While you'll probably never need to chat with someone using Morse code, the technology remains an impressive and historically significant means of communication. There is still a dedicated international community that sends “dots” and “dahs” to each other every day. And while Morse code is no longer a common means of long-distance chat, the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard both still use it through signal lights, and it continues to be a useful tool for people with certain disabilities.
For those who want to play around with the medium, YouTuber Mirko Pavleski recently designed and built a purpose-built Morse code trainer that can relay voice, light, and tap-based messages. What's more, the Arduino-powered device's tiny LCD screen displays translations at a rate of 60 words per minute, faster than a professional-level human Morse code translator.
First developed by Samuel Morse in the 1830s, Morse code served as the de facto global means of messaging for over 110 years. One of the reasons Morse code has remained in use for so long is the simplicity of its underlying technology. In its most basic form, users tap a small device to send a weak electrical signal over a wire, often recognized by a small light or audio signal. However, by the 1960s, the signal had been replaced by other radio and telecommunication methods in most industries. Still, it wasn't until 1999 that Morse code was officially phased out as the international standard for long-distance maritime communications, supplanted by satellite technology.
[Related: Spies once used knitting to send coded messages—and so can you.]
Electronics have come a long way since the invention of Morse code, but Pavleski's translator is similarly basic by modern standards: it just needs an Arduino Nano microcontroller board, a tiny LCD screen, a teeny-tiny processor chip, a few capacitors, resistors and diodes, and some extra wiring. Once assembled, the parts fit into a nice-looking custom case with two ports and a power switch.
If all this seems too difficult, don't worry: By his own admission, Pavleski doesn't know much Morse code and uses pre-recorded audio clips to demonstrate his translation software and devices. Hackaday He says the DIY gadget can accept input from any audio source and translate the Morse code sounds into English in real time. It also has an external port so you can plug in a keyboard or a Morse code paddle so you can type out your own messages or practice different patterns. If that's not enough, Pavleski has also uploaded an improved version of the device that converts keyboard input into audio Morse code.
Pavleski's complete schematics and instructions are available for free online, while all of the actual components can be purchased fairly inexpensively. Even if building a Morse code trainer is outside your skill range, it's still great to know that some people are still inspired by this nearly 180-year-old system.