Prompt Cast
The History and Evolution of Morse Code
TLDR Morse code, developed by Samuel Morse, revolutionized electronic communication by encoding pulses of electromagnetic energy. It evolved from the needle telegraph to a single-wire telegraph system and eventually became the international Morse code used worldwide today. Although Morse code is now a dead art in electronic communication, it still has enthusiasts and is used by hobbyists.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Samuel Morse developed a system of encoding pulses of electromagnetic energy to create Morse code, which revolutionized electronic communication.
02:10
The discovery of the electromagnet led to the development of the needle telegraph, which eventually evolved into a single-wire telegraph system created by Samuel Morse and Alfred Vale.
03:52
Morse Code was developed as a way to turn clicking sounds into a comprehensible message by varying the amount of time the key was pressed down, with shorter presses representing dots and longer presses representing dashes, allowing for the transmission of letters and messages.
05:42
The original Morse code had problems with language limitations and confusing character lengths, leading to the development of the international Morse code that is used worldwide today.
07:31
International Morse code was developed to accommodate telegraph lines across borders and the use of radio, with SOS becoming the distress signal due to its simplicity and easy memorization.
09:28
Morse code was used for transmitting numbers, became less popular with the rise of telephones and voice radio, but still has enthusiasts today.
11:14
Morse code is still used by hobbyists and has competitions, but for the most part, it is a dead art in the history of electronic communications.
