[DirtyDave]

I thought this might be useful info. This might be common knowledge for those of you who have military training, but for those of us who don't, it would be useful to learn. When in a situation where you couldn't communicate verbally, this would allow communication with your whistle, flashlight, etc.

SOS ...---...

Morse code - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Celticwarrior]

Nice, thanks DirtyDave. It's a good thing for everyone to be aware of at least a FEW of the common taps you can do with morse code. When people were searching Ground Zero, there were often taps or noises that SOUNDED like taps in the debris. When one was heard, a call went up and EVERYTHING STOPPED. No sound, no noise, nothing but one rescuer listening and trying to communicate with whoever might be under the rubble, doing what they could to get someone to hear them. Tapping on metal with metal or stone will carry, and can communicate all sorts of info about you, your surroundings and your condition, but you have to know morse code to get any of that across. Trust me, if they hear SOS, they will come for you eventually. If you can tap out how many survivors, what you see around you, and what your injuries are, they will be better able to help you, and have proper equipment standing by! The short-long system can be used in light, smokesignals, whistle bursts, and semaphore-like flag waving, to name a few ways you can use morse to communicate.

I recommend printing out a couple of copies, and laminating them, putting one in your wallet or purse, and the other in your BOB. It could save your life, and make a rescue go that much more smoothly and effectively.

Thanks again, Dave!

[DirtyDave]

Cheers bud. I'm just glad I finally had something useful to contribute.

[Dick]

Morse code isn’t part of the Canadian Rangers training. Good idea though. I have known SOS for a while, which I think most people know.
It begs the question though, how many people know Morse code?
Police, firefighters, armed forces? Any educated guesses out there?

[Roadracer]

All I know is that if you play the Drum intro to Van Halens "Hot for Teacher" on anything, it WILL get you noticed!

[Celticwarrior]

Originally Posted by Dick

Morse code isn’t part of the Canadian Rangers training. Good idea though. I have known SOS for a while, which I think most people know.
It begs the question though, how many people know Morse code?
Police, firefighters, armed forces? Any educated guesses out there?

Sadly, I think that it is dwindling over time. Most hams will be able to do it, but now with no-code tech licenses, even that isn't for sure. Most military, police and fire/rescue do not require it in any way, although folks in all of those areas may have learned it for their own benefit.

However, if a rescuer can see or hear the familiar long-short routine, the odds are pretty good they will be able to FIND someone who knows it, or at least will take down the sequence of dots/dashes for someone to translate remotely. At the very least, it shows intellegent signalling rather than random noise or light, and that says to most people that you OBVIOUSLY need some sort of assistance otherwise you wouldn't need to signal in the first place.

Sadly, this statement is indicative of the state of morse code knowledge in this country and the world in general:

In the United States until 1991, a demonstration of the ability to send and receive Morse code at 5 words per minute (WPM) was required to receive an FCC amateur radio license. Demonstration of this ability is still required for the privilege to use the HF bands. Until 1999, proficiency at the 20 WPM level was required to receive the highest level of amateur license (Extra Class); effective April 15, 2000, the FCC reduced the Extra Class requirement to 5 WPM.[1] (http://www.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/wt98-143ro.pdf)

The World Radiocommunication Conference of 2003 (WRC-03) made optional the international Morse code requirement for amateur radio licensing. Although the requirement remains on the books in the US, Canada, and elsewhere, some countries are working to eliminate the requirement entirely.

[Dick]

Hey, I was looking for an educated guess, not a well researched answer!

I think I'll expand my repertoire, but I don't know if I'll devote the time to getting proficient.

Here's one: _./././_.. _.../././._.

[Celticwarrior]

Originally Posted by Dick

Here's one: _./././_.. _.../././._.

Hehehe, don't we all. Make mine a tall one.

[DirtyDave]

Originally Posted by Roadracer

All I know is that if you play the Drum intro to Van Halens "Hot for Teacher" on anything, it WILL get you noticed!

Hell ya! I heard that Eddie's "Eruption" solo will have the same effect, although his "Frankenstrat" might be harder to come by in the woods.

[SwampRat1]

unfortunatly, morse code is no longer mandatory in the army. even the sf radio guys dont get the class anymore, though it is available to take, but i hear its hard to get into. ive thought about trying to take it, but not sure who i would talk to so that i could practice on a regular basis.