space.

Flashlights used to have a button to accommodate using them for Morse code. Many don't now I think. Can always just use your hand over the end for signaling.

[nrshida]

So 010001 (dot dash dot dot dot dash) = 17 and the 17th letter in alphabetical order is q

But Q is --.- in Morse, which is shorter. And E is a single dot because it's the most common letter in the English language 

I think in the olden days there was quite some sophisticated thinking precisely because resources and equipment were limited and primitive.

Is your motivation then because you think Morse is hard to learn?

[AKIron]

I know morse code is a refined code. If you know it then use it when you need it. Of course the parties you are communicating with must know it also. If you don't know it and didn't stick copies in your wallet then here's an alternative you don't have to memorize. But feel free to wander around in the dark wondering if your scouting buddy half a mile away found a suitable camp site or is stuck in a tree with a bear after him. 

[AKIron]

Seems I've stated my purpose in this but maybe it was missed. If you don't know Morse code and the ship hits the sand you probably aren't going to have time or the opportunity to memorize it. Assigning each letter a binary equivalent based on alphabetical order and counting in binary requires no additional memorization. If you read my posts then you already know my code.

I'll add something. To initiate communication you might agree to switch on your light, sweep it back and forth for 5 seconds. Repeat every 30 seconds until someone replies in the same manner. That will help you spot their location and communication can begin.

The exact procedure isn't important, only that both parties know what is expected.

[AKKuya]

Morse was developed with the telegraph making the tap method simple.  How would you transmit a binary code?

[AKIron]

Morse was developed with the telegraph making the tap method simple.  How would you transmit a binary code?

Morse is a code made of dots, dashes, and silent spaces. It is essentially binary. A zero can represent a dot, a one a dash and silence is silence. All I've done is made it easy to recreate a code that works the same without having to memorize it. Using a telegraph or a flashlight, works the same. A long flash of light or long hold of the telegraph key is a dash/binary 1 and a short is a dot/binary 0. Spaces/silences of predetermined length separate letters and words.

If you don't know how to count in binary review my previous post, it shows how.

Don't leave your buddy stuck in that tree.

[AKIron]

As has already been stated, Morse is a better code. But it is completely useless if you and your buddy don't both know the code. If you know how to count in binary then you already know my code and can teach it to your buddy in 10 minutes if he knows how to count in binary.

Do you know Morse code? Does anyone here know Morse code?